Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Hats, Sweatbands and Hair products

Akubra Man

One of the Regulars
Longer or shorter works for me

right now coming out of winter my hair is longish and I put nothing on it and it works for me ..... in summer shorter hair with nothing on it also... a little bit of hat head is kind of cool any way.... It shows you are not too affected by you appearance. :)
 

Salty O'Rourke

Practically Family
Messages
636
Location
SE Virginia
I grew up with the "dry look" generation

No greasy kids' stuff for me. I step out of the shower every morning, run a comb through it, and give it the Ron Popeil treatment - set it and forget it.
Wearing a hat is actually a plus as it keeps me on schedule with my barber - when a hat that fits correctly gives me Hat Hair, I know it's time for a trim.

By the way, Sam, the Kansas state penal system must have a pretty good tonsorial training program - that's where my barber learned to cut hair.
 

skyvue

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,221
Location
New York City
I swear by Smoothe, a product from John Allen's line of barber shops in NYC and Chicago that's available online. Here's their description:

A specially formulated cream that helps control and nourish dry or unruly hair while working as a lightweight, non-greasy styling tool. Smoothe performs as both a leave-in conditioner and styling agent that won't leave hair stiff. Conditioning humectants help replenish moisture. It can be used on all types of hair and can be reapplied as often as necessary to recondition or restyle throughout the day.​

It does the trick for me, and while my hair is very short at the ears and the neck, I have some length on the sides and, especially, on top. Smoothe does a great job of keeping my hair under control without making it unpleasant to touch.

My wife, who keeps her hair very short, has started using it, too, of late, and she really likes it.

I've mentioned it several times in the Lounge and am not sure I've yet convinced anyone to try it, but it works for me. It won't give you that lacquered look, if that's what you're seeking, though. I usually cite the look you see men sporting in 1940s movies: You can tell there's a little something in the hair, but it's not usually slick or shiny.

That's the look it gives me.
 

Pompidou

One Too Many
Messages
1,242
Location
Plainfield, CT
I use nothing but water. I get up in the morning, stick my head under the faucet, then fling my hair back with one or two hands. I do my best to keep my getting ready to go out time to less than 10 mins from waking up to getting in the truck. Brushing my teeth is the most time consuming aspect of my morning ritual.
 

The Good

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,361
Location
California, USA
Normally, if I want to "keep" my hairstyle, I would of course use gel, but I would also wait about an hour before putting any sort of hat on my head. I want it to dry up, harden, so that it stays when I put on a fedora.

Pompidou said:
I use nothing but water. I get up in the morning, stick my head under the faucet, then fling my hair back with one or two hands. I do my best to keep my getting ready to go out time to less than 10 mins from waking up to getting in the truck. Brushing my teeth is the most time consuming aspect of my morning ritual.

Actually, this is the same thing that I do most of the time. I occasionally use gel for certain days, such as when I go out to church, a concert, or any other event that I believe would call for it, but I mainly wet my hair, and comb my hair back, slightly towards my right. Ironically, when it dries out after a while, it loses it's shape that I had combed it for, and it comes to resemble one of those 70s hairstyles, sort of like what Roger Moore has going on in his James Bond films.

jb-roger.jpg


It's not my ideal hairstyle though, and I'm considering a crew-cut soon anyway. I'm more of a fan of Golden Age and Silver Age hairstyles in general, than anything past the 60s. I don't remember the last time I've even touched a modern hairstyle. I once... experimented with spikey hair in my mid-teens, let me just say that. I cringe to look at those old photos. :eek: On another note, I think I should gel my hair a bit more often. Nothing really beats a classic Golden Era style (that can go for just about anything, besides only hair!).
 

150719541

One Too Many
Messages
1,288
Location
San Luis Potosi, SLP. Mexico
Long & short hair

Hi Brothers ¡¡¡¡ The hair men is cutted each time one self want, thence, the hair cared is going down and put it in trashed. The new hair wich stay in head has a good look and doesn´t need any one cream, grease, soap or shampoo. If you use short hair, don´t have any trouble with care its, and same way your hat stays dry and clean, cause, doesn´t have contact with any chemistry product alive in hair. I don´t know, what is the way? that folks are using to keep long hair in good look, this hair style produces more sweat, and let little o longer spots on hats, in summer; head with long hair keep weeping sweat, thence, hat is carried to wash. I prefer short hair with any kind hats, felt or straw. If you need long hair to work like rock stars and others jobs, i´m sorry for them, is too warm, to wear hat in this conditions.:) ;) :eusa_clap
 

Yeps

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,456
Location
Philly
I am really amazed by all the people who do not put anything in their hair at all. My hair has two settings on its own, when it is short, it is a mess of cowlicks and sticks out at odd angles, and when it is medium to long, it falls pin straight into my face. Actually, it will do those with anything short of pomade (murray's original). Even with that it still mostly falls in my face.
I have not had any problems with hats and hair care, except for hats getting too small when my hair gets too long.
 

Scotus

One of the Regulars
Messages
176
Location
Illinois
Well, I'm with JB. I use a gel now (American Crew). I used to use their grooming cream. Downside is that you have to wait for it to dry. Upside is that it stays pretty well.
 

chum

Familiar Face
Messages
88
Location
St. Louis
...I just use some hair spray. Suave I think. I brush my hair strait back, use the spray then 10 minutes later brush again to get out the stiffnes.
 

Mr E Train

One Too Many
Messages
1,050
Location
Terminus
I use two American Crew products together, Pomade and Fiber. Neither one is adequate by itself, but the combination of the two is great.
 

Salty O'Rourke

Practically Family
Messages
636
Location
SE Virginia
"Well, as soon as we get ourselves cleaned up and we get a little smellum in our hair, why, we're gonna feel 100% better about ourselves and about life in general. " - Ulysses Everett McGill
 

fluteplayer07

One Too Many
Messages
1,844
Location
Michigan
skyvue said:
I swear by Smoothe, a product from John Allen's line of barber shops in NYC and Chicago that's available online. Here's their description:

A specially formulated cream that helps control and nourish dry or unruly hair while working as a lightweight, non-greasy styling tool. Smoothe performs as both a leave-in conditioner and styling agent that won't leave hair stiff. Conditioning humectants help replenish moisture. It can be used on all types of hair and can be reapplied as often as necessary to recondition or restyle throughout the day.​

It does the trick for me, and while my hair is very short at the ears and the neck, I have some length on the sides and, especially, on top. Smoothe does a great job of keeping my hair under control without making it unpleasant to touch.

My wife, who keeps her hair very short, has started using it, too, of late, and she really likes it.

I've mentioned it several times in the Lounge and am not sure I've yet convinced anyone to try it, but it works for me. It won't give you that lacquered look, if that's what you're seeking, though. I usually cite the look you see men sporting in 1940s movies: You can tell there's a little something in the hair, but it's not usually slick or shiny.

That's the look it gives me.

Their website says it's out of stock. Do they restock often? And could you post some pics of your hair with this stuff on, before and after a hat, please?

Thanks,
flute
 

fluteplayer07

One Too Many
Messages
1,844
Location
Michigan
Smoothe is still out of stock, but I decided to order the water-based pomade from John Allen. Figured it would be lighter and less greasy than the regular pomade. I'll let you all know how it turns out when I get it. And skyvue, I'm still waiting for the pics of your hair with the Smoothe on it. :)

Cheers,
flute
 

Mr_D.

A-List Customer
Messages
320
Location
North Ga.
reading some of the replies I see a lot of "Nothing I just wash and comb" and just as many "I use XYZ product".

I would love to be able to just wash and comb, but when i was a kid I fell down some stairs and got a "dent" in my skull, it make me have the weirdest cow lick you ever seen and no amount of water will fix it. I have to use some kind of styling gel. I usually get the cheapest, but strongest gel I can get from Wal-Mart. What I don't like about it is it leaves my hair stiff and itchy.

So I wonder what else I could use to keep my hair styled but not stiff?
 

TexArchStudent

New in Town
Messages
19
Location
Ft Worth, TX
Honda Enoch,
I've had a double crown cowlick that merged into one, plus stiff hair that hates to lay down. Used to I would use hairspray or gel on important occaisions, but now I use Murray's Pomade. I wash my hair as if it wasn't there, then just add a little more to my hair. It keeps my hair fairly stylable, if it gets spiky, I just wet it and brush, usually does the job.

The thing to remember is that a little goes a long way, I still have a difficult time not getting too much. Too much at one time makes it too stiff to style. I find it easiest to apply if I run hot water over my hands, get about a pea sized lump on a finger, put it one palm then rub my hands together. Run your hands gently through your hair, to much pressure makes too much come off at once.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,305
Messages
3,078,454
Members
54,244
Latest member
seeldoger47
Top