How To Pull Off A Fedora/Trilby Dress Hat

[Knotten]

I have the U.S. market version of that hat, called the Sydney. I love it. The felt on that hat is as soft as on any hat I've worn. It looks nice, too. You're smart to order it from Australia, where the price is far less than at the U.S. distributor, David Morgan. I bought it because I was in the David Morgan store, fell in love with it and didn't want to wait for shipping. I'm sure you'll love it, too.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I think I found my winner...although, it's not the light beige. It's called just the Fedora (Open Crown) in burnt acorn I assume this is just a dark brown. I love the ribbon and lapel cord...and everything. This is it!
http://hatsdirect.com/products/fedora?variant=6431534533

Looks like a good bet! There are some threads around here focusing on the Akubra Fedora. Many people say it has quite soft felt, almost to the point that, when you pick it up to put it on, you need to restore the bash! I don't know how true that is, and in any case a shot of steam once you're done with your shaping ought to help fix the cease you've given it.

 

[Paul Trumbull]

Looks like a good bet! There are some threads around here focusing on the Akubra Fedora. Many people say it has quite soft felt, almost to the point that, when you pick it up to put it on, you need to restore the bash! I don't know how true that is, and in any case a shot of steam once you're done with your shaping ought to help fix the cease you've given it.

I like the fact that it's possibly that soft. I am looking forward to this now. Everyone's advice is very much appreciated! Now, I am stressing a little that the brim might be too wide. I think the Akubra Fedora is 2.5 inches. Not sure what my 'perfect fitting' Christy's Luciano is...maybe a little less than that. I think I will just need to get used to it.

How do you measure the brim of a dress hat? Is it from the inside of the brim, or from the outside of the crown?

 

[hatsRme]

From the outside, and measure both the front as well as the side. "Non-dimensional" brims are the same all around, but "Dimensional" are a bit less in the front/back than the sides, depending on the overall width. If a brim is too wide for you, it cam be trimmed to your liking. It's harder (impossible) to expand them, though.

 

[Knotten]

Here's a recent shot of me wearing the Akubra Sydney, or "Fedora." I think a 2 1/2-inch brim looks good on just about anyone.

 

[JackieMatra]

I have been told, and the photographs of the hats appear to support this, that the Akubra Fedora sold in Australia, is the same hat as the Akubra Sydney sold in North America, except that the hats come in somewhat different colors and the Fedora has a wind trolley.

I have an Akubra Sydney, although I would probably have bought a Fedora instead because of the wind trolley had I known about it at the time, and I find that my Sydney is no softer than my other Akubra hats despite Akubra claiming that the Fedora/Sydney is made from a special softer felt. The softest of my Akubra hats are my North American version Adventurer and my Federation IV.

The brim width of my Akubra Sydney measures 2.5".
I have always measured the width of a hat's brim from the base of the crown of the hat to the outside of the brim.

""Dimensional" are a bit less in the front/back than the sides"
I've actually never encountered that. It's always been the reverse.

 

[Paul Trumbull]

From the outside, and measure both the front as well as the side. "Non-dimensional" brims are the same all around, but "Dimensional" are a bit less in the front/back than the sides, depending on the overall width. If a brim is too wide for you, it cam be trimmed to your liking. It's harder (impossible) to expand them, though.

Thank you! This helps a lot!

 

[Paul Trumbull]

Here's a recent shot of me wearing the Akubra Sydney, or "Fedora." I think a 2 1/2-inch brim looks good on just about anyone. View attachment 42708

This looks great on you!

 

[Knotten]

Thanks. I think, as has been stated elsewhere on the Lounge, that Akubra felt tends to vary somewhat. I hope your hat comes to you as soft as mine. The wind trolley is a matter of taste. I have some hats with trolleys, but I've never actually used one.

 

[Alexander Sommerset]

Here is one thing to keep in mind about "pulling it off".... only 50 years ago there was no such thing as "pulling it off" because nearly every male wore a hat in some way or at some point or another. What I am saying is that "pulling it off" is a personal, mental block, not a "thing" because in the old days no one would ever wonder if they could "pull off" something that practically everyone was expected to do. They just did it. So, my advice is... just do it.

 

[Luis]

Hello fellow hat lovers. This is my first post. I am not sure if this topic was ever posted...it probably was, so please forgive me if you've heard all of this before. I am 47 and have wanted to wear a fedora since I have been 20. I never really did. I always felt silly - I know, it's my own problem...haha. A lot of you gents look GREAT by the way. Kudos. I have a black Dobbs Fifth Avenue. A Grey with black ribbon Fur Felt Stetson (when I was Frank Sinatra for a Halloween party), a fawn brown Biltmore. A charcoal grey Christy's fedora...a navy blue Christy's trilby...a few straw hats. I don't really wear any of these though. I want to though. I don't collect things to just collect them. The price of some fedoras are...crazy. Lock & Co. are gorgeous...but, $400 plus...I dunno. All I know what to look for is where these are made. I use the same logic with my baseball caps, suits, shoes: made in USA, England, Italy, Canada...you're probably getting a good quality product. Just recently I learned the difference between a Trilby and Fedora. They're all Fedoras, right? Trilby's just have shorter brims??

I really don't know how to wear one. I am not certain how to pull one off either. This is my problem. I use this as an illustration.... I have a pair of spectacular Allen Edmonds' spectators in walnut and white. I think a lot of men who like spectator shoes have a refined taste, and an adoration of things vintage. I don't see many men pulling these off well though. I think the way to pull off a spectator is to tone down EVERYTHING you're wearing. Solid color grey trousers. Solid shirt. Plain-ish tie. And there you go - you rock the hell out of these shoes. When you're wearing them with a chalk stripe suit...you look like you're in a costume. Just my two cents.

Not only do I still not know how to wear a Fedora/Trilby...I am not sure how it should sit. brim up or down? I think the brims up and the hat slightly tilted looks great, especially with my mug. I tried one on when I went to my parents, and they laughed at when I flipped the brim up...my dad said, "Well, Larry from the Three Stooges pulled that look off". I think he was serious. (smile). When I see old films, almost always in black and white, these guys look INCREDIBLE. James Stewart, Cary Grant, etc. When I google "Fedora" as an imagine search, I think most of these modern guys look...ridiculous - most of the time anyway. I once bought a Stetson Stratoliner that I ultimately sent back when my secretary said, "Oh, you look like a Mountie in that". She's Canadian and was trying to be nice, but that's not the look I was going for. Johnny Depp in a Stratoliner, or maybe it's a Borsolino, looks great....then again, he's wearing it with a t shirt at some Hollywood event. Maybe this is the trick. dress hats with casual clothes? But I wear a suit and wool top coat every day in the Fall and Winter.

Maybe this is just a rant, and I don't need any responses. I am not trying to be politically incorrect, but I can't be the only one on here that LOVES a well made fur felt fedora/trilby, but afraid to wear one in public...

Paul,

Im gonna share a story with you that happened to me last year.
Won on ebay a really nice (savile row) double breast chalk stripe suit on ebay. I had just got the pants hemmed and ready to go. I had a couple of days off since it was my bday weekend. Well I threw it on, along with my new silverbelly fedora.
went to the bank, mall, some groceries. I was like "hey, its my day off, might as well look good" was my theme.
I was hoping that my new silverbelly was gonna get some comments... well nope. The suit got the attention. It's charcoal with white stripes so its a bit bold. I was already used to wearing suits so it was no big deal for me but for others around where I live, its like torn jeans and pajamas are king.
All day long it was the suit that got the comments, but none for the hat. What a shame huh.

So moral of the story, sometimes people won't even notice the hat. Just throw it on and wear it.
I find I am more self conscious about the sleeves being too long on a new sport coat than a hat that already looks good and fits well. You will feel weird without a hat at some point. It's good for sun protection too as there is no hair on mine. so that is a great excuse to wear one!
cheers

 

[Paul Trumbull]

Paul,

Im gonna share a story with you that happened to me last year.
Won on ebay a really nice (savile row) double breast chalk stripe suit on ebay. I had just got the pants hemmed and ready to go. I had a couple of days off since it was my bday weekend. Well I threw it on, along with my new silverbelly fedora.
went to the bank, mall, some groceries. I was like "hey, its my day off, might as well look good" was my theme.
I was hoping that my new silverbelly was gonna get some comments... well nope. The suit got the attention. It's charcoal with white stripes so its a bit bold. I was already used to wearing suits so it was no big deal for me but for others around where I live, its like torn jeans and pajamas are king.
All day long it was the suit that got the comments, but none for the hat. What a shame huh.

So moral of the story, sometimes people won't even notice the hat. Just throw it on and wear it.
I find I am more self conscious about the sleeves being too long on a new sport coat than a hat that already looks good and fits well. You will feel weird without a hat at some point. It's good for sun protection too as there is no hair on mine. so that is a great excuse to wear one!
cheers

Thank you, Luis! I, too, abhor suit sleeves that are too long Thanks for sharing - great story.

 

[JackieMatra]

Of my very many hats and caps, only the following have ever received any comments, in order of frequency of comments per wearing:

1.Interstellar Propeller beanie propeller cap (always)
2.Very (4.5") long-haired goatskin papakha
3.Very (9") tall sheepskin papakha
4.Christy's of London fur felt bowler (about half the time)
5.Sunbody straw with 4" wide brim
6.Akubra Federation IV (only one comment ever)

The only adverse comment ever was regarding the bowler which the fellow felt was elitist, as were all hats, but bowlers more so, and Christys' bowlers especially so.

 

[Luis]

The only adverse comment ever was regarding the bowler which the fellow felt was elitist, as were all hats, but bowlers more so, and Christys' bowlers especially so.

wow, someone had the guts to come up to you and say that?

 

[JackieMatra]

wow, someone had the guts to come up to you and say that?

Yes, but boorishness would, I think, be a more appropriate word than guts. Fortunately I do not believe that verbal insults should be met with physical replies, as a hard Christys' bowler might well cause serious injury or death if applied forcibly while inverted to the soft part of an individual's head, (which in the case of this particular individual may well have comprised most of it.)

 

[Paul Trumbull]

Okay, I am all over the place...BUT...I think what I am also looking for is a super light beige or even silverbelly furfelt fedora...maybe a 2 1/4 inch or 2 3/8 inch brim...with that lapel cord. I think that's why I liked the Stratoliner...mostly the color - it was the brim that was just too big for my silly looking mug. I am sure there are a hundred or so pictures on here...but can anyone direct me to a product that fits what I am looking for?

 

[Luis]

Here is a tan stratoliner
Brim 2 5/8

Crown 5 inches open

 

[Bob Roberts]

From the outside, and measure both the front as well as the side. "Non-dimensional" brims are the same all around, but "Dimensional" are a bit less in the front/back than the sides, depending on the overall width. If a brim is too wide for you, it cam be trimmed to your liking. It's harder (impossible) to expand them, though.

Call the Fact Checking Police!

 

[JackieMatra]

Okay, I am all over the place...BUT...I think what I am also looking for is a super light beige or even silverbelly furfelt fedora...maybe a 2 1/4 inch or 2 3/8 inch brim...with that lapel cord. I think that's why I liked the Stratoliner...mostly the color - it was the brim that was just too big for my silly looking mug. I am sure there are a hundred or so pictures on here...but can anyone direct me to a product that fits what I am looking for?

I fear that they may be a little too dark for your liking, but have a look at the Stetson Chatham and Whippet in Tawny on this web page:
http://www.delmonicohatter.com/category/Stetson.htm

Whoops, sorry.
I overlooked your request for a wind trolley on the hat.
That is going to be a little difficult to find.

Over half a century ago, wind trolleys were pretty much standard on "dress" or "city" hats, but that has long not been the case. Nowadays, wind trolleys are quite rare and unusual. Akubra and Borsalino are the only two hat manufacturers that come to mind that put wind trolleys on, at least, a few of their hats.

 

[Paul Trumbull]

Call the Fact Checking Police!

Bob, I googled "silverbelly colored fedoras" on a Google image search and a picture of you came up! What kind of fedora is that light one you're wearing? If this wasn't you - my apologies