What to wear with a fedora....

[hatsRme]

In a word, yes. Contrast works to look purposefully composed, as opposed to a "uniform" look by attempting to match both. JMHO...

 

[PHIL1959]

you cant beat moonstone as a colour, it seams to go with almost everything!

 

[moontheloon]

if you look in the mirror and you dig it ... why in the world does anything else matter ?

... serious question

 

[RJR]

Fair question,Moon.

 

[Frunobulax]

I'm with Moon, except my wife sometimes disagrees with what I "dig." :biggrin3:

However, I always take care to make certain my hat, socks and underwear match. It's the details that count!

 

[Lean'n'mean]

I'm asking whether a darker hat like dark grey or even black would work better. Especially during the darker/colder months.

Hat darker than clothes = mystery,

Hat lighter than clothes = elegance,

Hat same color as clothes = retro,

Not being bothered one way or another = peace of mind.

 

[APP Adrian]

Hat darker than clothes = mystery,

Hat lighter than clothes = elegance,

Hat same color as clothes = retro,

Not being bothered one way or another = peace of mind.

Interesting, never thought about it like that.

I would rather be elegance than anything else =).

 

[facade]

I have a FED IV moonstone. I wear this hat with my medium grey pinstripe suit, the hat is lighter than the suit.

When it's cold outside, I have a dark grey overcoat. Again the hat is lighter than the overcoat.

This overcoat is very similar to mine.
View attachment 34588

I'm asking whether a darker hat like dark grey or even black would work better. Especially during the darker/colder months.

For example the FED IV in Carbon and in Black.

Grey is a neutral so you can pair it successfully with a large variety of colors and shades. I'd work on coordinating your hat choice with other aspects of your attire (scarf, tie, pants etc.).

 

[TPD166]

I generally try to match my hat to my suit, and my overcoat to my suit, and tend to go with I think looks best.

But these gents (who knew how to dress) wore darker hats with lighter coats, lighter coats with darker coats, and some interesting contrasting colors. Those were the days!
[URL=http://s1173.photobucket.com/user/TPD166/media/Laurence-Fellows-An-Iconic-Fashion-Illustrator_zpsw7llwsh8.jpg.html] [/URL]

 

[Bob Roberts]

hat darker than clothes = mystery,

hat lighter than clothes = elegance,

hat same color as clothes = retro,

not being bothered one way or another = peace of mind.

Ha! A BIG PLUS ONE!!!

 

[BogartxNoire]

Hello, everyone, new animal at the zoo here. I've been captivated by old noir movies, old radio detective shows (e.g. Box 13, Boston Blackie, Jeff Regan, Pat Novak), Humphrey Bogart and post-WWII/Late 40s fashion, as shown in "LA Confidential" and the "LA Noire" video game. I hope to share that love of a better-looking time period with y'all and to learn more about how to look good in the effort of resurrecting the fashion.

I've just bought my first hat, other than a black flat cap that I've soured on due to it being tight. It was pretty cheap I reckon by hat standards, a $14 Peter Grimm blue Fedora hat. I definitely want more hats, maybe a neutral color like gray and maybe a bigger hat. Wore it for the first time today, but dunno what to wear it with and I don't think my outfit works. I mostly threw it together. Picture available.

Now, I have a few suits, really need more, but which would look good with this hat? If
none, then what color
of suit should I look for?

I have an Alfani green suit with a gray Alfani shirt, a dark blue pinstripe suit, a gray blazer, a heavy black sports coat, a gray vest, a brown leather vest and a beige vest. I have black, light blue and white dress shirts, plus black pants.

I would've tried the all-blue look today, but I know that matching isn't necessarily important to the fashion of the era.

 

[belfastboy]

Not to be unkind but the hat looks "cheap" and thus cheapens the look you are after. My suggestion is that a hat needs to lead and if you want to look sharp it need be an "expensive" looking hat. It does not have to cost a lot as there are some great bargains to be had here in the Lounge classified adverts and online. Rather than accumulating a stable of inexpensive hats I suggest you invest in one or two good ones. You will not regret taking that path. A grey and a brown and you have it pretty much covered.

 

[BogartxNoire]

Not to be unkind but the hat looks "cheap" and thus cheapens the look you are after. My suggestion is that a hat needs to lead and if you want to look sharp it need be an "expensive" looking hat. It does not have to cost a lot as there are some great bargains to be had here in the Lounge classified adverts and online. Rather than accumulating a stable of inexpensive hats I suggest you invest in one or two good ones. You will not regret taking that path. A grey and a brown and you have it pretty much covered.

Oh, I hear ya. I was initially displeased with the straw look, as the pictures didn't give that impression, but I like it enough.

I have some seemingly nicer-looking hats on Amazon lined up, but I will take a look at those for sale here. I read that gray looks good with everything, so probably get that one next, but what's your opinion on a black hat?

And to add to my question, do you or anyone else reading this think a short brim fedora looks good on me, or should I look into long brims or another kind of hat?

 

[JackieMatra]

Hello, everyone, new animal at the zoo here. I've been captivated by old noir movies, old radio detective shows (e.g. Box 13, Boston Blackie, Jeff Regan, Pat Novak), Humphrey Bogart and post-WWII/Late 40s fashion, as shown in "LA Confidential" and the "LA Noire" video game. I hope to share that love of a better-looking time period with y'all and to learn more about how to look good in the effort of resurrecting the fashion.

I've just bought my first hat, other than a black flat cap that I've soured on due to it being tight. It was pretty cheap I reckon by hat standards, a $14 Peter Grimm blue Fedora hat. I definitely want more hats, maybe a neutral color like gray and maybe a bigger hat. Wore it for the first time today, but dunno what to wear it with and I don't think my outfit works. I mostly threw it together. Picture available.

Now, I have a few suits, really need more, but which would look good with this hat? If
none, then what color
of suit should I look for?

I have an Alfani green suit with a gray Alfani shirt, a dark blue pinstripe suit, a gray blazer, a heavy black sports coat, a gray vest, a brown leather vest and a beige vest. I have black, light blue and white dress shirts, plus black pants.

I would've tried the all-blue look today, but I know that matching isn't necessarily important to the fashion of the era.

You asked, so here's my undiplomatic two cents worth:
You don't need more suits, just dump that hat.
A mid to light gray hat should go fairly well with all the color clothing that you mentioned.
You're not a long slim high cheekbone type, and you really would look much better in a wider brim hat, say at least 2.625" brim or preferably wider.

 

[ScionPI2005]

Hey there, and welcome to the Lounge. My suggestion would be if you decide you want to keep wearing the hat in your picture, that you try it with much more casual clothes, instead of a suit. Like belfastboy said, seek out a hat that has a more quality look for it for your suit. The hat in your picture looks better suited for maybe a weekend getaway in the summer.

I'd recommend a wider brimmed hat as well. A gray felt fedora with a wider brim would look pretty awesome with that suit!

 

[Lean'n'mean]

The hat has a kinda pork pie-ish look which are better suited to more casual clothes. The color's not the easist to match with something either. I think you're OK with a narrow brim though but that tie has to go.

 

[JackieMatra]

Not to be unkind but the hat looks "cheap" and thus cheapens the look you are after. My suggestion is that a hat needs to lead and if you want to look sharp it need be an "expensive" looking hat. It does not have to cost a lot as there are some great bargains to be had here in the Lounge classified adverts and online. Rather than accumulating a stable of inexpensive hats I suggest you invest in one or two good ones. You will not regret taking that path. A grey and a brown and you have it pretty much covered.

I quite agree.
I started out with a few lower priced woolies but soon discovered that good fur felts were incomparably superior.

I think that a very dark gray, or even black, suit and a black fur felt hat are really an indispensable part of a man's wardrobe, suitable for any fairly conservative occasion, and really necessary for somber ones such as any funerals which, like it or not, you are guaranteed to be attending sometime in the future. Get a black tie too, so you don't find yourself madly dashing around town trying to find one the day before a funeral.

Black, gray, and brown fur felts, and a straw for warm weather should leave you all hatted up for quite a few years.

 

[moontheloon]

some good advice given so far

I agree that the hat you are wearing in the pics is not a "suit hat" ... not to me at least ... unless you play in a Ska band ... more some shorts and a T shirt type hat

I would also suggest not getting your hats from Amazon ... go to a hat shop if you can so you can put hats on your head.

I also agree that shades of brown and gray should be where everyone getting into this style hat should start.

on the brim size ... I am personally not a fan if stingy brims at all so my opinion on that would follow suit

not sure where you live ... but if it is somewhere with seasonal weather changes ... and you really want to get into hats ... get yourself a nice affordable (<subjective term alert) fur felt hat ... and maybe a nice straw for summer

I would go with at least a 2 1/2" brim with your face shape ... but this is where the mirror at the hat shop will come in handy

as for your question about a black hat ... I stay away from them ... personal preference ... just as I stay away from stingy brims and low crowns ... just don't like them.
I don't think black hats work for everyone ... just the same way a canary yellow hat doesn't work for everyone

all in all ... everyone could give you all the advice in the world here but all that matters is that when you look in the mirror you dig what you see.

as a warning to you ... 2 hats turn into 40 in a hurry ...

 

[JackieMatra]

The following online hat retailers and custom hatters have a nice selection of quality hats and caps at fair prices and will give you a good idea of what's available new and at what sort of prices, which will give you an idea as to what constitutes a good price and what doesn't.

New hats and caps
http://everythingaustralian.com.au/shop-by-brands/akubra.html
http://www.australiangear.com/brands/akubra-hats.html
http://www.hats-plus.com/
http://www.delmonicohatter.com/
http://www.bencrafthats.com/index.php

New berets
http://www.rongreer.net/basque-beret-shop/

Custom made caps
http://mariposa.yosemite.net/bwear/

Custom made hats
http://www.northwesthats.com/

 

[moontheloon]

The following online hat retailers and custom hatters have a nice selection of quality hats and caps at fair prices and will give you a good idea of what's available new and at what sort of prices, which will give you an idea as to what constitutes a good price and what doesn't.

New hats and caps
http://everythingaustralian.com.au/shop-by-brands/akubra.html
http://www.australiangear.com/brands/akubra-hats.html
http://www.hats-plus.com/
http://www.delmonicohatter.com/
http://www.bencrafthats.com/index.php

New berets
http://www.rongreer.net/basque-beret-shop/

Custom made caps
http://mariposa.yosemite.net/bwear/

Custom made hats
http://www.northwesthats.com/

I would add JJ to that list

http://www.jjhatcenter.com/