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Messages
17,489
Location
Maryland
Joao, Fantastic Stetson Nutria Western! Congrats!

Alan, Super find with the Dobbs Boater! Never seen that type of brim edge. Also really like how the sweatband and liner colors sync with the straw color.
 
Messages
15,276
Location
Somewhere south of crazy
Great Western Joao. Your hat is from Douglas Wyoming, home of the largest Jackalope and the Jackalope Festival.
Douglas_Jackalope.jpg


Great boater too, Alan, can't wait to see it in action
 
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bowlerman

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,294
Location
South Dakota
Heck of a triptych, Joao, Alan, and Robert.

Joao, I like that crown, but look forward to seeing what you sort out next week.

Alan, you have quite the nose for sweet and unusual boaters. Well done!

Robert, I really Licht this one, especially that sweatband.
 

splintercellsz

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,142
Location
Somewhere in Time
Robert... that is a beautiful lid!

Fratelli wool fedora. Not sure of vintage, so any help there is appreciated. The neat thing is it looks to have the basting stitches on the bow.

00410.jpg

00611.jpg

00911.jpg

01012.jpg

01111.jpg


Apologies for the dark indoor shot, and the bad shirt choice. Just returned home from Army P.T.

01812.jpg

02111.jpg
 

Brad Bowers

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,187
1917-1923 Dobbs Tuxedo Hat

Here is the circa-1920 (made between 1917 and 1923) Dobbs Tuxedo Hat.
It's the thinnest felt I've encountered, thinner than my 1942 Gay Prince. Size 7 3/8. 6-inch crown, very high-peaked, though that could be due to wear rather than the block. 20-ligne ribbon (1 7/8"), and I forgot to measure the brim, though it's probably around 2 3/8". Since the entire lining is stitched together, I can't investigate to see if there are any tags.

Tuxedo Hats are still kind of a mystery to us, as they don't turn up very often. I've done some research into the history of Tuxedo Hats, but there is so much more that we don't know. The first reference I can find of a man's Tuxedo Hat is from 1900. I guess American men struggled for fifteen or so years to figure out what to wear with a Tuxedo, as a high silk top hat wasn't proper, nor was the stiff hat (Derby). Homburgs appear to have been marginally acceptable, but again, they didn't seem to fit the occasion that an informal suit like the tuxedo would require. The Tuxedo Hat was the answer, an informal hat for informal evening wear. The silk underbrim would complement the lapel facing on the jacket. The felt was light, the entire inside was lined with silk, and thus the hat could be rolled up and stuffed in an overcoat pocket. There are multiple references to Tuxedo Hats in newspaper as and publications through the 'Oughts, the Teens, and into the Twenties. By the 1930s, Opera Hats and Homburgs were also acceptable for evening wear with a Tuxedo, and the Tuxedo Hat fell out of favor by the 1940s. I have found no evidence to suggest country or manufacturer of origin, though I suspect it is an American invention, even though most clothing and hat styles originated in Europe. However, I have found reference to Alpine Tuxedo Hats and Velour Tuxedo Hats, so it's conceivable that they could have migrated from overseas. If I had to put money on a manufacturer, I would have to say Knox. If they didn't invent the style, then they were probably the first American company to produce them.

It's not curled like a Homburg, it just has an upturned flange. Make no mistake, this isn't meant to resemble a Homburg. I have no idea if they were meant to be worn with upturned brim, or as a snap brim, though I'm sure either was acceptable. This hat shows very little signs of wear, though it seems to want to naturally go to a front pinch, leading me to believe that's how it's owner originally wore it. One reference from 1908 also refers to the Tuxedo Hat as a Tuxedo Derby or a Dress Derby, though it is also nothing like a Derby.

To me, this seems like the perfect hat for a Tuxedo. An informal formal hat. Take away the silk underbrim and the silk lining, replace it with a leather sweatband, and you have a soft felt snap-brim hat. An extremely light soft felt hat, but a soft felt hat nonetheless.

1920DobbsTuxedohat1.jpg 1920DobbsTuxedohat2.jpg 1920DobbsTuxedoHat3.jpg 1920DobbsTuxedohat4.jpg 1920DobbsTuxedohat5.jpg


Brad
 

The Rag And Bone Man

One of the Regulars
Messages
163
Location
Australia
This came yesterday my first Akubra Squatter, for the price it's a great hat and I really like it.

I am sure you all know that feeling once you try on a new hat, does it feel right or not, does it look good on me, well I am pleased to say I took to the Squatter like a duck to water, I will be keeping this one for some time.

Here it is, shaped by me over our kettle.. akub10.jpg akub6.jpg akub8.jpg akub4.jpg akub2.jpg akub3.jpg
 
Messages
15,081
Location
Buffalo, NY
Thank you, Jeff and Frank. The subtle diversity of style in boaters excites me and there seems to be an ample supply of these old charmers in my size. They stack very nicely too.

:yo:
 

TheGreyPiper

New in Town
Messages
12
Location
Massachusetts
Interesting, especially in the changing perception of what a tuxedo is! Nowadays it is considered just about the most formal of formalwear, and when I see a hat worn worn with one at all, it is a top hat (a few different lodges and fraternal groups wear tuxes regularly.)

Here is the circa-1920 (made between 1917 and 1923) Dobbs Tuxedo Hat.
It's the thinnest felt I've encountered, thinner than my 1942 Gay Prince. Size 7 3/8. 6-inch crown, very high-peaked, though that could be due to wear rather than the block. 20-ligne ribbon (1 7/8"), and I forgot to measure the brim, though it's probably around 2 3/8". Since the entire lining is stitched together, I can't investigate to see if there are any tags.

Tuxedo Hats are still kind of a mystery to us, as they don't turn up very often. I've done some research into the history of Tuxedo Hats, but there is so much more that we don't know. The first reference I can find of a man's Tuxedo Hat is from 1900. I guess American men struggled for fifteen or so years to figure out what to wear with a Tuxedo, as a high silk top hat wasn't proper, nor was the stiff hat (Derby). Homburgs appear to have been marginally acceptable, but again, they didn't seem to fit the occasion that an informal suit like the tuxedo would require. The Tuxedo Hat was the answer, an informal hat for informal evening wear. The silk underbrim would complement the lapel facing on the jacket. The felt was light, the entire inside was lined with silk, and thus the hat could be rolled up and stuffed in an overcoat pocket. There are multiple references to Tuxedo Hats in newspaper as and publications through the 'Oughts, the Teens, and into the Twenties. By the 1930s, Opera Hats and Homburgs were also acceptable for evening wear with a Tuxedo, and the Tuxedo Hat fell out of favor by the 1940s. I have found no evidence to suggest country or manufacturer of origin, though I suspect it is an American invention, even though most clothing and hat styles originated in Europe. However, I have found reference to Alpine Tuxedo Hats and Velour Tuxedo Hats, so it's conceivable that they could have migrated from overseas. If I had to put money on a manufacturer, I would have to say Knox. If they didn't invent the style, then they were probably the first American company to produce them.

It's not curled like a Homburg, it just has an upturned flange. Make no mistake, this isn't meant to resemble a Homburg. I have no idea if they were meant to be worn with upturned brim, or as a snap brim, though I'm sure either was acceptable. This hat shows very little signs of wear, though it seems to want to naturally go to a front pinch, leading me to believe that's how it's owner originally wore it. One reference from 1908 also refers to the Tuxedo Hat as a Tuxedo Derby or a Dress Derby, though it is also nothing like a Derby.

To me, this seems like the perfect hat for a Tuxedo. An informal formal hat. Take away the silk underbrim and the silk lining, replace it with a leather sweatband, and you have a soft felt snap-brim hat. An extremely light soft felt hat, but a soft felt hat nonetheless.

View attachment 3492 View attachment 3493 View attachment 3494 View attachment 3495 View attachment 3496


Brad
 
Messages
17,489
Location
Maryland
Robert, Fantastic Tonak Chamois! I recall only one other being posted and it was a JHS.

Justin, Super Fratelli wool! Don't come across many old wools like this one.

Brad, Beautiful Dobbs Tuxedo Hat! Another rare one. Also great background info!

TR&BM, Really like the felt color on your Akubra Squatter! Nice crease work too!
 
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