What is your favorite hat crease?

[Joshbru3]

I'm a sucker for anything 20's. I love high crowns with 2 1/8 - 2 3/8 inch brims. My favorite crease and the one that I do the most is a deep centerdent with "mickey mouse ears" front pinches. I do however crease hats using a diamond, c-crown, or teardrop. Mostly it depends on the factory crown shape. A good portion of the hats that I own from the 20's or 30's usually have a tall, straight sided, and flat top crown. These type of crowns cater to the center dent with front pinches very well. On a good portion of my hats from the 1950's, the crowns seem to be bit lower with a rounder profile and therefore I use a c-crown, diamond, or teardrop. Im a pretty firm believer that certain hats dont look good in certain creases. Like I said, its really based on taper, no taper, crown height, flat top, round top, etc.

 

[SteveAS]

I started off liking neat teardrops, but I realized I like a somewhat imperfect hand-creased shape. For most of my hats, I use a quick, simple diamond applied to a dry hat.

 

[scottyrocks]

I'm a sucker for anything 20's. I love high crowns with 2 1/8 - 2 3/8 inch brims. My favorite crease and the one that I do the most is a deep centerdent with "mickey mouse ears" front pinches. I do however crease hats using a diamond, c-crown, or teardrop. Mostly it depends on the factory crown shape. A good portion of the hats that I own from the 20's or 30's usually have a tall, straight sided, and flat top crown. These type of crowns cater to the center dent with front pinches very well. On a good portion of my hats from the 1950's, the crowns seem to be bit lower with a rounder profile and therefore I use a c-crown, diamond, or teardrop. Im a pretty firm believer that certain hats dont look good in certain creases. Like I said, its really based on taper, no taper, crown height, flat top, round top, etc.

These are pretty much my criteria, as well. I prefer straight sides with little to no taper. A center dent is my first choice of top crease but I will use a C or tear drop to straighten up a slightly tapered hat. And I prefer a tight front pinch.

 

[Sam Craig]

Yeah, look at those great hats that Cagney wore.
They have a really distinctive look.
Don't get me wrong ... I love the 40s and 50s fedoras ... LONG before Raiders, by the way ... and the wide brims are terrific

But there is something really cool about the tall crown with the right shape of a narrower brim, like Cagney's hats

I don't remember the movie, but Cagney was in it with George Raft and Cagney had his signiture fedora while Raft wore a wide brime and it's neat to see how they both look sharp ... REALLY sharp

Sam

 

[GamaH]

Personally, I'm partial towards the Teardrop crown after looking at the Teardrop Workshop thread. My first 2 fedoras had teardrop crowns, and I'm considering ordering a custom Milan from Optimo Hats in a teardrop crown as well (actually, more like I've decided on it, but I'm still open to suggestions).

So, do you have a favorite crease, or does it not matter to you? There is no criteria for it to be your favorite; it could be the type of crease that you have for most hats, or the crease that you wear the most. It can be whatever you consider it to be, based on anything.

 

[zetwal]

Here's a thread that you may find enjoyable.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?1280

 

[hatophile]

Most of my hats are eithe teardrop/C-crown or diamond for my fedoras. For OR style hats, I like the center dent with pinches. I wish more of my fedoras looked good with center dents. Don't currently have any in pork-pie style.

 

[Joshbru3]

Personally, I'm partial towards the Teardrop crown after looking at the Teardrop Workshop thread. My first 2 fedoras had teardrop crowns, and I'm considering ordering a custom Milan from Optimo Hats in a teardrop crown as well (actually, more like I've decided on it, but I'm still open to suggestions).

So, do you have a favorite crown shape, or does it not matter to you? There is no criteria for it to be your favorite; it could be the type of crown that you have for most hats, or the crown that you wear the most. It can be whatever you consider it to be, based on anything.

Well my favorite crown shape is a 5 3/4 - 6 inch open crown with straight sides and no taper. That being said, my favorite crease for that crown is a center dent with front pinches. I do prefer a c-crown sometimes when the hat calls for it. Ive realized through the last year and half that not every hat can accept every kind of crease. Also, if being "period correct" matters to you, thats another factor as well when choosing a crease for a hat. I usually go for 20's - 30's proportions so for me the center dent is the way to go. On most of my 50's hats that have rounder crowns, I started with c-crowns, but then reblocked the hats to a straighter crown shape and put a center dent. Its a matter of preference, but also a matter of realizing what kind of block shape you have to work with. And as always with a felt hat, if you dont like the crown shape....re-block it. Just my 2 cents.

 

[El Sid]

Hello, GamaH, I'm a rookie around here, but I won't let that stop me from offering my own views with great authority. I always liked the teardrop (though, admittedly, before my education at Fedora Lounge U, I called it a 'ballpark'). Now, however, I'm completely devoted to the diamond bash. To me it looks more Film Noir, which is the primary inspiration for my own fedora obession, and the diamond bash has an air of nonchalance that I like, as if it were careless and accidental. I also tend to mash the back down a little extra because I like the rakish upward sweep from the rear to the front. My straws generally have a teardrop, except for the Montecristi in my avatar, which sports a loose centerdent that seems to be traditional on a classic Panama. If I were ordering a custom Milan from Optimo--and I have no idea why I'm not, now that you mention it--I would request a diamond bash. Does anyone here rock a diamond bash on a straw? I don't think I've ever seen the combo, but I'd like to.

 

[Brando11]

Teardrop crown, fairly deep side dents and narrow, but not Indy-tight, front pinch. I must say, however, some of you guys are turning my head around with your center dent, relaxed front pinch hats.

 

[SgtRick]

All my hats have the teardrop crown. No particulat reason other than I just like them.

 

[Neophyte]

1. The JimmyTheLid Patented Teardrop Crown!

Or

2. Jimmy's Diamond Arrowhead/Cross crease!



....for a fedora, at least.

 

[monbla256]

Classic Center Dent with long front Pinches. The only way to go

 

[GamaH]

Not completely related to this topic, but not off-topic either: When adding to hat collections, do you guys go for slight variations of the similar design, something that's tried and tested to look good on you (e.g.; having the exact same hat in different colors/finishes) or something completely new (e.g.; drastically different brim/crown size, crease)?

Also, does the material/finish of your hat determine the crease for you, or do you like having the same crease/crown/brim for every hat, regardless of whether it's straw or felt?

 

[T Rick]

Center dent, moderate front pinch.

 

[HatsEnough]

Unless they are dented in that stinking Rancher Western style dent, I usually leave my latest acquisition in what ever dent it came with. Not always, mind you, but most of the time however it came to me is how I leave it.

 

[gtdean48]

The crease that the hat I am currently creasing seems to want to be...Listen to the crown felt & it'll tell you how it wants to be shaped...see the felt, feel the felt, hear the felt, be one with it....

 

[alanfgag]

The crease that the hat I am currently creasing seems to want to be...Listen to the crown felt & it'll tell you how it wants to be shaped...see the felt, feel the felt, hear the felt, be one with it....

Hat Zen... beautifully said GT!

 

[monbla256]

the crease that the hat i am currently creasing seems to want to be...listen to the crown felt & it'll tell you how it wants to be shaped...see the felt, feel the felt, hear the felt, be one with it....

ohmmmmmmmmm

 

[hatophile]

The crease that the hat I am currently creasing seems to want to be...Listen to the crown felt & it'll tell you how it wants to be shaped...see the felt, feel the felt, hear the felt, be one with it....

Grooooovy, man!