Fedoras on a budget???

[Badluck Brody]

Where/ who are the good vendors, that won't charge an arm and leg??

Hey Matt, where did you get the hat you are wearing in your avitar??

Brody

 

[Zach R.]

Fedoras for a guy on a budget, count me in.

You're looking for modern hats, correct?

 

[hatflick1]

Fedora$ on a budget

Thrift shops, garage sales, flea markets, ...pretty good sources for budget hats. But ya gotta look...and look. Just recently in Hollywood I scored a vintage fur felt, wide-brimmed, high crown Dobbs for ten bucks at the weekly Trading Post held at a high school parking lot. As for Akubra, it's too bad the company does not re-make some of their vintage fedora styles (like the original Squatter) featured in The Akubra Hat, Jill Bowen's book, and Akubra Is Australian For Hat by Grenville Turner as well as various books about the Australian outback. They look like fair dinkums.

 

[Andykev]

Budget

I bought a LOT of Ebay hats, but I just looked...I was on Ebay in 1999. The hats there have "dried up". Keep looking..there are still bargains to be had. I feel that there is now more competition, so be prepared to pay more.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Ebay is still pretty good if you keep constantly vigilant.

Here is an Akubra squatter, it comes open crowned and you can shape it as you like. http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=20&ccode=1200&cat_id=2

I found a few hats at local vintage clothing shops (Best chance at getting a good hat on the cheap), bought some from vendors online like Art, and most are from Ebay.

The hat in my avatar? I'm not wearing a hat right now. The bone colored hat was a Borsalino and the brown hat was an Optimo.

 

[Dr. Shocker]

Since I tend to be really cheap....I mean poor alot of the time (corousing is an expensive hobby)....i score most of my hats in thrift and vintage stores....its a long slow process.......and with Matt so close I have to get there before he does......you can find deals online or heck if you have a friend whos parents or grandparents just passed politly (it takes alot of tack) as if they will be holdng a sale on some of thier clothes........

 

[KeyGrip]

Sorry if raising this topic from the dead is a no-no here, but I find myself in the same boat as these gentlemen. I'm a student looking for a quality fedora in the $100 range. Modern or vintage makes little difference to me as long as the looks, quality, and price are right. Also, I've considered getting a medium quality fedora just to tide me over until the summer when I can get a job. Is this a good plan, or should I wait and save up for the good stuff? I'm just desperate for a hat at this point.

 

[carldelo]

A couple good choices

Sorry if raising this topic from the dead is a no-no here, but I find myself in the same boat as these gentlemen. I'm a student looking for a quality fedora in the $100 range. Modern or vintage makes little difference to me as long as the looks, quality, and price are right. Also, I've considered getting a medium quality fedora just to tide me over until the summer when I can get a job. Is this a good plan, or should I wait and save up for the good stuff? I'm just desperate for a hat at this point.

Right now noggintops has an online coupon ('20OFF') for items over $100. The Akubra Sydney is $116, the Casual is $104 and the Stetson Chatham (I have one and like it well) is $115. If one of these works for you, there's no need to settle for a second-rate hat if you can manage $100 or so. I keep mentioning these coupons because I'm on their mailing list and the Akubras seem quite popular on FL, although I don't have one yet.

Cheers

 

[indycop]

Sorry if raising this topic from the dead is a no-no here, but I find myself in the same boat as these gentlemen. I'm a student looking for a quality fedora in the $100 range. Modern or vintage makes little difference to me as long as the looks, quality, and price are right. Also, I've considered getting a medium quality fedora just to tide me over until the summer when I can get a job. Is this a good plan, or should I wait and save up for the good stuff? I'm just desperate for a hat at this point.

What kind of fedora are you looking for? You can find some Akubras for no more than $100, and You can get a Jaxon Bogart for $68.

 

[RBH]

Click on some of the banner ads at the top of the screen, our vendors here sometimes have great deals going on.

 

[Stoney]

Burlington Coat Factory

Don't forget BCF. A good source for fur felt ferdoas at a very reasonable price.
I've seen a few there that I would have bought, and cheap, alas not in my size.

 

[KeyGrip]

Thanks for the NogginTops link, Carldelo. That Akubra Sydney is looking pretty good right now. Do you know how long that coupon lasts?

 

[carldelo]

Thanks for the NogginTops link, Carldelo. That Akubra Sydney is looking pretty good right now. Do you know how long that coupon lasts?

Good until March 10th
20OFF, $20 off over $100
15OFF, $15 off over $70
10OFF, $10 off over $50
You can sign up for their email newletter, the coupons come fairly often.

 

[Josh B.]

I've got to say, depending on what occasions you plan to wear the hat, wool felt is fine. I personally wear a wool felt hat for everyday wear and some casual events. I've had good luck with the Village Hat Shop for these kinds of hats-- although I now covet that Akubra...

As for second-hand stores, it'll depend on where you like in the US. You'll probably have better luck where there's still a cultural bias towards fedoras-- like the cities of the Northeast. But I've found the further South, and the further West you go, the less likely shops are to sell fedoras.

 

[KeyGrip]

That's true in my experience. I've seen very few hat shops that have a decent selection of fur felt fedoras, and I've never seen a quality wool felt fedora. I'm going to go for one of those Akubras. Hopefully I can get the cash in time.

 

[Rick Blaine]

There is right now on eBay a fellow with several sizes of fur felt Scala brand fedoras as well as a few Stacey Adams fur felts at about $38 BIN OBO. (As these ARE BIN auctions I do not think this discussion violates any rules.) He's had them up for a while & might entertain an offer.

I had one fur felt Scala at one time. If the crown were a little larger & less tapered I'd of kept it in my rotation. I have never seen a Stacey Adams, but both of these are fur though and would beat wool (IMO) as a starter. I think both retail for about $100.

There is also one retailer who has a store with (I think they might be down to just 2 -3 XLs) D.P. Indiana Jones wools for less than $15. He also has some wool Scalas for $10 - $15.

 

[Colby Jack]

Does DM offer a discount for members?

 

[Stoney]

Thanks for the discount codes!

Right now noggintops has an online coupon ('20OFF') for items over $100. The Akubra Sydney is $116, the Casual is $104 and the Stetson Chatham (I have one and like it well) is $115. If one of these works for you, there's no need to settle for a second-rate hat if you can manage $100 or so. I keep mentioning these coupons because I'm on their mailing list and the Akubras seem quite popular on FL, although I don't have one yet.

Cheers

I checked out the site and ran into a discontinued Stetson Montana
for $85.00. $70.00 with the discount code applied (15OFF). I had to order one as it is made out of... are you ready for this...... Buffalo Fur Felt!
The hat also comes with a pin that looks like a buffalo nickel. How cool is that? Here is the pic from Noggintops.

It has a large brim, but I have a pair of scissors and some sandpaper.
lol

 

[Lon Goval]

Scala sizes

I have two fur felt Scala hats (c/o ebay) and both seem 1 to 1 1/2 sizes too large. These are both Czech made. Is this the standard for their hats. I haven't tried the S/M/L/XL series yet.

Ralph

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Don't forget BCF. A good source for fur felt ferdoas at a very reasonable price.
I've seen a few there that I would have bought, and cheap, alas not in my size.

All of the following are Burlington Coat Factory fur felt fedoras. Prices ranged fro $10 to $30. Stock varies, but sometimes you can find them.