Worth & Worth

[Lexybeast]

My first fedora was a Worth & Worth fedora, maybe 10 years ago. I loved it at the time, though looking back it wasn't very good- a slight sprinkle deformed it, and a later shower shrank the heck out of it. I suspect it wasn't even a fur felt.

Like I said though, 10 years ago. Maybe they've improved?

 

[Panamabob]

They've resized a hat for us recently and the customer said it fit fine. Our local news picked up an article and published it yesterday: http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100805/FEAT05/308059990

 

[danofarlington]

On recommendation from someone whose family is acquainted with the owner/designer Orlando (I forget his last name for the moment), I stopped into the shop last year. The hats are very much in the contemporary Borsalino vein. Very comfortable, a little floppy and soft. They have some very beautiful hats that are also very comfortable. I suspect long-term wear and tearability will be below average because as mentioned by others they are very soft felt.

After a long talk with Orlando and a tour round the store, I bought an Aria (gray suede-finish rabbit felt fedora, wide-ish brim with gray binding). Free of charge, he changed out the ribbon for something a bit wider and added a wind trolley that's a perfect color match. The Aria is probably my most comfortable hat. Very soft felt, very supple sweatband add up to very comfortable wear.

Their Sardena and their wide-ribbon trilby have been beckoning to me of late. I think a good W&W would make a nice addition to any collection, as long as you are willing to sacrifice some durability for comfort and looks. They're well made and the designer is a very bright fellow who is still working on new designs trying to blend vintage sensibilities with contemporary. I think it's worth supporting. The Aria is pictured below.

Very cool. I like that Borsalino look. Good combo too. Maybe I'll vist W&W while in New York to see what they've got.

 

[Mr Vim]

My regret when living in New York was that I never visited their shop, I only new about JJ Hat Center.

But if I ever go back I will be sure to stop in as I only here good things.

 

[Feraud]

I had an excellent experience at W&W during my recent trip to the Big Apple. One of the highlights of my trip, in fact (and the excuse to buy myself a new hat was pretty nice, too). Brandon gave me a tour of the back where all the magic happens, along with a couple of the store's not-for-sale vintage treasures. Great hats, and top notch service, to boot.

I agree on the service. The guy who helped me was excellent.

 

[Feraud]

Hmmmm... a not entirely satisfied customer -

Worth & Worth advertises roan leather sweatband replacements-
http://www.hatshop.com/site/hat-repair.php
Unless I am reading the site wrong this is the default leather and not something I need to specify right?
Has anyone ever had one done at the shop and was roan leather used?
I am d@mn sure my recent refurb was not roan leather and that is only one of my complaints..
What gives?

As an fyi, here is a conversation about roan leather.

 

[mayserwegener]

Here is some more info on roan leather.

http://www.millerhats.com/hatcare_index/brims_trim_3.html

Supposedly Akubra uses roan leather sweatbands so that would be a good modern day example.

I would discuss the situation with W & W if you think they didn't give you roan leather.

 

[dwebber18]

While in NY on vacation last week, my hotel was about a block and a half from Worth & Worth and I made it one of my first stops. Their hats were gorgeous, soft, fit well, and had a great shape to them. I must have tried on 10 different hats. Their service was really good, and I liked 2 hats I tried on really well. I seriously would have bought one but I really couldn't justify $265 for a rabbit hat, when for only a few dollars more I can have an Art Fawcett in beaver. I also went to JJ Hatcenter and a local place in TN near my wife's family and the hats from Worth & Worth were the nicest I saw especially for the price.

 

[RobFedoraField]

how did you do that???

I've had one Worth & worth fedora, the treviso, and wore it daily. That was about 10 years ago.

The negatives were that the felt broke down pretty quickly with how I wear hats. Wore a hole in the crown and the brim drooped heavily soon after a few bouts with rain.

The positives were that I loved that hat even though it started looking like it caught mange in less than a year. Keep in mind I abuse my hats.

how in the heck did you wear a hole in the crown?

 

[Feraud]

Probably from handling the hat by the crown.

 

[Tomasso]

I am d@mn sure my recent refurb was not roan leather and that is only one of my complaints..

I don't think there have been any reviews of W&W's refurb work. Care to write a review?


It's odd that W&W have been flying under the FL radar considering that they're the only full service hatter in America's largest city.

 

[Feraud]

Sure. I'll jot down a few notes regarding my experience with W&W.
Will also get a pic of the cheap-o leather sweatband they installed backwards..

 

[jlee562]

new line of hats from Worth & Worth

I'm not sure how recent this site update is, but it's new to me. Worth and Worth has a new line of hand blocked hats that look really interesting. The block shapes actually look similar to many an Optimo hat, and they have some really interesting felt choices. There's three heather/flecked felt finishes, including a really interesting blue felt. They're also doing velours, and cashmere felts. That cashmere felt also has that brim stitch pattern that I've only seen on vintage Borsalinos.

 

[mayserwegener]

I think some of these are based on Guerra hats (modified).

 

[KyleK]

I think I saw some of these in their shop last fall. I wasn't overly impressed with the finishing of the hats - especially considering the price point.

 

[Geldoc]

Yes, I think most of these are made by Guerra. The felts appear to be in different weights. The crowns are not tall, and the styles do look a bit like many by Optimo as pointed out by Jared. Anyone got some?

 

[bowlerman]

Some nice and interesting looking models, but the price point seems excessive to me. The unfinished one caught my eye-- I thought it looked pretty neat-- but at $295? Not for my head.

Our friend Aureliano takes those nice photos, I believe.

 

[Blackthorn]

For just a bit more money you can get a VS or a Black Sheep.

 

[bobm]

Well, I've mentioned many times that hats can be the most finicky articles of clothing to get right - brim too wide or short-crown to high or low-even by 1/2" and the look is off - or at least off to the person wearing the hat. So here's my story and I'm sticking to it...

Last month I bought one of the "mulekick hats from Worth and Worth in NYC.
I liked it (posted here too) but something was just not right about it other than it fit a little too tightly, so I went back to have it "refitted/adjusted" and while there I tried on some of the other sample hats they had there. One such hat was another mulekick - so it was my size and liked the look better for some reason than the one I bought last month. Turns out the crown on this one was about a 1/2 higher than mine. So, sensing that I liked the one with the higher crown better, the saleswoman said they could make me a new one with the higher crown - at no charge. I picked it up today and thanked Cathy (saleswoman) and Orlando (owner) for that good example of great customer service. Again, not the best quick-pics of either myself or the hats, but I do like this version better.