Where to find white fedoras?

[blueoakleyz]

I'm looking for a white fedora like Michael Jackson wore

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Felt or straw? Price range? I know Bailey makes some which are available at many of the hatters who advertise here on the lounge, like Thefedorastore.com, villagehatshop.com and others. If you want to spring for a custom design, Art Fawcett and other could help you there. Where have you checked already?

 

[blueoakleyz]

I'm pretty sure it was felt but now that I think of it, the straw I was going to order may pass for it for a while
thanks

 

[Not-Bogart13]

True white is not an easy find, and I recall hearing it's a tough color to make in felt. However, most "white" hats turn out to be very very light tans or grays.

 

[Dinerman]

From the ones that I've seen go on ebay, (concert worn ones, autographed ones), it looks like he wears really cheap wool felts, along the lines of NY hat co. products or the like, so you might want to go that route.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

If you want a new white felt hat, you almost have to settle for wool. While this grates on us afficionados, it really isn't a terrible trajedy, for a couple of reasons. (1) The need to wear a pure white felt fedora is rare. That's why there aren't many of them made. (2) From ten feet away, most people (including us afficionados) can't tell if it's fur or wool.

If you must have fur, keep looking. You may find it. If you need the hat sooner rather than later, settle for a wool model. As long as it looks good in the mirror and in photographs, you will have gotten your money's worth and you will be happy.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Two years ago I spoke to Winchester about their white felt dress bodies, and they had essentially been discontinued, not being worth the hassle. Greg only had three bodies left at the time, and said he didn't plan to run them again for a long time, if ever. I haven't spoken to him about them since, so I don't know if anything's changed, and I also don't know if they are available in the western weights. I only asked about the dress weights. Overseas felters might still offer white.

I think it's a shame that they're so hard to find, because a pure white hat is a beautiful thing and can be worn year-round for nearly any occasion. I received more compliments on my white hat than any other to date.

Brad

 

[J.T.Marcus]

I received more compliments on my white hat than any other to date.

Brad

And well you should!!! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Benny Holiday]

I was almost going to bypass this thread altogether, my rationale being that as I couldn't imagine ever being interested in owning a white fedora, I certainly don't know where a guy could find one. But, this being the FL and all, one never knows what interesting information might be found on a thread, so I decided to check it out anyway.

Then Brad posts that brilliant photo and completely changes my mind about the concept of the white fedora. Kudos to you, sir! :eusa_clap That is one superb-looking hat!

PS the hat in my avatar is light grey! (early 50s Champ)

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

This is my white Champ. Quite old and was badly misshapen from being stored many years crammed into another hat inside a box. Got it as part of a two-hat deal on eBay. (The other hat is a swell Knox in very light grey.) These do seem to be a pretty rare color. The suggestion to go wool is a good one. I do love this hat though.

 

[Edward]

This is my white Champ. Quite old and was badly misshapen from being stored many years crammed into another hat inside a box. Got it as part of a two-hat deal on eBay. (The other hat is a swell Knox in very light grey.) These do seem to be a pretty rare color. The suggestion to go wool is a good one. I do love this hat though.

Gene, you have any photos of the crown of that hat? Looks a gorgeous shape, and I'm always up for trying a different bash when I get a new hat... I can see that working well on a moonstone grey Federation....

 

[besdor]

There are two companies left that can make a true white hat. Borsalino and Biltmore. I just received two white hats that I special ordered from Borsalino for a good customer. They were perfect in color. It is a lot of work as the production dept has to clean the machinery to make this color. Biltmore had a color called eggshell that I believe is a white color or maybe an offwhite. They dont make their own bodies as Borsalino does.
If you want wool than Bollman does make a decent white color as well.






Steven
www.bencrafthats.com

 

[YARVTON]

In search of the White Fedora

JJ Hat Center in NYC has the Biltmore eggshell white. And some other model in cream. Check website: jjhatcenter.com

 

[DOUGLAS]

I have a couple of white hats and a few very light ones. They are not easy to find and believe me I am looking....hard

 

[bolthead]

Douglas....

That Dobbs is my favorite of yours Douglas.....:eusa_clap

 

[Dinerman]

1930s Adam- not quite pure white, but close- very light gray.

1930s "the sportster" with concentric stitching

Bergen custom made. Don't quite know what the deal is with thing- but it's as white as white can be.

 

[besdor]

We get calls for white hats all of the time. Its just a real pain for the companies to make white. It involves a lot of work to clean the machinery. At most , they will make a few dozen a year while an average factory will make thousands of darker colors.
Has anyone asked Art if he can make a white hat.


Steven
www.bencrafthats.com

 

[thunderw21]

Vintage summer-weight Mallory. Douglas and I have twins!

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Gene, you have any photos of the crown of that hat? Looks a gorgeous shape, and I'm always up for trying a different bash when I get a new hat... I can see that working well on a moonstone grey Federation....

Haven't taken shots of the top of crown yet but it is simply a hand-bashed (dry) C-crown shape like several others shown further on in this thread. It has that somewhat rumpled look around the curved rear part of the bash and I like that. Very vintage, y'know? Thanks for askin!

G

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

I'm looking for a white fedora like Michael Jackson wore

HEY BLUEOAKLEY: Private Message me (since you can't yet receive PMs). I may have a lead for you!

G