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Hats (for a change)

Guppy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,339
Location
Cleveland, OH
So MOSTLY I am on this forum going on and on about leather jackets. This is not one of those threads.

I've been thinking lately about getting a hat. I'm not sure if I'm really a hat person or not, though.

In the winter, I'll wear a knit watch cap if it's cold enough to warrant it, or if I'll be outside long enough. I have a box full of them, and they're fine for cold.

In the summer, I'll (rarely, anymore) wear a baseball cap, to keep the sun out of my eyes.

I've been thinking recently that I might fancy a wool newsboy cap, and I've been mulling it over for a few days. I'm not sure if I'd look right in one, or not, though. So I'd like some help deciding. And also, picking one out.

These are the ones that caught my eye:


  1. 33355d45d0ec8db4_blackfleck-800.jpg
  2. 50590sk_luxmr.jpg
  3. il_fullxfull.1689512489_l5xm.jpg

  4. il_570xN.1326392222_1s3y.jpg

  5. size-58cm.jpg

  6. 187293.jpg

I'm not putting up any prices or maker names for now, to keep it to strictly how each of these looks. They're all pretty similar, but there's differences if you look for them.

So, I don't have any on hand to try on for a photo, but there's enough pictures of me on this site by now that you can find me and see what I look like, and put your imagination to work and reach an opinion of whether this would be a good style for me or not.

I don't really have any special occasions in mind, this would just be for general wear, out and about.

Let me know what you think.
 

Guppy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,339
Location
Cleveland, OH
Guppy:
You might try the “What Cap Are You Wearing Today?” thread for plenty of ideas.
Bowen

Going by that thread, there are a lot of folks who have rather different taste from my own with these things...

What do you think about the ones above that I'm considering?
 

AbbaDatDeHat

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,856
I like the 8 panels and the ones that snap to the brim. I’m not to big on the ones that don’t snap down. Kinda like seaman hats i guess. Wide ones you can style around. Narrow trimmer ones, you get what you see.
More specifically i like 1,5 and 6.
 

Peter Bowden

Practically Family
Messages
606
Location
united kingdom
The cap in the first photograph would be my choice but I prefer a flat brim that is fitted with a snap button.8 panel with sufficient material to shape it at a slant.A good one is certainly warm,showerproof and suits the half-belt theme.I would go to a well known California hatter for style and substance.
 

navetsea

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,875
Location
East Java
I am not a hat/ cap person
but I like 3, 4, 6
I like 3 best for more modern looking probably matches motorcycle jackets better, the rest looks too vintage style to me
 

Carlos840

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Messages
4,944
Location
London
I like the 8 panels and the ones that snap to the brim. I’m not to big on the ones that don’t snap down. Kinda like seaman hats i guess. Wide ones you can style around. Narrow trimmer ones, you get what you see.
More specifically i like 1,5 and 6.

Exactly my thought. I think they are a bit much when not snapped to the brim.
I vote 1 and 6 for news boy hats. Number 5 is a bit more farmer hat than paperboy...
 

Bfd70

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,347
Location
Traverse city
I wear caps almost every day. For me a 6 panel cap work the best. They tend to be more fitted which works for my head to shoulder ratio. You can get away with for lack of a better term, more hat. I like 1 and 6 for you.
Btw, buying hats online is like shoes, pants, anything else, it’s very hard to determine what fits and works for you. If there is a hat shop within an hours drive i recommend taking the trip. Otherwise make sure they accept returns.
 
Messages
10,643
I wear ball caps all the time and now have a few hats like the ones you posted. I seem to always pull your #5 and even more duckbill type hats. Less of a change in feel and look than the others when comparing to a ball cap. You can then work your way to other type of hats. At least for me, some originally felt and looked “weird” on my noggin.
 

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,801
Location
New Forest
I like 2,3 and 4 but would likely never wear any of these. Something I would buy, swear to wear and throw in the closet forever.
It's reassuring to know the many dislikes on the lounge. For the life of me, I cannot like the cap, any cap. I don't mean on others, they seem to be able to carry off that newsboy look, but me, never. So I just leave the caps to those that like them, then, wouldn't you know, my missus and I were invited to a Peaky Blinders event. So although it went completely against the grain I wore a flat cap, here it is mated to a period collarless shirt:
flatcap 003.JPG
Don't let me put you you off, if you like the newsboy cap, go for it, after all, I have also owned up to not liking denim, and that puts me in a minority of one.
 

willyto

One Too Many
Messages
1,616
Location
Barcelona
You are in the US and if you want a great flat cap with your chosen material, style and colour I personally would reach out to Damian, he used to be a fellow lounger and is on the economical side: https://monsivaisco.com/

Personally none of that commercial stuff compares to dedicated craftsman who make caps themselves. Same as with our leather jackets there are levels of quality and style as authenticity.
 

Bfd70

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,347
Location
Traverse city
I saw the photo before reading the text and was surprised by your opinion. I think it looks good on you. Though so do all of your other hats so you obviously have options.
 

FlatCap99

One of the Regulars
Messages
203
I love hats, especially flat caps and even more so, tweed ones. At some point in my 20s I settled in to wearing mostly flat caps. I like every one of the hats you posted and absolutely love a good tweed newsboy cap. Unfortunately, I can't pull the ones off that have the extra material. I wish so badly that I could, but I think just with my build and face structure they didn't work well for me, but I still love the style. I end up sticking with tighter fitting flat caps where the material is closer to my head and the brim is 2" or less.

I think both of Bfd70's comments were good ones. I would recommend checking out a Goorin Bros shop if there is one near you since they have a lot of the styles that fall into the ballpark of what you posted (as well as the tighter fitting hats I like). I have a few Goorin caps and they have served me well as well as some other misc brands, but trying them on is almost a must to get you started (unless you are patient enough to do website returns). Even if you are an avid hat wearer, you can buy a 59cm hat by 4 different manufactures and they probably all will fit slightly different. Not only the circumference, but how close they bump up to your ears/how far down your head they rest. Not sure if you wear glasses regularly, but that is something to consider when you get the hat as well as sometimes they can get in the way of the hat resting where it was designed to rest. When I find ones that fit me well (especially while wearing glasses), I tend to buy a couple of them so I have a backup or some different colors. I think a little time in a nice hat shop will send you in the direction that is best for you!
 

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