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What Hat Are You Wearing Today ?

Ent

One of the Regulars
Messages
106
Continuing with autumn theme on a blustery day. My newer Cooper Pedy’s day out. Gradually getting comfortable wearing the outback styles but for goodness do not expect me to saddle a horse. I am with Sherlock on horses.
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VoodooSan

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,647
Location
Boise, ID
Continuing with autumn theme on a blustery day. My newer Cooper Pedy’s day out. Gradually getting comfortable wearing the outback styles but for goodness do not expect me to saddle a horse. I am with Sherlock on horses. View attachment 699012 View attachment 699013
I can understand your hesitation, (I have mixed feelings about the CP myself), but I think that's a good-looking hat on you. Nice jacket, too!
 

Ent

One of the Regulars
Messages
106
I can understand your hesitation, (I have mixed feelings about the CP myself), but I think that's a good-looking hat on you. Nice jacket, too!
Thanks for jacket compliments. That is my Wested Leather Company Raiders jacket in horse hide. Tough as nails.

Yes gradually as they say wear it enough becomes you. Very practical sun hat well suited to that part of the world with ventilation holes.
 

TimmyV

Practically Family
Messages
858
Location
Backwoods, Kentucky
This forum is a fountain of great information about these old hats and is chocked full of people that are happy to share their knowledge. Sometimes they even go out of their way to point you in the direction of a good deal on a nice hat. I have to say a BIG Thanks @ Rmccamey for the tip on this beauty !!
Stetson Select Quality Bowler originally sold by Pantke - Harpke Company in
Milwaukee . Yes sir, Randy knows how to pick 'em ! This hat is in like-new condition and came in the original box where I dare say it has spent most, if not all of it's life.
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Ent

One of the Regulars
Messages
106
This forum is a fountain of great information about these old hats and is chocked full of people that are happy to share their knowledge. Sometimes they even go out of their way to point you in the direction of a good deal on a nice hat. I have to say a BIG Thanks @ Rmccamey for the tip on this beauty !!
Stetson Select Quality Bowler originally sold by Pantke - Harpke Company in
Milwaukee . Yes sir, Randy knows how to pick 'em ! This hat is in like-new condition and came in the original box where I dare say it has spent most, if not all of it's life.
View attachment 699080 View attachment 699081 View attachment 699082 View attachment 699083 View attachment 699084
Now a bowler is one hat that I would struggle to pull off. I do love the look of them but they conjure up Imagines of the two British “spies” in Tin Tin cartoons. Who nows one day I will pluck up the courage to wear one myself. Great example of the breed.
 

RickP

One Too Many
Messages
1,519
Sometimes one of my favorites is one of the cheapest. This is one of those hats, and it was a nice day for it today. It's a USA-made Biltmore hemp straw that I picked up on eBay last year for under $30. It's one of the most comfortable straws I own, and people stop me to compliment it everywhere I go.
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Ill fully agree! I recently picked up this Canadian made Biltmore Hemp braid and its been a Fantastic $15 hat ( I love hemps and needed one in black anyway lol)


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RickP

One Too Many
Messages
1,519
Now a bowler is one hat that I would struggle to pull off. I do love the look of them but they conjure up Imagines of the two British “spies” in Tin Tin cartoons. Who nows one day I will pluck up the courage to wear one myself. Great example of the breed.
Go for it! Bowlers grow on you quickly. For ages they were one of the most common hats.... probably a good reason for that
 

Ent

One of the Regulars
Messages
106
Go for it! Bowlers grow on you quickly. For ages they were one of the most common hats.... probably a good reason for that
My understanding they started off life as a tough relatively economical farm labour’s hat and the became the uniform of aspiring British management class.

The trick is to get one that is not cosplay quality but the real deal. In size 62 or 7 3/4 not so easy to get.

Felted wool is not the material and naturally black?
 

RickP

One Too Many
Messages
1,519
My understanding they started off life as a tough relatively economical farm labour’s hat and the became the uniform of aspiring British management class.

The trick is to get one that is not cosplay quality but the real deal. In size 62 or 7 3/4 not so easy to get.

Felted wool is not the material and naturally black?
Id stay with fur felt- not wool. Prob going to keep its shape and stand up to moisture better. Bigger sizes can be a bit tricky to find but they ARE out there. Ive seen several nice Stetsons from the 20's ans 30's lately in great shape... Good luck
 

Ent

One of the Regulars
Messages
106

Ent

One of the Regulars
Messages
106
Id stay with fur felt- not wool. Prob going to keep its shape and stand up to moisture better. Bigger sizes can be a bit tricky to find but they ARE out there. Ive seen several nice Stetsons from the 20's ans 30's lately in great shape... Good luck
I think in Tassie I might have more luck finding stripped paint but I take you point on the fur felt. One in the 100% western weight might be the holly grail of bowler hats.
 

The Lost Cowboy

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,017
Location
Southeast Asia
If that is not a Akubra Campdraft I will “eat my hat”

Here is mine. I got it styled as per the hat that was presented to JFK in Dallas by I think the governor to encourage him to wear a hat. Maybe had he things might have turned out differently.

View attachment 699097
The Akubra Campdraft is an Open Road, not the other way around. Back in the 1960s and 70s (maybe 50s as well?) Akubra had a license to make Open Roads for the Australian market. When that license was not renewed by Stetson (in the 70s or 80s, not sure exactly when) Akubra simply relabeled the hat as the Campdraft.

We have a few Loungers with Akubra-made Stetson Open Roads.
 
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Ent

One of the Regulars
Messages
106
The Akubra Campdraft is an Open Road, not the other way around. Back in the 1960s and 70s (maybe 50s as well?) Akubra had a license to make Open Roads for the Australian market. When that license was not renewed by Stetson (in the 70s or 80s, not sure exactly when) Akubra simply relabeled the hat as the Campdraft.

We have a few Loungers with Akubra Open Roads.
Interesting the tie between the two giants of the hat world. I have a Stetson Stratoliner but sadly did not understand crown hats so bit low for my head and also in a dress felt so needs more care, definitely not a rainy weather hat.
 

The Lost Cowboy

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,017
Location
Southeast Asia
Interesting the tie between the two giants of the hat world. I have a Stetson Stratoliner but sadly did not understand crown hats so bit low for my head and also in a dress felt so needs more care, definitely not a rainy weather hat.
Not sure I'd call Akubra and Stetson "the two giants of the hat world". Borsalino must be included in any such category and while Akubra dominates the market down under, they are far less-well known in other areas.

Don't get me wrong, I love Akubra (I own 8 of them) and I hope the new owners continue to give Australia reasons to be proud of their hats - but they just don't have the same brand recognition worldwide as Stetson and Borsalino.

My modern JBS Stratoliner Premier is a good hat, but like you I also reach for an Akubra in the rain (or a pure beaver). I love Akubras anytime, but they make particularly good rain hats.
 
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Ent

One of the Regulars
Messages
106
Not sure I'd call Akubra and Stetson "the two giants of the hat world". Borsalino must be included in any such category and while Akubra dominates the market down under, they are far less-well known in other areas.

Don't get me wrong, I love Akubra (I own 8 of them) and I hope the new owners continue to give Australia reasons to be proud of their hats - but they just don't have the same brand recognition worldwide as Stetson and Borsalino.

My modern JBS Stratoliner Premier is a good hat, but like you I also reach for an Akubra in the rain (or a pure beaver). I love Akubras anytime, but they make particularly good rain hats.
I fear the new owners might be stuffing things up trying to funnel all sales through their website and stopping various small shops from advertising online plus appear to have shrunk their range. Rather like what happened to RM Williams. I hope I am wrong.

I thought Borsalino went bankrupt at one stage?
 

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