memphislawyer
Practically Family
- Messages
- 771
- Location
- Memphis, Tn
I had been shopping for new summer hats, panamas, and well, let's say frustration set in. Id either find something that was very pricey, or I would find a hat that was well made but it seemed that the ventilation would be less than desirable. Or I would walk into some clothing place and find a Bailey shantung, liteweight, but still, tight weave on it would seem to trap the air and feel hotter.
Well, a couple years back, I had run up to Covington to see Major Mike at Buckaroo Hatters. While there, I saw he had some parabuntal hats. He explained that these were found by accident when he was getting some felt bodies and he bought up what they had. By the time I was up there, he had maybe 7, 8 left. However, my size was about what was left. 7 1/8. Anyway, I had an idea to have interchangeable hat bands. So here is what he did for me.
Great hat, lightweight, let's air circulate about as well as can be expected for a hat in hot summer. But given that I paid north of $200, and because of the bands I had picked out, I would only wear it with a suit. I would wear my Panama Bob cuenca I got for $40 shipped much more often. Yet that hat was hotter. So a few weeks back I sold my Cuenca.
Then, I went on the forum and decided to read up on posts and then saw a Pugaree post. Got me to thinking, wonder how my hat would look with a pug. Contacted Mike and he said come on up. So I did, armed with a twelve pack of Diet Cokes for him. He whipped out a box of pugs, so many to choose from. So I got me a spring and a summer pug. Spring felt like Madras to me, and summer felt like beach. Forgot to take a pic of the summer one, but here is the pug for Spring.
My thought is that because I feel it is more casual/whimsical, I will wear it more and by default, it is the nicer of the two I have. I got a cheap Columbia straw hat, holes at the top, for $12 at the outlet and I take that to the lake or beach. It has a plain black band and I will replace it with a pug. Kinda forgot about it until I was 20 miles away from Mike's shop, so I emailed him and told him to email me one of the pugs that we had rejected and I would send a check, and later that day sent him a pick.
So anyway, I am excited that I can easily swap out the pugs, almost like picking out ties. Also, this thing about having stuff that you save for the 'good" days or wear to important things, well, I got the hat, it's paid for and by heck, I am going to wear it. Worst thing that happens is I lose it or it wears out.
Well, a couple years back, I had run up to Covington to see Major Mike at Buckaroo Hatters. While there, I saw he had some parabuntal hats. He explained that these were found by accident when he was getting some felt bodies and he bought up what they had. By the time I was up there, he had maybe 7, 8 left. However, my size was about what was left. 7 1/8. Anyway, I had an idea to have interchangeable hat bands. So here is what he did for me.
Great hat, lightweight, let's air circulate about as well as can be expected for a hat in hot summer. But given that I paid north of $200, and because of the bands I had picked out, I would only wear it with a suit. I would wear my Panama Bob cuenca I got for $40 shipped much more often. Yet that hat was hotter. So a few weeks back I sold my Cuenca.
Then, I went on the forum and decided to read up on posts and then saw a Pugaree post. Got me to thinking, wonder how my hat would look with a pug. Contacted Mike and he said come on up. So I did, armed with a twelve pack of Diet Cokes for him. He whipped out a box of pugs, so many to choose from. So I got me a spring and a summer pug. Spring felt like Madras to me, and summer felt like beach. Forgot to take a pic of the summer one, but here is the pug for Spring.
My thought is that because I feel it is more casual/whimsical, I will wear it more and by default, it is the nicer of the two I have. I got a cheap Columbia straw hat, holes at the top, for $12 at the outlet and I take that to the lake or beach. It has a plain black band and I will replace it with a pug. Kinda forgot about it until I was 20 miles away from Mike's shop, so I emailed him and told him to email me one of the pugs that we had rejected and I would send a check, and later that day sent him a pick.
So anyway, I am excited that I can easily swap out the pugs, almost like picking out ties. Also, this thing about having stuff that you save for the 'good" days or wear to important things, well, I got the hat, it's paid for and by heck, I am going to wear it. Worst thing that happens is I lose it or it wears out.
), and I've been very satisfied with the extra style options 
