Fashion question for all you guys out there.

[matt]

Ok...should your hat match/co-ordinate with your jacket (outerwear) or your shoes? Here's my problem, I wear a black p coat 99% of the time. I have outfits that match black and brown shoes. I don't feel to bad about brown shoes and a black jacket, but what about the hat?

I always thought that since you took your jacket and hat off when you enter they should match.

Some of you guys help me out!

 

[Paisley]

There are a few threads on this here--have you tried a search?

 

[matt]

You know I have, I just couldn't find what I was looking for. Maybe my search topics weren't correct.

If anyone can post a link that would be great!

 

[gtdean48]

My hat usually coordinates with the size of my head & that is about it. If I am wearing black boots, I usually go for gray, tan or silverbelly hat & most likely a gray, blue or black coat if it is that cool. If I am wearing brown boots then an olive, tan or silverbelly hat with an olive, tan, or brown coat. I only do this because my wife points it out as I grab a hat off the rack. Most of the time & because they are the majority of what I own, I grab a silverbelly hat & whatever coat is appropriate to where I'm going, most likely a barn coat cause I'm headed to the barn....

 

[Paisley]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=30921

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=21963

 

[J.T.Marcus]

The only good reality check is to try different combinations, and look at yourself in the mirror. If that doesn't work, ask your wife, then do what you wanted to do, anyway.

 

[matt]

Thank you for the links! That was exactly what I was looking for.

I have no wife to check with and, like many guys, I have little fashion sense. I guess I'll just need to keep buying hats until I can match any suit.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

I think anything goes, m'man, when it comes to fedoras. Look at the old fashion ads where they paired brown or tan hats with green or blue suits. Great looking! And black is especially versatile in its nuetrality. Many, many fedoras have black bands regardless of the felt color. I know Silverbelly, light blue, grey (there are gobs of shades), taupe, burgundy, light and moss greens, beige and most browns and of course black all look fine with my black pea coat. Probably I wouldn't wear my dark greens and dark blues with black but that's about it.

Show us what you come up with!

And welcome!!

 

[Viper Man]

Here's another thread worth viewing...

http://thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=36850

 

[StylinLA]

There are plenty of viewpoints being expressed here and a couple of links to other threads that dealt with this.

I think so few men wear hats these days frankly that the "rules" are lax enough for you to make up your own.

HarpPlayerGene makes a good point too. I get a sense that once upon a time- men had "a" hat. They wore it with everything. Us FLers have raised the bar and think more about different hats, colors, styles, etc.

Personally, I tend to match either suit/jacket, OR wear a color that compliments the suit/jacket.

Try 'em out and see what works for you- if a combination looks wrong to you- don't wear it. You have to develop your own flair.

 

[DOUGLAS]

I have a tendency to match my clothes with the hat color as much as possible. I works for me most of the time however I just don't have a infinite number of hats in every color.
See the avatar to the left..

 

[kaosharper1]

The simplist approach is to match things, but also keep this in mind. Some color shades are complementary with other colors while other shades are not. Brown and grey both have many different shades. Orangey browns do not do well with black, while blackish browns do go with black. The sable in the Indy hats goes well with black and has a black band. That brings us to the second item, the ribbon may make things match up. So if you have a brown hat with a black band its easier to wear it with black.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Hi Matt welcome.

I generally try to match my accessories.

I start with footwear blending in with my ensemble after that hat blends in with my footwear which highlights my manner of dress. Belt follows, pocket square, cuff links etc

 

[J.T.Marcus]

...I just don't have a infinite number of hats in every color...

You're being deceptively humble. :eusa_clap

 

[avedwards]

I don't think shoes are much of an issue. Brown or black shoes go with about anything. It's with trainers that it would matter more, but I hope you don't wear trainers with a black coat.

 

[UWS Cowboy]

I also don't worry too much about the shoes, as long as they're a dark color and not something funky like red. I've never worn my brown hat with a black coat, but I think it'd work. Usually I go with a gray, the most versatile being my newest which looks moonstone to me. By the way, I grew up in Richmond.

 

[gtdean48]

... By the way, I grew up in Richmond.

My buddy owns the Honda of Richmond motorcycle shop...but he doesn't wear hats on his pinhead...

 

[zetwal]

I know it's off topic. But I can't help but ask -

Do you remember the ensemble that Madeline Kahan wears in High Anxiety? Her outfit (and that of her teddy bear) matches her car!

 

[1OldGI]

I Use the KISS Principal

99% of the time, I wear something brown or some shade thereof (khaki, tan, etc.) Additionally, my shoes are almost always brown. I think the military ruined me for ever wearing black shoes again. This being the case, most of my hats are brown and or shades thereof. The Panamas of course being nuetral summer hats that go with everything.

If on the other hand I wore a lot of black or blue, I think I would lean more towards black and or gray hats. So I think the school answer is probably more hats. In my mind if you have 1 brown fedora, 1 gray or black fedora and a good panama for summer, you should have all the bases covered. Of course more hats are always better. lol

 

[David V]

Coordinating your clothing colors to complement each other is the distinguishing mark of a well dress man.

Avoid the trap of believing that in this day and age anything goes. It may cause shock in men,women to faint and frighten small children.