Indiana Jones: Bane of Vintage Enthusiasts

[StetsonHomburg]

Hey, Roy Rogers was real!

Roy Rodgers is my Drink, (And a Miami Vice)...

Roy Rodgers - Cherry and Coke

 

[Speedbird]

Hey, Roy Rogers was real!

Sorry Mr E Train ... no disrespect intended ... I should have held at the Lone Ranger ... that'll teach me to be a smart alec!



PS I like your signature ... I've been wondering where it's from?

 

[Mr E Train]

Sorry Mr E Train ... no disrespect intended ... I should have held at the Lone Ranger ... that'll teach me to be a smart alec!



PS I like your signature ... I've been wondering where it's from?

Mississippi John Hurt - Stack O'Lee Blues

 

[Speedbird]

Thanks Mr E Train!

My observation directly to the topic is that I am sure 'Indiana Jones' is at times a bane of vintage enthusiasts - just as 'Memphis Belle' is a bane to WW2 aviation enthusiasts and 'Titanic' is to Golden Age enthusisasts. I personally think that on balance it works out favourably on our side of the fence eventually.

Lord alone knows how many hats, jackets, DJ's, scarves and ball gowns might be in land fill tips if it wasn't for those movies making people stop and think that the old stuff in the attic might be worth saving.....

I got into wearing hats, trenchcoats, silk scarves, DJ's and detachable collar evening shirts from watching 'Casablanca' in my teens. I was a little unusual in northwest England in the 80's but oddly enough, I think it wasn't considered as unusual as might be today. Mind you, Britain was just emerging from Punk and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and the New Romantic scene was flourishing - so my look was quite conservative!

The beauty of a forum like this is people will take inspiration from Hollywood and then develop a more accurate account from learning as they participate. So all hail the screen legends and welcome the opportunity to learn more and do it better!

 

[Edward]

Ha ha, Well.... At least Churchill is Real. :cool2:

And at least Indy, fictional or no, was a nice person - something to which Churchill can in no way lay claim. But that another argument for another day, suffice it to say I wear my Homergs despite, not because of, Churchill.

 

[Panache]

...The beauty of a forum like this is people will take inspiration from Hollywood and then develop a more accurate account from learning as they participate. So all hail the screen legends and welcome the opportunity to learn more and do it better!

B R A V O !!! :eusa_clap

Very well said

Cheers

Jamie

 

[Yeps]

And at least Indy, fictional or no, was a nice person - something to which Churchill can in no way lay claim. But that another argument for another day, suffice it to say I wear my Homergs despite, not because of, Churchill.

I got my homburg because of the new sherlock holmes movie, then realized he was not wearing a homburg, but the hat has stayed as my signature look anyway.

 

[Mr E Train]

I got my homburg because of the new sherlock holmes movie, then realized he was not wearing a homburg, but the hat has stayed as my signature look anyway.

A homburg is definitely the type of hat I could see Holmes wearing, although I'm not sure if he ever did. What was he wearing in the movie, a bowler? I haven't seen it yet, although I want to. When the movie came out I was kind of ticked off that Downey Jr. wasn't wearing a deerstalker cap, but it was actually more faithful to the character for him not to, because Holmes only wore one on limited occasions, usually when out in the country.

 

[Yeps]

A homburg is definitely the type of hat I could see Holmes wearing, although I'm not sure if he ever did. What was he wearing in the movie, a bowler?

This was the subject of quite a debate (part of the reason I joined up on the lounge), because he appeared to be wearing a fedora which everyone said was too modern for the 1890s, but, it also kind of looked like a really beat up homburg which would have been period. However, a Montgomery Ward & co catalog popped up on another thread from 1890, and there was an illustration of a hat called "the Fedora" which looked just like Holmes's hat.

Which is kinda cool, because that makes his costume possibly period.

oh, and you should see the movie. The plot is a little lacking, but the characters and atmosphere are fantastic, even if Holmes is a bit scruffier than described.

sorry to hijack the thread, but this is kinda related.

 

[cptjeff]

According to behind the scenes info posted in the sherlock holmes thread, it's a Lock and Co homburg that was intentionally abused.

 

[MisterCairo]

MisterCairo, I get what you are saying and agree. This is a pertinent topic.

In 1982 I went on my first expedition to New Guinea. I wore a brown fedora type hat that was sold by the "old" Banana Republic company. Upon my return the hit movie playing that summer was Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark. I was critical of the movie at that time but years and many more adventures of my own now love the IJ series. I have had moments though when I wish the movies had never been made like a trip to Petra years ago where I remember approaching a group of tourists and having then break into the IJ theme song. Good fun really.

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

There is good and bad in anything becoming "iconic". On the one hand, in this case the Indy movies showcased the styles of the 30s to a broad audience, many of whom joyously adopted the look.

On the other hand, it didn't become "the fashion", so to many the look looks like an affectation. Hence the Indy "name calling".

 

[ed_bollix]

I purchased a pair of western boots a couple of months ago and "Hey Indy!" turned into "YeeHaw!" i never cease to be amazed.

 

[Speedbird]

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

There is good and bad in anything becoming "iconic". On the one hand, in this case the Indy movies showcased the styles of the 30s to a broad audience, many of whom joyously adopted the look.

On the other hand, it didn't become "the fashion", so to many the look looks like an affectation. Hence the Indy "name calling".

I don't think the general public is that sophisticated. If they are deriding it as an affectation, they don't know that's what they are doing. It takes some knowledge to recognise and know what a particular look originates from and then to judge whether it is an affectation or not. Simply knowing a brown hat is from Indy isn't sufficient knowledge base to determine its origin and then whether it is an affectation or not. The person on the street who shouts "Indy" is working on a more primitive, uncontrolled base level of call and response. It's Pavlov's dogs - they just don't know it. If I wore a deer stalker and cape I would be labelled Sherlock. A bowler hat and a cigar - Winston. There's nothing wrong in that. It's human nature. We if anything are the odd ones because we study and love this stuff enough to know one brown hat from another, one leather jacket type from another; one cut of suit from another? I mean, honestly, who here knows anyone apart from their immediate pals in vintageness who could identify a 30's suit from a 40's suit by the cut of the lapel and shoulders? An A-2 from an A-1? A Correspondent from an Oxford? Ok, that last one is a bit extreme.

The Indy, Sherlock and Winston name callers just do it because they see an instant trigger and they feel like they want to share that out loud - and not always in a nasty way. It has been said many times, people go "hey Indy! Nice hat by the way" and they are sincere - if a little confused and socially challenged.

 

[Speedbird]

According to behind the scenes info posted in the sherlock holmes thread, it's a Lock and Co homburg that was intentionally abused.

If that really is a Lock & Co Homburg, it has been well and truly abused!

http://www.lockhatters.co.uk/Fedoras__Homburg___Pork_Pie-Homburg-P58.aspx

 

[MCrider]

Why not do it? If it's not to your liking you can change it back yourself, it's not as if it'll permanently damage the felt.

Maybe not if you steam your hats, but I have an older Stetson that was given the tight Indy crease and even though I keep working on it, the faint outline is still there. Yeah maybe if I wasn't so lazy or born all thumbs I could have it steamed and finished in an afternoon, but the forementioned affliction keeps me from trying that.

 

[Yeps]

If that really is a Lock & Co Homburg, it has been well and truly abused!

http://www.lockhatters.co.uk/Fedoras__Homburg___Pork_Pie-Homburg-P58.aspx

I think that the thread on the subject established that it would be nearly impossible to take out the curl so completely.

 

[Speedbird]

I think that the thread on the subject established that it would be nearly impossible to take out the curl so completely.

That's interesting, I did think it looked a bit more like a couple of the other Lock & Co offerrings. The crown height and crease gives it a sense of a Homburg but.... anyway, obviously there's another thread to read; but I think it's fair to say we can add Sherlock to the name calling quite soon! lol

And I had my eye on a English made Black Poet too!

 

[mayserwegener]

This was the subject of quite a debate (part of the reason I joined up on the lounge), because he appeared to be wearing a fedora which everyone said was too modern for the 1890s, but, it also kind of looked like a really beat up homburg which would have been period. However, a Montgomery Ward & co catalog popped up on another thread from 1890, and there was an illustration of a hat called "the Fedora" which looked just like Holmes's hat.

This hat has a lot of curl. Similar to a Homburg but doesn't appear to have the typical height or taper of a period Homburg (see Edward VII). Not sure there was a strict definition for a Fedora (soft felt - less formal) or European styles didn't always translate properly across the pond.

 

[Yeps]

This hat has a lot of curl. Similar to a Homburg but doesn't appear to have the typical height or taper of a period Homburg (see Edward VII). Not sure there was a strict definition for a Fedora (soft felt - less formal) or European styles didn't always translate properly across the pond.

When I was looking at it, it looked like it would be more easy to abuse a hat of that shape and softness into the hat that Holmes wears then a homburg. Also, it is just cool because it is a hat called a fedora in 1890.

 

[mayserwegener]

When I was looking at it, it looked like it would be more easy to abuse a hat of that shape and softness into the hat that Holmes wears then a homburg. Also, it is just cool because it is a hat called a fedora in 1890.

Both Homburgs and Fedoras go back farther than the 1890s. Both are soft felt hats so could be a cross use of terms at times and the styles being European. It is hard to tell from the catalog drawing how much the brim could be minipulated. Regardless a really cool hat that we can only dream about (would be an amazing rare find) at this point.