Double-brim adventure hats

[TVDinners]

Lately I've been in a craze for watching safari and adventure classics. You really can't go wrong with films like "The Secret of the Incas" with Charlton Heston. Something I've noticed in some of these films is that some of the wide-brimmed safari hats these manly adventurers are wearing have double-brims. (When I first saw them, I could have sworn they were wearing two hats!) I don't really know half as much as I'd like to on the subject, so I'd like to hear anything anybody has to say about double brims. I haven't found one single scrap of information in all of my searches, so I'd very much like to be educated!

First- how were they constructed? That is, I've never seen one of these off of somebody's head.
Second- why was this practice done? Wouldn't the extra felt make the wearer hotter?
Third- how commonly were these hats worn?
Fourth- does anybody have one of these specimens? I'd very much like to see detailed photos.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I'm worse off than a novice on the subject, as I'm only scarcely sure that I'm not really looking at men wearing two hats...Oh, and if this is one of those things where there'd be a mountain of information available if I only knew the right words to search, or I have the wrong name, I'd like to know what this double-brimming practice was called. Sorry if this question has already been answered.

 

[dr greg]

well the hat Mr Heston wore in that film was an Australian " digger's" hat and they are definitely single brim by any nomenclature I'm aware of...can you show a pic of what you refer to? Because I imagine this ain't it:
http://hypebeast.com/2007/06/goodfoot-double-brim-hats/

 

[Wolfwood]

I saw the same thing in an old King Solomon's Mines and intended to ask about it a couple of years ago. I don't think I ever remembered to do that, though.

All I can think of is that they have a second hat underneath the "costume" hat, either intended to protect the actor's head from the touch of dirty costume piece, or to preserve the costume piece from sweat during filming...

 

[Nick D]

All I can think of is that they have a second hat underneath the "costume" hat, either intended to protect the actor's head from the touch of dirty costume piece, or to preserve the costume piece from sweat during filming...

I doubt either of these would be concerns on a set. Actors are called upon to do much worse than wear an old hat, and the costume department would supply as many hats as necessary.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

Stratton hats sells double brimmed straw hats.

http://www.strattonhats.com/straws.html

They are made to keep their shape better. It would be my guess that a guy going on safari would only take one or two hats at most, and what he took hat to keep its shape in the rain etc.

Later

 

[MikePotts]

A double brimmed 'safari' hat is called a Terai and they were popular in the early days of African exploration... along with the pith helmet.

 

[Interbak]

Hey TVD,

Here's a thread about that very hat http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ANA-arrives!-First-pics.&highlight=safari+hat
Art, of vintage Silhouettes fame, http://www.vintagesilhouettes.com/ has made a replica. The original thread is a few years old and all the picture links seem to have disappeared, but I'm sure some of the original posters would be happy to help out.

Brian

 

[TVDinners]

I just asked about pictures from that old Bwana thread. I'm looking forward to seeing them! As for the hat from "Secret of the Incas," I'm almost certain it has two brims. But don't take my word for it, I've got a screenshot to back me up. http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6032161931_0968b48ab5_b.jpg Sorry, I'm a bit thick when it comes to posting pictures. So does anybody know of any other hats with this kind of brim? Does anybody else have one in their possession? I appreciate all the help!

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

 

[TVDinners]

Thanks for helping me with the picture. I'm starting to jones for one of these hats!

 

[Oldsarge]

I think what you're really after is something like this, a double terai as worn by Stewart Granger c. 1950. Dashing, what?

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

Are these two threads close enough that they should be combined?

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?7077-The-BWANA-arrives!-First-pics.

Probably into the Bwana one, but that's not my call.
Just sayin'.

By the way, if you look in the campaign thread, you'll see a lot of Rough Rider hats, these would make GREAT safari hats.

Later Y'all

 

[TVDinners]

Hi

Are these two threads close enough that they should be combined?

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?7077-The-BWANA-arrives!-First-pics.

Probably into the Bwana one, but that's not my call.
Just sayin'.

By the way, if you look in the campaign thread, you'll see a lot of Rough Rider hats, these would make GREAT safari hats.

Later Y'all

The Bwana thread is specifically about the Bwana hat. Related though these threads are, I'm just trying to find out more about the double brim style in general. If anybody else thinks they should be combined, then they probably should. (I wouldn't really know. )

 

[kaiser]

Is there a technical, or functional reason behind the second brim ?

 

[MikePotts]

There was:

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03086538108582606

although now it seems to have been a little misguided



MP

 

[HatsEnough]

Is there a technical, or functional reason behind the second brim ?

According to what I've read, the extra set of felt is supposed to make the heat less onerous on the head. The idea is that the heat hits the first felt on the outside, dissipates between them, and then the head is cooler on the inside as a result. It is sort of like a canvas fly being placed over the top of a canvas tent. The extra covering of canvass is supposed to absorb most of the heat with the tent ceiling below it getting less direct heat. Therefore, the inside of the tent is supposed to be cooler.

 

[Oldsarge]

According to what I've read, the extra set of felt is supposed to make the heat less onerous on the head. The idea is that the heat hits the first felt on the outside, dissipates between them, and then the head is cooler on the inside as a result. It is sort of like a canvas fly being placed over the top of a canvas tent. The extra covering of canvass is supposed to absorb most of the heat with the tent ceiling below it getting less direct heat. Therefore, the inside of the tent is supposed to be cooler.

A theory which works perfectly in the case of the tent-and-fly where there is a distinct space between the two allowing for breeze. In the case of the felt hat where the two layers are in contact . . . rubbish! But you knew that.

 

[dr greg]

Here's some info I found on COW a while back on Heston's "Secret of the Incas" wardrobe:
Hat (was not a fedora) - Australian military hat (late 40s, early 50s model). This particular model had a peculiar "double brim". Stewart Granger wears an identical model (but with lighter colored band)in the Allen Quartermain movie King Solomon's Mine. BLOG QUOTE
I had followed this issue some time ago, now unfortunately 'digger history' the main resource on Aussie military hats is offline for some reason these days, but as someone who has inherited and collected Australian militaria on and off for 50 years as well as checking out many SERIOUS collections thereof, I can confidently say I've never seen a double brim digger's hat, so maybe someone on the set altered it!

 

[HatsEnough]

A theory which works perfectly in the case of the tent-and-fly where there is a distinct space between the two allowing for breeze. In the case of the felt hat where the two layers are in contact . . . rubbish! But you knew that.

Yep. It's marginal with the tents, too. But there is some benefit. With hats, tho, I doubt the claimed benefit works.

 

[TVDinners]

I had followed this issue some time ago, now unfortunately 'digger history' the main resource on Aussie military hats is offline for some reason these days, but as someone who has inherited and collected Australian militaria on and off for 50 years as well as checking out many SERIOUS collections thereof, I can confidently say I've never seen a double brim digger's hat, so maybe someone on the set altered it!

That's interesting! I'm curious, does anybody know how these hats were made? Was another brim from a different hat simply stitched on? How would that stay up?