What hat(s) would you wear with this topcoat?

[Wolfmanjack]

I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ve recently acquired a vintage ?¢‚ǨÀúpolo coat?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ on eBay and I am absolutely delighted with it. It is authentic in every regard: 100% camel hair, double-breasted, peak lapels, patch & flap pockets, cuffed sleeves, belted back, with welted edges throughout. A true classic. I am having great fun wearing it for evening dress, daytime in the city and in the country.

The evening dress outfit really ?¢‚ǨÀúworked?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ well. I wore it over my tux, with a black Dobbs fedora, black gloves, and a white opera scarf. I felt like William Holden in ?¢‚Ǩ?ìSunset Boulevard;?¢‚Ǩ? although my wife didn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t particularly appreciate the role of Norma Desmond! Please excuse the silly pose in the photo.

My attempts to create a daytime-in-the-city ensemble were less successful. I have a charcoal grey Dobbs fedora with coordinating grey suede gloves and a chocolate brown Dobbs, with brown leather gloves. But curiously, neither of these ?¢‚ǨÀúworked?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ quite right. Both of these fedoras looked rather ?¢‚ǨÀúhard?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ next to this very soft topcoat. Do you have any suggestions? I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m tempted to try a soft wool Country Gentleman, but this beautiful coat deserves better than that.

My country/sports outfit attempts were only a little better. The look of the polo coat over a tan/camel/wine hound?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s-tooth sport coat with an (almost) matching newsboy cap was good; but I always feel just a bit ?¢‚ǨÀúgoofy?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ in a newsboy. I also tried my Moose River Stetson (see my avatar), but the silverbelly looked a little ?¢‚ǨÀúpink?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ next to the camelhair. This was not a bad combo; sort of like Jeff Bridges in ?¢‚Ǩ?ìSeabisquit?¢‚Ǩ?. Note that Bridges?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ hat looks a little pink next to his tan sport coat in this shot.

In summary, I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢d very much like to hear suggestions from my expert colleagues on the Fedora Lounge about the hat(s) you would wear with this beautiful vintage polo coat.

Regards, --Jack

 

[Billingsgate]

My country/sports outfit attempts were only a little better. The look of the polo coat over a tan/camel/wine hound?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s-tooth sport coat with an (almost) matching newsboy cap was good; but I always feel just a bit ?¢‚ǨÀúgoofy?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ in a newsboy. I

Marvelous coat.

Try an ivy instead of a newsboy.

 

[photobyalan]

A chocolate brown Homburg would be perfect. The rounded edges "soften" the hat quite a bit, even if it's a stiff felt. Homburgs are more "dressy", too, as I consider a double-breasted coat to be.

 

[tonyb]

Man, that outfit looks good enough for a ride around town in a crystal carriage. The fedora is just fine, I think, but a Homburg might be better. Maybe you should use that get-up as your reason to buy one.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I felt like William Holden in ?¢‚Ǩ?ìSunset Boulevard?¢‚Ǩ?."

Ah, but Holden ended up taking the astronomically expensive vicuna polo coat!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

And the photo of you disappeared! I never got to see it. Can you bring it back up?


I'd try a hat that's a lighter brown; maybe "milk chocolate" in color.

 

[GraveRobberGreg]

What a great find. I like the hat you have on...I need to get me one

 

[SHARPETOYS]

A nice look!

I have a camel colored fedora with a dark brown ribbion I think it would look great with your coat. Optimo in Chicago made it for me.

 

[Bud-n-Texas]

Jack you got it down pat

I like the look you have put together. Nice coat, very nice coat, you have the right to be very proud of that find. I should be so lucky.:cheers1:

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I agree that a brown/tan fedora would look great. Considering that you really won't be wearing a hat with your dinner jacket alone anyway, it makes the most sense to match the hat to your topcoat.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Wolfmanjack, the Borsalino below would have worked perfectly with your polo coat -- and it just sold on eBay, too. (Sorry about that!)


<img src="http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b362/Veronicaparra/hatborstanbrn001.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">

 

[Wild Root]

AAAAAAH! That's a 30's fedora!!! *Gasp* how much did it go for and what size was it?

Nice coat Wolfman not a bad looking get up there! The black works well with it I think but the hot ticket would be a black double breasted over coat to wear with your tux. You'll find that one over coat is never enough!

=WR=

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Root, I thought it was from the '30s, too ... until I saw photos of the lining and labels. Take a look at the link below. What do you think? Seems fairly recent, doesn't it?


http://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-RARE-Vintag...363872333QQcategoryZ14065QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Wild Root]

Well, if that isn't a great big curve ball! Yeah, the hat looks totally early but, the liner and sweat look, well, not old so much at all. Maybe some one had it restored with a new liner and sweat? I don't know. Maybe Matt Deckard could tell us more about it.

=WR=

 

[Marc Chevalier]

It could have been restored, I suppose ... but that wouldn't explain the paper label and what it says. Or would it?

Also, it's supposed to be new/old stock from a store. If that's so, why would the liner and sweatband have been recently replaced?

 

[DanielJones]

Personally I would wear either a Homburg or a Bowler. Both in black. for a little mor e Casual note, I would opt for a very dark Borsalino.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Back in the Golden Era, polo coats were considered jaunty and sporty, not formal at all. They were worn on weekends and at outdoor sporting events, especially football games. In the '20s, polo coats were called "the poor collegiate's raccoon coat." Wearing a polo coat with a tuxedo (or even a formal dark suit) would have been considered a bit too "Hollywood" back then. Only a cad, a movie star, or rich young member of "cafe society" could get away with it. But who cares? Wear your coat as you wish; it looks great on you!

 

[MattC]

Navy blue? Angora finish? Olive?

I think your coat would look great with a navy blue fedora. I also think it would be fun to try an angora finish hat, maybe in a light grey, maybe with a c crown. And I always think the camel color looks fabulous with an olive (maybe on the darker olive side). Really though, you can't go wrong. Great coat. Enjoy it.

 

[Wolfmanjack]

Thanks to all of you for your compliments and your very helpful advice. Special thanks to photobyalan, DanielJones and tonyb, who suggested that I consider a homburg. This prompted me to dig into the back of my closet for a grey Dobbs homburg I'd bought on impulse and never worn. I think this will look great with my new polo coat. This has raised some new questions, but I'll take these up in a new thread. If you?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re interested, go to "To pinch or not to pinch," that is the question.

 

[Michael D]

It could have been restored, I suppose ... but that wouldn't explain the paper label and what it says. Or would it?

Also, it's supposed to be new/old stock from a store. If that's so, why would the liner and sweatband have been recently replaced?

From previous discussions we've had about dating Borsalinos we can surmise that this is from 1980 because of the '80' on the paper label.

Did you notice the $135 price tag on the sweat? You don't replace the sweat and put a price tag on it.

I'd say this hat was from 1980.

Mike