Looking for some brand advice on a new hat.

[Fed in a Fedora]

Jack,

Birmingham is 5-6 hours' drive from New Orleans. You could drive down for an overnight stay and check Meyer the Hatter: http://meyerthehatter.com/

An old-line hat store, they have nearly everything you can imagine. Though their website seems to be low on choices, there's quite a bit more selection in the store.

Do they have anyone shaping hats again or are they simply a pre-formed or do-it-yourself shop?

Fed

 

[Jack H]

Thanks Benzadmiral. That would be a fun trip.

Damn Tropicalbob. That was a bad chicken sandwich!

 

[Benzadmiral]

Do they have anyone shaping hats again or are they simply a pre-formed or do-it-yourself shop?

Fed

As far as I know -- I haven't been there since spring -- they can do a little basic shaping with their steam jet. No custom ribbons or the like.

 

[BamaEd]

Thanks guys.

We live in Albertville Alabama. It's a small town between Birmingham and Huntsville. Northeast part of the state.

Good to see a neighbor here. I live in Albertville too.

 

[Bamaboots]

Good to see a neighbor here. I live in Albertville too.

BamaEd, welcome. Good to see some more Bama folks here.

 

[Scooterz]

Anyone familar with the Stetson Colton fedora? Only a few places seem to carry it. 2.5 in brim and 3 7/8 in crown. A couple of listings say its fur blend and a couple seem like it is just wool. Trying to find photo of one on someone. My antivirus blocks the only photo that might be showing up on the "What hat are you wearing?" thread. Guess the site that photo is stored on is corrupted or something. Looking for something for a hunting and casual fedora. Also thinking about an Akubra Stylemaster and replacing wide ribbon with a thin one or leather band.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Its def a rabbit fur/wool blend. Sorry no pics.

 

[RJR]

Why not an Akubra Campdraft?

 

[Scooterz]

Might order a campdraft. We do have an Akubra dealer but he mainly has Banjo Patersons and wider brims not a big selection of hats. I would love to see one in person been looking at those, stylemaster, and stetson stratoliners. Also looking at used hats on ebay. Started out wanting a Fred Bear hat for hunting. Shouldn't have looked at hats, hard to stop. Could not bring myself to mail order a borsalino, too nice to drag in woods. I was also worried about fit. The one in the avatar is a scala classico crushable, 2 1/2 in brim. Its really kinda of a grey color with some brown. It came with a wide black band and was not really a snap brim. It was a pain to get the glue (or most of it) off when I took the old band off. The brim just flopped up no matter what. Just sprayed it today with bullseye clear shellac and steamed it and have made it a snap brim. Paracord band, 4mm cord. Not a great photo. Kind of jazzed to be able to shape it.

 

[Jack H]

Good to see a neighbor here. I live in Albertville too.

Hi BamaEd. Nice to learn there is another fedora fan in our little town.

 

[Jack H]

Well, my fedora arrived today. It is a black Stetson Pinnacle beaver fur from Village Hats. Beautiful hat.
We ordered a 7-1/8. Unfortunately it is definitely too small. I guess our head measuring skill could have been better.
Before ordering we came up with 57cm. Today being more careful we are getting 58cm, maybe 58-1/2.

Question for the knowledgeable folks here. Does 1cm make a noticeable difference in hat sizing? I'm wondering if we should exchange for a 58cm (7-1/4) or a 59cm (7-3/8).

Going to call them tomorrow about the exchange.

Jack

 

[Bob Roberts]

If yer a seven and1/8 and the hats are running small, a seven and 1/4 should be fine maybe even a little roomy. Stetson sizing varies from model to model and even hat to hat...

 

[Bigger Don]

Question for the old hands: have we ever seen anyone who instead of developing from smaller brims and crowns to larger ones go in the opposite direction? From larger to smaller? I can't think of anyone.

Hmmm...I'm thinking about some narrower brims ( a few porkies, a couplathree hommies, and maybe a short bowler if I can find one) but for fedoras I'll probably stay in the 2 1/2" to 2 3/4" range. I tried a 3incher once. Seems like I would have to learn to walk all over again to keep from knocking people over.

Right now I'm in the midst of discussion for my first Panama bespoke. With my 7 5/8 head it looks like we might need to trade crown for brim, so it may be taller than the Miller, (something I want) but a little narrower of brim.

Also, I met a Mennonite man whose straw hat I admired. The one he was wearing was smaller brimmed, although I've also see wider brimmed, of course. I have a scheme to run up to their neck of the wood for a buy or two.

 

[Bigger Don]

Good to see some more Bama folks here.

Watch out, there might be an Auburn fan in the mix.

 

[tropicalbob]

Hmmm...I'm thinking about some narrower brims ( a few porkies, a couplathree hommies, and maybe a short bowler if I can find one) but for fedoras I'll probably stay in the 2 1/2" to 2 3/4" range. I tried a 3incher once. Seems like I would have to learn to walk all over again to keep from knocking people over.

Right now I'm in the midst of discussion for my first Panama bespoke. With my 7 5/8 head it looks like we might need to trade crown for brim, so it may be taller than the Miller, (something I want) but a little narrower of brim.

Also, I met a Mennonite man whose straw hat I admired. The one he was wearing was smaller brimmed, although I've also see wider brimmed, of course. I have a scheme to run up to their neck of the wood for a buy or two.

I know there's one Amish or Mennonite maker who uses the real Milan straw. I remember it because they and Art Fawcett are the only ones to do so in this country. For me, a straw has to have at least a 2 5/8 brim, or the whole purpose of the hat is defeated. I'm probably more aware of the sun, living where I do, than most others.

 

[Bamaboots]

Watch out, there might be an Auburn fan in the mix.

I hope so, there are so few folks to talk about these days.

 

[Bigger Don]

I know there's one Amish or Mennonite maker who uses the real Milan straw. I remember it because they and Art Fawcett are the only ones to do so in this country. For me, a straw has to have at least a 2 5/8 brim, or the whole purpose of the hat is defeated. I'm probably more aware of the sun, living where I do, than most others.

We have several Mennonite, Amish, Dunkard, etc enclaves scattered around the state. Where I live now I usually see them at a large, independent, eclectic, grocer. I wondered why they went there until I talked to this gentleman and his wife. They were there to deliver cheese from Millersburg, a good 100+ miles from here.

Long story short, there seem to be normal hats which, because they are meant to protect the wearer from the sun, would have wider brims, versus what I would call "city" hats, with narrower brims. They're hardly of hipster dimensions, but it's noticeable.