Hat bands and feathers

[T Rick]

When I was a teenager, I had a denim Western styled hat from Levi. A friend took a peacock feather I had laying around for some reason and put it in the hat. I actually wore it that way a few times (my friend died the next year and I left the feather there as a tribute to him). I think that hat is still around somewhere in a storage unit I've had for years...

My hats these days, I don't envision putting any feathers in them (they are fifty cents each at Henry The Hatter BTW). But if I buy a hat and it comes with it, it is likely to stay that way. Not sure why. One of my Open Roads came with one, and I figure if it's been there since new, why disturb it's 30 or 40 year roost. Same on my Stingy Bond Fifty.

Then again, I've also left the one that came on my new Stetson Nostalgia. So far.

 

[Rodkins]

I'm not a feather guy, but I have a drawer full. The first thing I do when I get a new hat is remove the feather. If anyone is looking for a particular color combo, let me know and I'll ship it to you if I have it.

 

[Engrishman]

I know it's not legal in the United States, but as a Canadian, I'm wondering if I can own raptor feathers and use them to garnish a fedora. Not necessarily eagle feathers, but things from falcons.

The law seems rather hazy to me, because I could have sworn I've seen first nations folks selling dreamcatchers with raptor feathers on the tips. I may end up buying one and using that on a fedora, instead.

 

[Neophyte]

Off topic, but are you by any chance a Baccano! fan? I couldn't help but notice your Firo avatar.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

My daily driver has a feather in it. It's neither here nor there to me. Thought about taking it out, but just have been complacent about it.

 

[Engrishman]

Off topic, but are you by any chance a Baccano! fan? I couldn't help but notice your Firo avatar.

More or less. Baccano! is one of those rare eastern animations that manages to capture the "Golden Era" feel of vintage Americana without trying to delve too deeply into the levels of the absurd (though I will grudgingly admit all that alchemical nonsense could have been avoided). I'm not sure what other series from the other side of the International Date Line fits the bar quite so well, so Baccano! has reserved a place in my collection for good measure.

 

[Neophyte]

I know what you mean. I liked it as well. The anachronistic storytelling and fun (not to mention the violence) remind me of Tarantino's better films. In fact, the scene in which Maiza buys Firo's first hat as a rite of passage is one of the major factors that influenced me to start wearing hats.

On topic, I don't like feathers on dress hats, but I like them on westerns and the like. The more "western" hats, like the OR, I could probably put a small feather in. I plan on having a feather in my next custom or so.

 

[hatophile]

I know it's not legal in the United States, but as a Canadian, I'm wondering if I can own raptor feathers and use them to garnish a fedora. Not necessarily eagle feathers, but things from falcons.

The law seems rather hazy to me, because I could have sworn I've seen first nations folks selling dreamcatchers with raptor feathers on the tips. I may end up buying one and using that on a fedora, instead.

Registered Native Americans in the US may obtain eagle feathers for the use in ceremonies, etc. I don't know if they're allowed to sell them, however to non-Native Americans. I doubt it. tThe law may be different over the border.

 

[Engrishman]

Registered Native Americans in the US may obtain eagle feathers for the use in ceremonies, etc. I don't know if they're allowed to sell them, however to non-Native Americans. I doubt it. tThe law may be different over the border.

I'm pretty sure I can't buy a US eagle feather. I'll be calling the Canadian Fish and Wildlife Board for clarification on eagle feathers north of the border, though, since I live nearby a place with quite a number of eagle nests.

 

[barrowjh]

I have only one hat where I decided to keep the feather on it. Gene (harpplayergene) got a fair shot of it at Monteagle last year, a light grey Mr. Disney w/navy blue ribbon, and the narrow blue feather (royal blue with grey shades) just seems right for this hat:

Other than that one exception, I have removed any pheathers that came on vintage hats, as well as brand-name pins that were on recent vintage (and new) hats.

I think many of us have a 'fedora image' in our minds that came from movies set in the 1930s-40s time frame, and pheathers were not as common then as they became in the mid-1950s - 60s period (which also saw a general decline in hat quality and a tendacy towards stingy brims), so therefore pheathers conjure up 'bad hat' images and we disdain them.

 

[hatophile]

I like that one in that hat, Barrow, and it goes great with what you're wearing.

 

[Bourne ID]

When I found this pork it had a feather in the band....so I've left it there. You don't want to disturb the vibe/mojo!!

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I just returned from the Kansas State Fair and noted that the Cayuga Duck's feathers are black but are green in the right light.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hausente1.jpg

I usually take the feathers out of my hats. I did so on my Stetson Temple, but the feather on my Black Beaver Brand is glued in too well. I would also note that I didn't see a single feather in Art Fawcett or Tony B's entire threads. I would have thought the at least SOMEBODY would have wanted one.

Personally, I think that the Cayuga duck feathers would go great on a black fedora. Now, where are the best shaped feathers found, on the duck I mean?

Thanks

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Would not want to miss with Mr. Fawcett's or Tony B's handi work there is enough mojo in those hats that they really don't need it.