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JTortola

New in Town
Messages
8
4 1/2 is the creased height

a 4 1/2" open crown would be a bit silly because you would bash it and end up with something like a 3 1/2" crown

with open crown hats you could make the crown as low as you want really ... with the proper bashing

even a 6" crown you could get away with anything from 5 1/2 to probably 4"

anything lower than 4" ... to me at least ... is getting into a territory where you may want to question if you actually want a fedora or not ... your interest may be in a different style hat


Ah ha, that makes sense! So open crowns are built higher so you have the flexibility to lower them as much as you'd like when you bash. I am becoming more enlightened by the day.
 

moontheloon

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,592
Location
NJ
Ah ha, that makes sense! So open crowns are built higher so you have the flexibility to lower them as much as you'd like when you bash. I am becoming more enlightened by the day.

I'm not saying that is the reason ... simply saying that you have that option

one thing I have noticed about just about everyone to ever get into fedoras is ... they come in wanting a lower crown and slowly but surely fall in love with the high crown wider brim look

I actually cannot think of one instance off the top of my head where that did not happen
 
Messages
19,412
Location
Funkytown, USA
I'm not saying that is the reason ... simply saying that you have that option

one thing I have noticed about just about everyone to ever get into fedoras is ... they come in wanting a lower crown and slowly but surely fall in love with the high crown wider brim look

I actually cannot think of one instance off the top of my head where that did not happen

Well, we're still working on Moehawk.
 
Messages
15,080
Location
Buffalo, NY
Okay... I'll bite. ;^)

The wide world of hats past and present is too wide to sum up only in tall straight crowns and 2.5"+ brims. You see in the hats that Daniele posts a distinct European style that is also well reflected in the offerings of Optimo in Chicago. Hang out here long enough and you'll move from short to tall and from narrow to wide and then back again. Life is too short and the selection too wide to be a slave to only one moment in fashion.

I think I know what I'm trying to say...
 

Michael R.

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,889
Location
West Tennessee USA
That's a good guess. The second image shows something light colored on the knot of the ribbon bow. It could be a Borsa logo(?)

Btw, 2-3/4" equals 70 mm (69.85) - but you were close ;)

Thanks Ole , it was just a guesstimation , but Horseshoes , close is good enough for me ! :)

definitely has a Borsalino feel ... but that brim looks 3+ to me

Anthony , after looking again , I know you're right . That's a 3-3 1/4" , but that's why I through in the "or so" , but they go to 3 1/2" , so ... never know . Sure looks like a Borsalino to me , but I'm no expert (though I'd like to be) . I'm 58.5 cm and looking for a Pusherman ... ;) . You're noggin looks like a 7 1/4 to me , but I'm guessing , I can never get a good eyeball on your Hat Size in the pictures . But I used to wear 7 1/4 , then the noggin got bigger or Hats got smaller , but some 7 3/8 are too big . LO < me .

And yeah Open Crown are higher because they're Open , if its bashed it'll be lower , to me 5 1/2" is the low end of perfect for an Open Crown , you have more options on your Bash
 

Bob Roberts

I'll Lock Up
Messages
11,201
Location
milford ct
I'm not saying that is the reason ... simply saying that you have that option

one thing I have noticed about just about everyone to ever get into fedoras is ... they come in wanting a lower crown and slowly but surely fall in love with the high crown wider brim look

I actually cannot think of one instance off the top of my head where that did not happen
Not me.
 

Bob Roberts

I'll Lock Up
Messages
11,201
Location
milford ct
Okay... I'll bite. ;^)

The wide world of hats past and present is too wide to sum up only in tall straight crowns and 2.5"+ brims. You see in the hats that Daniele posts a distinct European style that is also well reflected in the offerings of Optimo in Chicago. Hang out here long enough and you'll move from short to tall and from narrow to wide and then back again. Life is too short and the selection too wide to be a slave to only one moment in fashion.

I think I know what I'm trying to say...
I think you just said it.
 

Daniele Tanto

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,226
Location
Verona - Italia
Okay... I'll bite. ;^)

The wide world of hats past and present is too wide to sum up only in tall straight crowns and 2.5"+ brims. You see in the hats that Daniele posts a distinct European style that is also well reflected in the offerings of Optimo in Chicago. Hang out here long enough and you'll move from short to tall and from narrow to wide and then back again. Life is too short and the selection too wide to be a slave to only one moment in fashion.

I think I know what I'm trying to say...

Mine Alan is not a bite, but only a point of view from distance .........:)
Sometimes I smile when I read that the hats must have a high crown and wide brim.
This is the tendency of some (perhaps the majority) of the readers of FL, but the world of hats is so varied that it is restrictive think of a single form of the hat with the clones as variation.
What is at maximum height of FL is not the Word, it is only a tendency, sometimes too true to itself to bring some news.
I could start here a long speach about elegant hats, taste of cultures in different ages, skills of producers, knowledge of the materials and so on, but this suddendly became a thorny bramble. This is not my aim!
How we all know, taste is really personal and each man or woman wears what he/she likes.
I enjoy bringing the part of European hatters, with the fundamental support of Steve (supreme collector of production from Austrian-German-Czech) in a world almost totally oriented in another direction.
This is my fun and I hope it is for some others:rolleyes:
 

TheDane

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,670
Location
Copenhagen, Denmark
Life is too short and the selection too wide to be a slave to only one moment in fashion
Maybe now is the time to revive my old ponytail? It'll probably take a decade or two to grow it, though :D

My first hats were actually fitted with 2-3/4" - 3" brims. Today my comfort zone is 2-3/8" - 2-5/8", and I have a couple of very nice Borsas and a Lee with 2-1/8" and 2-1/4" brims. These shorter brimmed hats are among my preferred hats today :)
 
Messages
19,412
Location
Funkytown, USA
Daniele, this forum is replete with those that revere the high crowns and wide brims. That is in no doubt. However, the contributions that you and Steve bring to the lounge, the hats with the European lineage, are every bit as beautiful and appreciated.

The European stylings, and those stylings of hats from earlier (20s/30s) are hard to come by here in the US. Many hats of these styles have not survived for us to appreciate.

When the OP asked why open crown hats have higher crowns, we answer from this perspective. My thoughts initially went to thinking of modern hats, and why those marketed today would have these attributes. Hence my original answer. I of course was not considering previous styles nor those preferred by others in different regions.

As always, yours and Alan's contribution to the conversation expand the perspective and add to our collective knowledge.

Cheers, my friend.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

moontheloon

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,592
Location
NJ
in no way was I suggesting that high and wide was the only accepted style ... I love other styles ... and especially things that Daniele brings to the forum ... I couldn't dream of owning pieces he has

I was simply speaking of the huge amount of new hat wearers who start low and narrow to be safe and all along admire high and wide from afar but regularly suggest that it would never look good on them ... then they take a chance on an OR or Campdraft and never look back ... it really is very common

nothing I said was in any way a commentary on what I believe hat style as a whole to be ... absolutely not ... and apologies if it came off that way
 
Messages
10,579
Location
Boston area
"A hat's a hat." -- Art Fawcett, ca. 2012.

I try to vary my hats whenever possible. It's always been amazing to me how a subtle variation in a hat changes the perceived character of the wearer.

This T-shirt, spotted recently in Tel Aviv's Carmel Market, says it all;
DSC04135a.jpg
 

Randburr

New in Town
Messages
9
Location
Eufaula, I.T.
Are there any hatters in Tulsa? I have an OR with a disintegrating sweat that needs to be replaced. I know that Drysdales and Cavendars sell hats and might have good hat shapers but do not know if they do repairs.
 
Messages
10,839
Location
vancouver, canada
Daniele, this forum is replete with those that revere the high crowns and wide brims. That is in no doubt. However, the contributions that you and Steve bring to the lounge, the hats with the European lineage, are every bit as beautiful and appreciated.

The European stylings, and those stylings of hats from earlier (20s/30s) are hard to come by here in the US. Many hats of these styles have not survived for us to appreciate.

When the OP asked why open crown hats have higher crowns, we answer from this perspective. My thoughts initially went to thinking of modern hats, and why those marketed today would have these attributes. Hence my original answer. I of course was not considering previous styles nor those preferred by others in different regions.

As always, yours and Alan's contribution to the conversation expand the perspective and add to our collective knowledge.

Cheers, my friend.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I love and look forward to Steve and Daniele's postings of the Euro hats. I drool at the thought of having a few in my collection. I have many and varied hats and find I am more comfortable with a max 5" crown and a narrower brim. My Akubra CD is the widest and still not totally comfortable wearing it as it seems to wear me. I have numerous shorter brimmed hats, Borsa and bespoke, 2" to 2 1/4" and those are the ones I gravitate toward. To me they have a casual look and as I rarely dress up any more they just seem to fit my jacket and jeans lifestyle. I have a black French Hommie from Daniele that I am working towards learning to love and a low crown Tonak that looks great on me
 
Messages
19,412
Location
Funkytown, USA
Are there any hatters in Tulsa? I have an OR with a disintegrating sweat that needs to be replaced. I know that Drysdales and Cavendars sell hats and might have good hat shapers but do not know if they do repairs.

Don't know if they do repairs, but a quick Google search turns up Dry Creek Hatters in Ada, OK. Custom Westerns, it appears. http://www.drycreekhatters.com/index.html

Our own FL Member Bond is running a spring refurb special it appears, as well.
 

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