Your First Fedora

[Dan Allen]

perhaps it has something to do with confidence. You reach a time in your life when you realize that you are what you are and you are comfortable with that, then the hat comes on because you dress for yourself--not someone Else's concept of "style".

 

[hatsRme]

Had an epiphany over the last day, upon seeing a hat I bought for a nephew on Ebay. Then thought it might be time for this thread to re-run.
That hat brought back a long forgotten memory of a hat I argued hard (with my father) for, an olive felt with a feather. That was somewhere around 1961 or so, I was about 6. Once a hat person...

 

[Dixon Cannon]

This 'Indiana Jones' fedora is the first one I actually bought for myself. Photo c.1984

-dixon cannon

 

[hatsRme]

This 'Indiana Jones' fedora is the first one I actually bought for myself. c.1984

-dixon cannon

Great photo! GREAT hat! Great place to start.

 

[gtdean48]

Hat-fondness does start in our youth for some of us...

 

[KingAndrew]

I've owned and worn hats all my life. When I was in kindergarten and grade school, my favorite was an old green Tyrolean my father had brought back from Germany about 1960. I also liked to borrow my grandfather's straw stingies when he visited. Later, a cloth fishing hat became my daily wear. The first fedora I bought was a stiff brown wool number from Burlington Coat Factory. It was clearly intended as an Indiana Jones knock-off, but it looked pretty good (still does). I didn't wear the hat much at the time, since I was about 12 and I spent my teen years with a large pompadour hairdo (although I made sure to buy my own Tyrolean when I visited Europe at age 15).

When I was in my last year or so of college, I got a more "businesslike" haircut, bought an "interview suit" (houndstooth with a blue windowpane overlay), and began collecting fedoras. The brown moved from my closet to my head, and was soon joined by a black Country Gentleman, a grey Open Road knock-off, a Dynafelt stingy in grey (a pretty nice hat, actually), and a couple of tweed "Bear Bryant" numbers: houndstooth from Bee's Hats and a glen plaid Stetson. I even wrote an article on straw hats for the college newspaper.

Of course, I have also acquired a top hat, derby, panamas, and assorted other headgear over the years. But that brown fedora still gets used with some regularity when the weather is right in Florida.

My first all fur felt was an Akubra Federation IV in moonstone.

Andrew

 

[Monte]

My sister and I bought an Indiana Jones hat at a local western shop...
I quickly took full advantage of our agreement to "share" the hat.
I had a custom made but didn't like the crazy-stiff felt.
I finally found a vintage Stetson Deluxe and then, while bragging about the find the next day,
my wife's aunt gave me her father's Portis thin ribbon which seemed very old and in fair shape. I treasure them above my recent finds.

 

[lewisskimonster]

My first real fedora was a custom made by fellow lounger TonyB. Its still my favourite!

 

[Benzadmiral]

Oh, as a kid I had a Roy Rogers Western-style hat. (I still have the beaded band that came with it.) But then I drifted away from hats. On a cold rainy day in Dec. 1994 I happened to be downtown and walked into Meyer the Hatter on St. Charles. I purchased a wool Outback-ish number in green, and walked out feeling pretty good.

Then . . . The Sting ran on TV, and I realized I had the bug. I went back that week and bought a dark brown Stetson fur felt -- I don't remember the model now, but it had a moderate brim, say about 2 3/8, like today's Chatham.

After that, I specialized in the Stetson Temple -- a Nougat and a Mist Gray (and I still have 'em), and a mink and a black (traded long ago). In Denver I bought a Chatham, but otherwise I didn't wear my hats much there.

In '09, I think, when the "Australia" film came out, I was struck by the high-crowned fedora Nicole Kidman wore in the trail drive scenes. A 'Net search brought me here, and before long I'd purchased two Feds.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I bought a cowboy hat and a gangster hat (fedora) in college. The cowboy hat was pretty good, but the fedora was really, really cheap wool. I only wore it a few times. I got back into hats back in about 1996 because I went to an afternoon baseball game and got the back of my ears burnt off.

Later

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I bought a cowboy hat and a gangster hat (fedora) in college. The cowboy hat was pretty good, but the fedora was really, really cheap wool. I only wore it a few times. I got back into hats back in about 1996 because I went to an afternoon baseball game and got the back of my ears burnt off.

Later

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Hey, I just found this one; does my baby tyrolean count? This one was shot about 1956! ≈

-dixon cannon

 

[fedoracentric]

My first was a 1950s era Adam Executive. Kind of beaten up. A tad spotted and a few too many moth nips. But i wore the heck outta it. It's gone now. I am lucky. I am a size 7 or 7-1/8 (depending on the hat) so they are a bit easier to find and cheaper than the big headed dudes.

 

[blazerbud]

Hey, I just found this one; does my baby tyrolean count? This one was shot about 1956! ≈

-dixon cannon

Octoberfest

 

[DNO]

I picked up my first fedora about 11 years ago. I attended an auction that was being held for a theatrical costumers. There were two tables of men's fedoras but this one was the only one that fit my fat head. Too bad I didn't have my hat stretcher at the time...there were some really gorgeous hats on those tables and they were going for $5 a piece, or less. I managed to get this '40's period Stetson Whippet. It's showing it's age but it certainly has character. It originally had a grey ribbon but that really needed changing.

 

[hatsRme]

Hat-fondness does start in our youth for some of us...

I've always believed that (Ref; alanfgag avatar!).
Super "vintage" snapshots, boys! Wish I had a picture of my earliest... I do have one from high school, about 1971, wearing the same Lee that I wore (and actually posted) last week. Got to start digging.

Anyone else go back this far?

 

[hatsRme]

Dig, and ye shall find...
St. Johnsbury Academy, "Academy Theatre" members, 1973. Can you find me? Look for the Lee private label. Paid $8.00, brand spankin' NEW (old stock) in 1971.

For comparson, winter, 1970. My mother made this touque, copying a design from the (then) famous Moriarty hats, of Stowe, VT. Camera: my Leica M3, 135 Elmar lens. My P&J at the time. Replaced in 1972 with an M4, still in my possession.

 

[wyiauta]

I've owned a couple of western style hats in years past but my first fedora is a Campdraft in Bluegrass Green that arrived about five days ago. My second fedora is a Campdraft Deluxe in Moonstone from the Hattery that just arrived today.

 

[Matt Crunk]

My first fedora I inherited from my grandfather. I don't remember the brand, but it was a crushable type. I also don't know why I only ended up with one of his fedoras because he always wore them (along with cowboy hats) and owned several.

 

[1mach1]

My parents bought me a Stetson India Jones hat in 1985. Wore the snot out of that joker.