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First Time Hat Buyer Info Thread - A Compendeum of Advice

Suppoko

New in Town
Messages
27
Location
Michigan
Yeah you can totally wear it, like you said just gotta get comfortable wearing them. After you get acclimated to wearing them you can work on taking them off in the house. My grandpa would smack me when I left it on :)
 

Chinaski

One Too Many
Messages
1,045
Location
Orange County, CA
Spend enough time here, and low crowns with stingy brims will start to look a bit "anemic." (With no disrespect intended to Daizawaguy, GWD, and other stingy-wearin' brethren!) You will start to get used to taller crowns and wider brims as you wear them.
 

Pompidou

One Too Many
Messages
1,242
Location
Plainfield, CT
You'll see more flaws in whatever you do than anyone else will. When I'm playing the piano, I'm always inclined to stop and restart, but nobody else even hears a mistake. Same with wearing hats, I think. You'll notice a million imperfections, but most everyone else will just say, "Nice hat." The stress will do you more harm than the brim size. If you see something you like, go for it.
 

gpotski

New in Town
Messages
13
Location
Ohio
Go for the Akubra Stylemaster. Here's my Stylemaster. The brim is just about right.

002-1.jpg
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
You look good in both. Keep in mind that its not just the brim width, but the shape of the crown that makes a hat look 'right' or 'wrong' to the most important person involved - the one wearing it.
 

danofarlington

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,122
Location
Arlington, Virginia
I'm another hat newbie, and you probably get this a lot, but I am trying to figure out what hats work for me. So, I figure I'd throw in a few pictures and get your esteemed opinions.

My only "real" hat is a vintage Dobbs stingy (1 3/4" brim). I think I can pull it off but a wider brim may be better to balance out my big melon. Here is a quick pic of me with the stingy.

5374624990_f766db11fd.jpg


Today I tried on a lovely Akubra Stylemaster, and my immediate thought was the brim looked too big. I believe it is 2 1/2 inches. Perhaps I just need to get comfortable with wearing a larger brim. For reference, here is a picture of me in an older wool Dorfman Pacific fedora. It has a 2 1/2 inch brim (appx 4 1/2 inch bashed crown). I used to think it looked way too big on me, but the overall size has grown on me a bit.

5374025463_e1ef31f23a.jpg


What do you think - can I pull off a 2 1/2 inch brim? Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
-Todd

Yes, a 2 1/2 brim on you is fine. Most hats are not stingies, most are like the 2 1/2. You've got to get used to it yourself, though, to be comfortable in it. Sometimes people go for an article of clothing that they think is less conspicuous, so they won't be too "out there" on their first effort, perhaps you with a stingy brim. But the look of hats is a brim, which departs from other kinds of hats. The more you wear the 2 1/2 brim the more comfortable you will be. Don't stop looking for other 2 1/2s, or possibly 2 1/4s, either. You don't have to go exclusively stingy. On you I like the wider one better anyway.
 

fmw

One Too Many
Messages
1,017
Location
USA
Spend enough time here, and low crowns with stingy brims will start to look a bit "anemic." (With no disrespect intended to Daizawaguy, GWD, and other stingy-wearin' brethren!) You will start to get used to taller crowns and wider brims as you wear them.

Not for me. My tall crown fedora is on its way today to an Ebay buyer. It looked like a dunce cap to me. Short crowns for me. I came from the Western hat world. Very tall crowns and very wide brims. I don't like the look of tall crowns on any fedora. So, as usual, these things are a matter of personal preference. Wear what you like.

For the OP, the wider brim looks better on you from my preference.
 

Carnage

One of the Regulars
Messages
112
Location
London
Danny, that is a great shame I didn't catch it on EvilBay, I would have snapped that one up. I shall set about attempting to hunt one down now methinks.

Regards
 

Bourne ID

One of the Regulars
Messages
271
Location
Electric City, PA
Really? Tan shoes with grey slacks, never black? That's good to know! As I look down, I seem to be making that mistake right now!!!
Love that 32 ford up there!
 

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