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Full Brim vs. Stingy Brim

Mr Vim

One Too Many
Messages
1,306
Location
Juneau, Alaska
Well, I think it worked...

afp_cancun_mebeach.jpg

Looking good Sir, looking good. You said Optimo did that ribbon for you?

Oh and as far as Stingy versus full... I started off with Stingy brims then I moved into full brims. I wear both but now a days I lean towards full brims on more occasions.
 
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Messages
15,276
Location
Somewhere south of crazy
Looking good Sir, looking good. You said Optimo did that ribbon for you?

Oh and as far as Stingy versus full... I started off with Stingy brims then I moved into full brims. I wear both but now a days I lean towards full brims on more occasions.

I concur with Mr. Vim. I had a decent collection of vintage hats with medium brims I got rid of :eusa_doh: about 15 years ago because I felt uncomfortable wearing them regularly. Then about 7 years ago, I started to wear hats more frequently to limit sun exposure. I started with 2" or less brims, and short crowns (which didn't really help with sun anyway except for the bald spot on top).

After a couple of years, those started to look too small, so now I've graduated to about 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 and feel very comfortable in them. I guess I've "grown into" larger hats. I like the way I look now in the larger brims, I don't think I have anything less than 2 1/4 size now.

By the way, MV, while I am a thin-ribbon fan, I do like the way that OR came out with the wider ribbon. :eusa_clap
 

Mobile Vulgus

One Too Many
Messages
1,144
Location
Chicago
danofarlington, Mr.Vim, hatophile,

Thanks gentlemen. That Stetson was an OR from about the 70s or 80s that I got off ebay for about $20. I have a few ORs so I decided to take it down to Optimo here in Chicago and change out the ribbon. I like how it turned out.
 

TheBeak

One of the Regulars
Messages
122
Location
Tampa Bay area, FL
Thanks a lot guys.
I've established my favorite style at this point would probably be a snap-brim with teardrop crease, and possibly a 2 1/4" brim. For what it's worth, here's a cheap stingy I picked up the other day (don't mind the background).
0101012247.jpg

I really dont know anything about anything, but I think you look better in this hat than the black hat you posted earlier. Not sure what it is but I think it fits your face better.
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
I really dont know anything about anything, but I think you look better in this hat than the black hat you posted earlier. Not sure what it is but I think it fits your face better.

And I tend to agree with this. However, I would like to see you in a more traditional fedora with similar dimensions, such as:

MDC_5770.jpg


Color and exact brim dimensions are up for discussion, of course . . .
 

dnjan

One Too Many
Messages
1,690
Location
Seattle
I like the black hat above but I don't care for the stingy brim when worn UP like this picture.
stingy.jpg


I'm sorry, but to me it looks like a clown hat.

Cliff
In addition to the brim being snapped up in front, I am really not a fan of the tipped-back hat.
 

danofarlington

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,122
Location
Arlington, Virginia
In addition to the brim being snapped up in front, I am really not a fan of the tipped-back hat.

Yes, I go along with that (not that Cliffnopus has to follow suit). My local hatman told me 20 years ago that hats are supposed to be seen as more or less level when viewed from the side. I took that to be the convention in the big hat years, since he was around then, and so I have worn mine that way, and now see it as the right way. Others can do what they want, but I adopted the conventional convention.
 

Alex

Practically Family
Messages
643
Location
Iowa, US
I'm going to hat store soon, so I'm pretty excited to see what would look best on me and what would meet my tastes. I like a full brim best, but thanks for all the feedback. Hopefully I can find one that works best and isn't too expensive.
 

Scotus

One of the Regulars
Messages
176
Location
Illinois
I agree with John as well. The stingy brims are in fashion now for the younger set, but I think they look "not quite right" on older men. However, bands can get by with more extremes in fashion than the man on the street. :)
 

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,104
Location
San Francisco, CA
In addition to the brim being snapped up in front, I am really not a fan of the tipped-back hat.

Maybe it's my personal preference but I think stingys look better tipped back. That's usually how I wear mine:
72124_693589728578_11701808_38687570_8141463_n.jpg


60's Resistol "Gotham I" in "orbit" grey.
 
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Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
However, bands can get by with more extremes in fashion than the man on the street. :)


People in the entertainment field wear clothes to make a statement or as costumes fairly often.

From photography of earlier times stingy brims evoke the image of the cool nightclub performer - jazz musician. It has seen a revival with musicians that has gone on for quite a while and was then picked up by the MYV crowd as a cool music statement, moved to the youthful entertainment personalities and then mimicked by those that are influenced by the preceding personalities and want to appear to be be hip and cool. (While i am not a stingy brim fan i also get a little annoyed at the idea that so many people that are wearing these have no concept of the connection to earlier times. However I am also hopeful that some will use this as a step in the right direction to grow in heir knowledge and maybe learn more about hats.)
 

zetwal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,343
Location
Texas
Putting aside brims over 3 inches (which tend to move into the western realm, or that of religion or such), I think that fedora brims are better divided into three widths, not two. You don't jump from stingy brims to wide brims. There is a middle terrain as well. To my eye, fedora brims fall more or less into the following groups.

1 7/8 and less are stingy (or narrow)
2 to 2 1/2 or so are middle width
2 5/8 to 3 are wide

Since it's a matter of perception and opinion, others may draw the lines at other places. For example, someone else may put stingy brims at 1 3/4 or less and middle brims at 1 7/8 to 2 3/8. But I think the general observation that brims don't jump from stingy to wide would be agreeable to most.
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
The look of a hat has to do with the look or facial proportions of the person wearing it and also the proportions of the hat itself.

How tall the crown is, whether the crown is tapered all works into the full effect.

So there is much more than just brim with in the works as to whether a hat will look good or not on a person.

Every once in a while i see a rendition of a real zoot suit fedora styled hat that looks pretty cool to me.
 

daizawaguy

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,661
Location
Tokyo
I feel that a few photo`s posted here of the `fashion` type stingy hats (new materials, new construction (non blocked), modern colors) may give the impression that stingies are a "trend" or that stingies are associated with the 1960`s and musicians.

Take a look at the (1920/30`s?) photo, and I`ve circled what I think could be classified as stingy brims...

4691510286_538a30a3e0_b1.jpg
 

daizawaguy

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,661
Location
Tokyo
Looking at this again, I`ll take back that claim for the one on the extreeme right - I`d put that at 2 1/2. But the ones in the middle and the third from the right...I`d say those were stingy`s...
 

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