Wide Brim Fedoras

[tinmanzzz]

How WIDE can you go ???
Just picked up a new "Project Hat" It's a Beaver Brand "Grand Beaver" 10X with a 6.5 crown and a 3.5 Brim, black and long nap. I am thinking Italian. Think Orsen Well in the Third Man.
Do I need to cut the brim?? What is your widest brim fedora?
Pictures appreciated.

 

[RBH]

Everyone is different, but I hate to go over 2 7\8's. The width I like best is 2 3\4.
The shortest I want to go is 2 1\2.
Really wide makes me think western and too short makes me think bonnet!

 

[tinmanzzz]

Everyone is different, but I hate to go over 2 7\8's. The width I like best is 2 3\4.
The shortest I want to go is 2 1\2.
Really wide makes me think western and too short makes me think bonnet!

I find that my favorates also run in the 2 5/8 to 2 7/8, however I have seen some wide brims in older movies that must run over 3 inches. I hoped someone had experence with them.

 

[halpap]

brim size

I have gone as wide as 3 1/4. Bencraft does a large business in 3.5 inch brims. I think it depends on the look you are seeking.

 

[akaBruno]

It depends on the head it's sittin on. I recently shaped an Akubra Bushman (3 1/4") for a friend with a thin face. At first I shaped it dry because he was too excited to wait for water to boil. I told him to work with it. The next time I saw him it still looked the same, that being, TOO BIG on him. So, I just made him sit down while I steamed it. I had to put a severe flip in the sides and back along with a deep dip up front to make it look good on him.

BRUNO

 

[D00R]

i like wider brim hats, i feel more comfortable in them. im shy

 

[Russ]

Depends on your head. A wide brim looks smaller on a large head. Let's see a photo of it on you.

 

[Rooster]

I like 2 3/4 to 3 1/4. Keeps the sun off. For a more formal hat I'd probably go 2 5/8.

 

[majormoore]

For a dress hat on me I like the 2 3/4" or 3" brim.

Mike Moore

 

[tinmanzzz]

Am I Dreaming??

As far as head size, I am a 7 5/8, 6', 250lb Guy. I guess I was thinking of something like this:
Tinman Monster Hunter.
I will try to re shape it myself and if that fails I will call in the pros from Dover.

 

[besdor]

Wide brims are our specialty . we run them up till 4 " for fur felt hats although I think that it is too big for a hat . I am 6 ' and weigh 210 pounds. For me the largest brim that I'll wear is a 3 " brim . Bigger than that and you can lost in the look . But we dont argue with customers . If someone who is 5 ' 2" and wants a 3 3/4" brim , we will give it to them .



Steven
www.bencrafthats.com

 

[tinmanzzz]

Wide brims are our specialty . we run them up till 4 " for fur felt hats although I think that it is too big for a hat . I am 6 ' and weigh 210 pounds. For me the largest brim that I'll wear is a 3 " brim . Bigger than that and you can lost in the look . But we dont argue with customers . If someone who is 5 ' 2" and wants a 3 3/4" brim , we will give it to them .



Steven
www.bencrafthats.com

I agree, my Biltmore Rosselini at 2 7/8 is my widest dress. However, since I paid $8.00 for this beaver Brand 10X Grand Beaver I thought i might play with it.

 

[deanglen]

I, for one, encourage giving the hat modification a go. Play away!

dean

 

[Panamabob]

The avatar hat that Modesto is finishing was a 5 inch brim hat. I think Sharpetoys bought it. After a few years, he had Art change it into a much shorter bound brim...I think.

 

[Spellflower]

For years I wore an Aussie hat with the 3" brim down all around. I got used to having the sun protection, so much so that when I ride my bike, I still reflexively reach up to pull the brim down when the sun gets in my eyes, even though I'm wearing a brimless helmet.

Last spring, I decided that I'd had enough of the Aussie, and wanted to switch to a fedora. I actually bought 2" brimmed fedora, but returned it the next day because it just didn't give me the sun protection I needed. It's too bad, because I do like the way shorter brims look on me, but I can't deal with them. I just feel too exposed.

My upper limit on brims is 3". It took me a while to feel right in my Federation (3" brim) because I kept feeling like it was too close to my Aussie, a look that I was trying to get away from. I wanted the sophistication of a fedora, and if the brim is too wide, it really does start looking cowboy, regardless of the ribbon. However, after I found the right bash, it gelled.

My advice is try changing the bash as many ways you can think of before trimming. Then trim a little at a time, until you find the sweet spot.

 

[akaBruno]

I too love that Von Helsing look. Too Cool. I think I could pull it off with all my hair. Short hair??? I doubt it.

BRUNO

 

[Twitch]

I have hats from 1 7/8" to 2 7/8" and find I like the 2 1/4" brim about the best.:fedora: [huh]

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Ideal Brim Width

I have finally settled on 2 5/8 inches. It seems to look best on me. I later discovered that's the standard width on the Stetson "Temple." If you do cut the brim down, you might want to take it "a bit at a time." You can always cut off more, but you can't put any back on.

 

[warbird]

I like 2 1/4 at a minimum. Occasionally i will wear my 2in. brims but only rarely. I'm a big guy and they just look too small on me. I have several 2" brimmed hats handed down to me, but I never wear them because they are a size 7, i am 7 1/8 and they are too short.

I really like 2 1/2 to just under 3", but I can wear larger than 3 no problem. i have had Akubra hats with more than 3" and a lot of cowboys with more than 3. I can get away with a wider brim much easier than I can a short.

 

[ilcatex]

Fit Da' Face!

It all depends on the face below the brim! I have 2inchers up to 4inchers (although they are western). Pairing a hat to a man is an art...