Hat comparison Help

[SGT Rocket]

Hi All,

I'm looking to buy my first felt hat. I have some panamas, one Stetson that I'm in love with it. I'm looking at the following three hats. Mainly because I saw the Margate at local haberdashery called Heimie's today. It was really sweet; the color I saw today was the Caribou.

They are all Stetsons. I'm open to other brands, but I'm not sure what other brands Heimie's carries.

First the Margate:
http://www.dadshats.com/stmfllifurfe.html

The Nostalgia:
http://www.dadshats.com/stnoopcrfe0.html

the Saxon:
http://www.dadshats.com/stsboha.html

The hat band on the Saxon may be a little too broad for my taste. I will probably buy from Heimie's, because I don't believe in going visiting a place and not buying from it.

Also, I'm looking to wear with both suites and casual. I have both dark and lite gray suites, a nice greenish/oliveish suite, a pinstripe, a black suite, and a couple of others.

My over coats are black, charcoal, and a tan-khaki.

casual, I probably won't be wearing it with jeans because I have some flat caps for that.

 

[carldelo]

Those are 3 pretty different hats - of them I prefer the Margate, as I like a bound brim and the width of 2.25" is right in my zone. If you tried it on and liked the way it looked, I would say go for it. The Nostalgia is going to look much bigger and floppier, the Saxon is considered stingy-brim by most. Also, if the Saxon ribbon looks too wide, the Nostalgia is even wider. I agree about supporting your local shop if they have the hat you want...

PS one hat probably won't match all the clothes you mention - so clearly you will need to have several. I think this makes it easier to buy the first felt, knowing that it won't match everything. So start with the one you think looks good, wear it for a while and you'll soon find out which hat you need to get next...

 

[Tomasso]

. I agree about supporting your local shop if they have the hat you want...

And even if their inventory is lacking you'll probably figure out what type of hat suits you best.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

That Margate is really sharp. If I could get away with a brim that narrow, I would want it in my collection.

The only thing that would give me pause here is that, in terms of versatility, the Nostalgia would probably work with more than the Margate will. On the other hand, there isn't much on your list that would clash with the Margate. Depending on the exact shade, the olive suit might be the only issue. Maybe.

If it were me, I would go with the Margate, especially knowing that I liked it already from seeing it in person.

 

[Torpedo]

For a first hat, I would get the Nostalgia in grey; the reason I would choose it over the Margate is that the latter's ribbon, while nice, is less versatile, both because of its colouring and of the fact it leans (to my eyes) to the casual side.

This said, I guess these hats will have pretty different proportions, the Nostalgia being, as I understand, more in the Golden Era styling, which, while favoured by many here (me included), is not for everybody. So try them on, and decide after balancing all the issues.

 

[Bird's One View]

I like the Nostalgia, but go with whatever looks best on you.

 

[SGT Rocket]

Great help!

Hmmm, I like the idea of a darker ribbon too. I wonder if I could get the people at Heimie's to put a black ribbon on the Margate for me?

I think it would go with my gray suites very well, and the color of the ribbon currently on the hat is very similar in color to the pin stripes in my pin stripe suite (or is that "pen"?).

I would love to get two hats. One more casual, and one more for suites. I can only afford one though. My wife is buying it for a celebratory gift upon my return from Iraq (I'm currently on leave so of course I'm trying to hit all the hat shops!).

boy what a tough decision. I may try to trick her into getting me two!

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Stetson has a couple of other models that are similar, but none with a 2 1/4 inch brim this year. The Sutley and the Firenze seem closest, and would have less bold ribbon colors. I still favor Margate, though.

 

[Dewhurst]

I will probably buy from Heimie's, because I don't believe in going visiting a place and not buying from it.

Wow, I have not heard of this philosophy. Very interesting.

The Margate is one of my personal favorites out of Stetson's newest stuff so I can't be expected to render a fair opinion on this matter. A beautiful hat.

 

[scottyrocks]

I prefer the Nostalgia.

 

[handlebar bart]

I would love to get two hats. One more casual, and one more for suites. I can only afford one though. My wife is buying it for a celebratory gift upon my return from Iraq (I'm currently on leave so of course I'm trying to hit all the hat shops!).

boy what a tough decision. I may try to trick her into getting me two!

Not letting this slip by without chiming in ......... enjoy your time back and thanks for your service.

And you deserve both.

 

[Aureliano]

Nostaligia

 

[SGT Rocket]

Nostaligia and Margate

Wow, I have not heard of this philosophy. Very interesting.

The Margate is one of my personal favorites out of Stetson's newest stuff so I can't be expected to render a fair opinion on this matter. A beautiful hat.

Oh, you bet. If I visit a place and take up the proprietor's time, I would totally feel guilty if I didn't make a purchase. I purchased a flat cap from them about two years ago, it's a "genuine Harris Tweed, Wigens. A wonderful cap. If I knew where my wife put the digital camera, I would post a pic. I think it might be in the kids room and we just put them to bed... I don't dare enter now! lol

 

[SGT Rocket]

PS

I am leaning toward the Margate. I just love the colors in the ribbon knot (I guess that is what you call it).

Interesting that no one has been positive on the Saxon. Is it because of the wide ribbon?

 

[marvelgoose]

Hi All,

Mainly because I saw the Margate at local haberdashery called Heimie's today.

I maintain a list of Hat stores here and I don't have Heimie's. Could I have an address, phone, and website for the place?

Also, the Margate is too limited for your needs so you should buy it first. Wear it with everything ... including suits with which it clashes and looks horrible. Your wife will then happily give you leave to buy another hat.

Having made Heimie happy by buying a hat, go get a Stylemaster from Akubra from hatsdirect.com. The lower crown is like the Margate and the Saxon but you get a bound rim and a ribbon that's not so wide. The proportions are very pleasing, too. Search for Stylemaster here and go to the thread called Pictures of Stylemasters on Noggins.

I, also, own a Nostalgia and love it as well.

You can see where this is going...:whistling

 

[carldelo]

I am leaning toward the Margate. I just love the colors in the ribbon knot (I guess that is what you call it).

Interesting that no one has been positive on the Saxon. Is it because of the wide ribbon?

I think the Saxon is too common, and maybe too sixties for this classic-era forum. I don't dig a stingy brim much - you have to be pretty slim in the face for it to look good. Many here like a wide ribbon, although I don't.

If the 2-1/4" brim is to your liking, Bencraft (a forum sponsor) sells the Ashland which has a 2-1/4" underwelt brim. I have two (in brown and caribou) and they are nice hats - the underwelt is not that common, it seems. It has a teardrop vs. the centerdent of the Saxon, which would make it different from the Margate. A black Saxon or Ashland would be dressy enough for a suit (no 'e' btw, pardon my correction).

PS - just read Marvelgoose's scenario for securing a second hat - excellent strategy which is going straight into the playbook. The Stylemaster is a good idea - but note that I find mine to be significantly larger in appearance (in brim and crown both) to my Ashlands.

 

[Wolfwood]

I will probably buy from Heimie's, because I don't believe in going visiting a place and not buying from it.

Remind me to set up a shop that surrounds your house.

Personally, I prefer the golden era style and thus Nostalgia would be my choice. However, the ribbon seems rather wide on that one, so I's look for something else entirely.

 

[colps]

margate

 

[Tomasso]

I will probably buy from Heimie's, because I don't believe in going visiting a place and not buying from it.

Wow, I have not heard of this philosophy. Very interesting.

Interesting....... as in bizarre.:eusa_doh:

 

[Dewhurst]

Interesting....... as in bizarre.:eusa_doh:

lol