What kind of face/body can pull off a high crown?

[MattJH]

And by "high crown," I suppose I'm referring to 5.5" - 6", which is about the highest I've seen.

As many of you probably know, I've been voraciously perusing Akubra's catalogue but only a few are made to fit my 62cm-63cm head, and most have high crowns. My eye is on the open-crown Sydney (or "Fedora") and the open-crown Federation. The Sydney is 5.5" and the Federation is 6".

[NOTE: I've no intent to emulate Indiana Jones, I just really like hats -- because of this, if I went for the Federation I'd probably not go brown]

I've never owned a fedora before, although I've always been a hat-guy, whether it be a ballcap, a walking/trilby hat, a Kakadu outback hat, a Winter Tilley, etc.

Is a high crown typically for bigger-bodied folk? I'm about 170lbs at 5'10" and I fear a high crown fedora will make me look a bit top heavy, and I'm not interested in repeatedly exchanging hats overseas until I get it right due to the shipping costs. I also don't want to appear physically obnoxious. I just want a sturdy fedora that I don't have to baby, and Akubras seem to fit the bill.

Here are a few photographs of myself back in 05/21/05 at my wedding which may or may not help. I look pretty much identical now:

http://www.starstuff.net/misc/wedding/wedding041.jpg
http://www.starstuff.net/misc/wedding/wedding169.jpg
http://www.starstuff.net/misc/wedding/wedding171.jpg

Thanks!

 

[RBH]

IMHO, the tall crown will look great on you, you could always make the bash a little deeper if you think it is to tall.
Akubra makes a great hat, easy to bash amd a delight to wear.
I say go for it!

 

[griffer]

Are there no local sellers of Akubra you can get to? Can you make it to the Manhattan? Have you called around?

You could at least try on other manufacturers and measure the crown.

My two cents is that it a ratio between crown and brim....

Just don't look like Lothar....

 

[Pilgrim]

I think crown height depends a lot on personal taste. Your face is proportioned so that I think you could wear just about anything that suits your perferences.

If you had a very round or short/wide face, I would suggest avoiding tall crowns - but that's not a problem.

 

[vintage68]

I'm a member of the big fat head club myself, at 7 3/4 or 62 metric. Height is 6 even and I weigh about 200lbs.

I wear an Adventurbilt ( adventurebilthats.com) fedora with a 5" crown and am very happy with it. I find it's just right for my head. They also have a well deserved rep for being rugged, heirloom quality lids. Yes, they are geared towards Indiana Jones' fans, but you can bash 'em any ol' way you want to get the desired crown height...

I like mine so much I've just ordered another!

Regards! Vintage

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side." Han Solo

 

[Cruiser]

"Is a high crown typically for bigger-bodied folk?" etc.

In my experience, the high crown grows on you. When I got my first one with a high crown, it felt a little odd, but very quickly I came to feel that the high crown is preferable and anything less looks a little too flat. Also, you are plenty big to wear a crown as high as you mention--just give it a chance and I think you will be pleased. Good luck.

 

[ideaguy]

interesting question- is there a rule of thumb that hatters go by-shape of face dictating basic shape of hat? always wondered if there was an easy "guide"
as to what is correct-or has been deemed so...I've a long,thin face, and still
can't figure the proper look, love the hat or no. Any further leads to old threads,etc??

 

[GoneSolo]

I think it was John in Covina who posted a link about the correct hat to wear depending on the facial structure. I can't seem to find it though.

 

[GoneSolo]

Here it is:

http://www.millerhats.com/hatcare_index/hatfaces.html

 

[ideaguy]

THANKS!!

 

[MattJH]

Here it is:

http://www.millerhats.com/hatcare_index/hatfaces.html

Ah, nice! Now if I could only figure out which face is mine!

 

[Joel Tunnah]

Anyone can wear a tall-crowned hat. If you don't believe me, look at old pictures and movies. You see every size guy, with every shape of face, wearing just about the same size hat. The brims changed, and some guys crushed their crowns down more than others, but the bones were the same.

One of the hatters here had mentioned before that there simply weren't crown blocks less than 5 3/4" from before the forties.

 

[MattJH]

Interesting information, Joel!

What are people's suggestions for bashes that will significantly lower the crown height? Or is it a matter of using any bash, but pushing it down further than normal?

I'm new at all of this, so please pardon my inquisitiveness! I just want to learn.

 

[s7eng]

I have the Akubra Federation and I'm 5'11" and 160 lbs. I think it looks alright on me. (just don't ask my wife or daughter).

 

[RBH]

I would think you would need to go with a c-crown to get to what you are looking for.

 

[MattJH]

Thanks to everyone! Because of this thread, I've ruled out the Akubra Federation. I had already ruled out the Adventurebilt for similar reasons. They're just too big for my taste and, as nice as they are, and as many non-Indy bashes you can create with them, the Indy-styled fedoras are just not for me.

Vintage isn't an option because of the inflated prices of hats that fit my 62cm-63cm head.

My search continues for a fitting first fedora.

 

[Joel Tunnah]

You really need to try on some hats, since you've never worn a fedora before.
And nothing said in this particular thread should make you avoid classic tall-crown hats.

Why not take a trip into new york and visit Bencraft Hats in the lovely city of Brooklyn. You'll have to go through the suburb of manhattan to get here though...

Steven will find a hat for you.

Joel

 

[MattJH]

You really need to try on some hats, since you've never worn a fedora before.

Very true. I've never worn one regularly, at least -- I have only tried them on at various outfitters. Hey, at least I found this forum BEFORE I owned some failed fedoras! Thanks to everyone here and everyone in the archives that no longer contribute, I can definitely call myself an educated consumer

 

[tonyb]

You're certainly more well informed than most folks who stumble into a new-hat retail shop.
I suspect the reason that so many of the people who regularly post here prefer vintage and custom hats over most of what's mass produced these days is because they prefer the "Golden Era" styles. I certainly do, anyway. And that's why there's a sizable contingent that favors the Akubra Federation and the Adventurebilt lids. It's not just the crown's height that appeals but also its relatively straight (as opposed to tapered) profile.
If the large manufacturers made more hats that had more vertical crowns they'd get more of my business. And why they don't remains a complete and utter mystery to me. It can't be that those vertical, tallish crowns are "out of style." Hell, fedoras in general haven't been "in style" for several decades now. And I'm here to tell you (as others would, too, I'd wager) that the straight-sided vintage and custom lids are much more likely to provoke the "nice hat" comments from Joe and Josephine Public than those tapered hats are.
Oddly, some better-looking styles are available in some truly cheap new hats, such as some wool pieces of #&%* available in the 50 and 60 dollar range, and even less. I assume that your reading here has already made you aware of this, but if it hasn't, please know that wool does NOT make a good hat felt.

 

[MattJH]

It's excellent replies like tonyb's that keep me coming back to the idea of a Federation/Adventurebilt. Over and over and over. I've a feeling I won't stop obsessing over it until I just pick one and get it already. We'll see!

I'll have to re-peruse all of the previous threads comparing the Federation to the Federation Deluxe to the Adventurebilt. It's not like I can try them on before purchasing one, so all I've got is you fine folk.