how many hats are too many

[danofarlington]

How many hats are too many? I probably have 20, might think I have enough if I get to 25 or 30. For what it's worth, I read in a Frank Sinatra biography/picture book that he had about 40 hats.

 

[job]

Since I'm not a collector of hats, if I have a hat I don't wear then it should go.

 

[Touchofevil]

How many hats are too many? I probably have 20, might think I have enough if I get to 25 or 30. For what it's worth, I read in a Frank Sinatra biography/picture book that he had about 40 hats.

Whenever you start asking yourself such question, you might be pretty close.

 

[newturnofphrase]

There's never enough until there's far, far too many.

 

[Iyor]

One for every pair of shoes my wife has.

 

[tealseal]

One for every pair of shoes my wife has.

lol !
I think a lot of it has to do with what your hatjectives are. I'm not a collector, so too many hats for me is when I no longer wear a hat as part of my rotation. I only wear felts, so season isn't an issue, but my tastes in hats have changed so some have to go. I'm also the kind of person for whom each hat MUST have a purpose.
My grandfather, an engineer for Bell Telephone, had two hats. One for his daily suits, one for his Sunday dress. Both were blue-grey. I find that interesting.

 

[Andykev]

Perhaps about SIXTY (60). Not counting the ones I have given away over the years.....And NOW I currently have perhaps 45-50 Total. Not counting the "junk" hats.

 

[tonyb]

I am something of a collector, and as such I'm reluctant to part with a vintage hat. This is not to say that I won't or don't, though.

I have many old hats (somewhere between 50 and a hundred, I guess) I rarely (if ever) wear, but I like having them around to study and admire, and for that reason I doubt I would ever sell them, except perhaps to a fellow aficionado whom I trust would accord such a survivor the treatment it deserves.

And then there are the hats that I know I'll never wear, usually because they don't fit me (and I don't wish to resize them, as that would, in my view, diminish their value) and sometimes because they just don't suit my style. Those I sometimes pass along, often for less scratch than I might get for them, because I prefer they go to someone who'll treat 'em right. And sometimes I sell (or give) a hat to someone I like and who would appreciate having it. Nice guys may not always finish first, but letting 'em know they're appreciated helps make up for the losses.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I don't collect hats, I wear them. I DO have one of my great uncle's hats, a blue wool one from the 1940's or so. He died in 1957 here in Oklahoma City where I live now. I think the interstate is built over his old parking lot.

I try to only have one fedora and one cowboy hat in each color. I don't have all of the colors yet, but I'm running out of space in my one bedroom apartment.

Later

 

[AtomicEraTom]

They're only too many if they become a burden, financial or otherwise!

 

[TomS]

I keep about 5 at any one time. The herd usually consists of one or two vintage, a beater, and a couple of customs. The exact count fluctuates, but when a new one comes in an old one goes out. I could easily accumulate 50 or 60, but I try to limit my sickness to things I will regularly use.
Best,
Tom

 

[gtdean48]

"too many" means actually counting...who's counting?
Hats come & they go...what critical mass amasses, I don't track....I do sell ones that I don't see getting adequate noggin time.
All of mine get worn except 1 that was my dad's & 2 that were my grandfather's....
Basically, you can never have too many hats....

 

[BR Gordon]

If you have hats you don't wear or plan on wearing, you've got too many. Otherwise you can't have too many.

 

[scottyrocks]

Philosophically and/or logically speaking, I have one head so more than one hat could be considered too many. But I do like more than one color, if not more than one general shape. So I'll say three is enough.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

I think of hat's in season's winter and summer. An I am always looking to increase the quality of the ones in those two seasons. I also have hats that I wear to work and those that never see work. So I have lot's head room on how much is too much.

 

[rlk]

Once you reach "too many" then more makes no difference

 

[wgiceman]

For all of you who wear a size 7 1/4 and you are feeling guilty about having "too many" hats, please send them to me. I sincerely want to help you get rid of that awkward guilty feeling. Color doesn't matter. No need to thank me because ......... I just like helping.

 

[Edward]

I'm so picky about matching hats to outfits (a luxury very few would have had back in the day, but then so too would be my dozen or so leather jackets and flight jackets...) that while I have (including caps) in the region of three dozen hats (not including novelty souvenir hats like the Soviet 1920s pixie style cap), all get worn regularly. I don't buy hats (or other vintage) that are too small for me, as I can't justify the storage space or the acquisition cost for stuff that has collectability value but I cannot take out and actually use. I still have a long list of hats I "need", though after that it will slow down significantly and I will only be picking up pieces that I chance across which are extremely special.

 

[dixharp]

Like guitars (or in my case harmonicas) - always one more than you already have. A gentleman can never have too many accessories in my view..

 

[jlee562]

I've got about 13 or 14 now, and I'm starting to run out of hats that I think I "need."