Windstring, travelling, felt vs straw questions

[EliasRDA]

I'm sorry if this is in the wrong section, couldnt decide if it belonged in Hats or in Travel section.

So, I may be going on a cruise later this year/early next year & I really want to wear my fedora. Now I know if it gets caught in a major gust nothing will save it, but I plan on not losing it.

So, would a windstring (? right name I think) prevent it if I'm a bit slow on the uptake? Not like I'm gonna be sitting on a balcony or the bow wearing it, my dad owns a small 17' motorboat & I have lost ballcaps before so I'm not a novice on that.

If it was worth doing a windstring, any recommendations? I thought I saw that Art does/did them? Any others? I dont exactly need something really fancy.

And, that leads to my next question... I know that time of the year is felt not straw season but does that apply to a topical area? I'm talking places like the Carib or Hawaii. I'm thinking it may look wierd wearing felt with batik/hawaiian prints so straw would be more likely, but then again straw doesnt exactly go with dark grey wool suit.

thanks

 

[HudsonHawk]

And, that leads to my next question... I know that time of the year is felt not straw season but does that apply to a topical area? I'm talking places like the Carib or Hawaii. I'm thinking it may look wierd wearing felt with batik/hawaiian prints so straw would be more likely, but then again straw doesnt exactly go with dark grey wool suit.
thanks

It's always straw season in the tropics. Your hat is first, and foremost, functional. And why wouldn't a nice straw hat look good with a grey suit?

 

[Tomasso]

Yeah, by all means wear straw if you're in warmer climes, regardless of the calendar.


As for the wind trolley:They're not commonly found on straw hats for some reason but if you want to use one, go for it. There is a thread somewhere around here that has a DIY wind trolley installation.

 

[EliasRDA]

Hudson,
a charcoal grey wool blend suit? Really? I just figured wool in dark colors do not go really well with straw. I guess I'll have to try it here at home & see. They'll have 2 formal nites on the cruise, so its either a tux or a suit- dark color is recommended it seems.

And thank you both, I was thinking of packing the straw but then again on reading Royal Caribbeans site along with the TSA checking the luggage they may crush the straw to the point of breaking it. I'd be driving to the ship but it seems nowadays TSA or similar personnel check the baggage before its loaded, I think I'd do better with the old samsonite luggage gorilla in not getting my luggage knocked around.

(I know not all TSA personnel is bad apples, just they all seem to take a bad rap, just like the USPS/UPS & others.)

 

[HudsonHawk]

Hudson,
a charcoal grey wool blend suit? Really? I just figured wool in dark colors do not go really well with straw. I guess I'll have to try it here at home & see. They'll have 2 formal nites on the cruise, so its either a tux or a suit- dark color is recommended it seems.

Sure. I have a nice Stetson panama with a black band that I wear with dark colors all the time. It looks great. I wouldn't wear crazy colors or anything, but straw in and of itself would be just fine.

 

[Fed in a Fedora]

I have an old Dobbs natural Panama which I wore with dark suits in Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. Never thought anything of it and gets favorable comments. It is getting a bit old and in need of a good cleaning or I would still be wearing it in summers.

When I worked in Guam and Hawaii, nobody wore suits. Not sure about cruises, but people in the islands where I worked were a bit put off by suits.

This reminds me that I need to search for how to properly clean my old straw Dobbs.

Fed