AlterEgo
A-List Customer
- Messages
- 320
- Location
- Southern USA
I'm a yard ape, and an anal-retentive one at that (I just went out in the bitter cold to remove an errant Kleenex nestled in my pansies.)
At least once a week, I'm out in the yard and garden for half a day or more. In warm weather, I wear my Tilley, and when it gets oppressively hot in mid-summer, my pith helmet. Yes, that draws stares, but a forceful "Timba, ungowa!" with a British accent moves oglers along quite effectively.
But four or five months out of the year, I wear a cool/cold weather hat. Now here's the thing: I've been wearing a Dorfman Pacific wool felt (all together now--"uhhhhhg"). It's a fedora style, a crusher, so it's unlined with a fabric sweat, having your basic center crease/front side dents, a 2 1/2-inch underwelted brim, a 5/8-inch tan leather hat band, in dark green, and it fits perfectly.
I acquired this hat in the Pre-Cambrian age and kept thinking it would eventually wear out from the hard, sweaty, and dirty work I do in the yard, yet it refuses. There is really nothing "wrong" with it, though it has the typical droopy brim that gives it a lugubrious, defeated look. I've considered putting it out of its misery with a close-range blast from my 12-guage pump, but that might attract undue attention from neighbors and the men in blue.
This hat works for the job at hand, but, you see, I'm a fine fur felt fedora kind of guy, and I feel I should not be wearing such a loser lid on general principle, you know? I take really good care of everything I own, so there's no ready-for-the-yard fur felt in my collection and probably never will be.
That brings me to buying a brand new hat for the yard. I want one with a somewhat rugged, outdoorsy look but don't care for outback or western styles.
I've considered a Chrystys Fur Felt Foldaway, but I hear here that it's not so durable, and nearly two hundred smackers for a yard hat?
The Akubra Traveller seems like a good option--I've never not loved an Akubra--but I've not checked out in person any of its Pliofelt models, all of which are unlined with a fabric sweat, much less this one with the "memory brim." Yet, when I look at its price, well, I could get an Imperial Quality Akubra, fully lined, with a roan leather sweat, for the same dough.
So that takes me into several more options; the Bushman and
Angler being two.
Then, for just another $25 or so, I could get a Banjo or Lawson from the Heritage Collection.
Further, I've always wanted an Aussie Military Slouch, but where would I wear such an over-the-top hat? The yard!!!
And so I'm conflicted and ask for your suggestions, which may include hats I have not considered.
It occurs to me that I very well just may be looking for a "reason" to buy a new hat.
At least once a week, I'm out in the yard and garden for half a day or more. In warm weather, I wear my Tilley, and when it gets oppressively hot in mid-summer, my pith helmet. Yes, that draws stares, but a forceful "Timba, ungowa!" with a British accent moves oglers along quite effectively.
But four or five months out of the year, I wear a cool/cold weather hat. Now here's the thing: I've been wearing a Dorfman Pacific wool felt (all together now--"uhhhhhg"). It's a fedora style, a crusher, so it's unlined with a fabric sweat, having your basic center crease/front side dents, a 2 1/2-inch underwelted brim, a 5/8-inch tan leather hat band, in dark green, and it fits perfectly.
I acquired this hat in the Pre-Cambrian age and kept thinking it would eventually wear out from the hard, sweaty, and dirty work I do in the yard, yet it refuses. There is really nothing "wrong" with it, though it has the typical droopy brim that gives it a lugubrious, defeated look. I've considered putting it out of its misery with a close-range blast from my 12-guage pump, but that might attract undue attention from neighbors and the men in blue.
This hat works for the job at hand, but, you see, I'm a fine fur felt fedora kind of guy, and I feel I should not be wearing such a loser lid on general principle, you know? I take really good care of everything I own, so there's no ready-for-the-yard fur felt in my collection and probably never will be.
That brings me to buying a brand new hat for the yard. I want one with a somewhat rugged, outdoorsy look but don't care for outback or western styles.
I've considered a Chrystys Fur Felt Foldaway, but I hear here that it's not so durable, and nearly two hundred smackers for a yard hat?
The Akubra Traveller seems like a good option--I've never not loved an Akubra--but I've not checked out in person any of its Pliofelt models, all of which are unlined with a fabric sweat, much less this one with the "memory brim." Yet, when I look at its price, well, I could get an Imperial Quality Akubra, fully lined, with a roan leather sweat, for the same dough.
So that takes me into several more options; the Bushman and
Angler being two.
Then, for just another $25 or so, I could get a Banjo or Lawson from the Heritage Collection.
Further, I've always wanted an Aussie Military Slouch, but where would I wear such an over-the-top hat? The yard!!!
And so I'm conflicted and ask for your suggestions, which may include hats I have not considered.
It occurs to me that I very well just may be looking for a "reason" to buy a new hat.
