recommendations for a new straw summer hat.

[59Lark]

Loungers, its been a long time since I had a satisfactory summer fedora, being here in southern ontario summers get fairly hot and wearing a felt fedora is out of the question. The straw hats that i have been getting from magill just dont meet the bar. Biltmore at the factory outlet have nice straw fedoras but $150 and up is a bit much for a sewing machine mechanic to afford. Also i require a 7 and 5/8 and some come in that xl junk which is not a accurate measuring method. Conservative is the by word with me, no flashy pimp or cabana hats. Blue steel, vanila, charcoal , and by the by, the few times that i looked up biltmore on the web, it looks like they actually sell them cheaper on line in the usa than they do in the factory outlet, believe it or not and yes the dollar has some effect on that but it should not be a total factor. You know that a lot of you loungers have beatiful fedoras but seem to wear them on occcasions. The difference when you always wear a fedora is that you wear them out, the wearing day iand day out and dirty hands on the brim and dirt of the truck and the road is death of a daily hat. But hey its personal choice and style. Anyhow if someone can give me some reasonable price suggestions for classy straw fedoras made in north america for $50 to $70.range please do . thank you 59Larkfftopic:

 

[trailrunner]

I was thinking of purchasing a straw from http://www.sunbody.com. Check out a thread here in the hat portion of the lounge called "The Sunbody Association". Lots of very pleased comments about Sunbody there, and the prices on their website are in the range you are asking about.

 

[scottyrocks]

I have read good things about this company but cannot vouche (yet) for them myself:

http://www.villagehatshop.com/mens_straw.html

Prices are all over the place, from $12 to $714, and there is a huge selection of many styles.

I just ordered this yesterday:

http://www.villagehatshop.com/indiana_jones_bao_straw_outback.html

and cant wait to get it. I'll post my impressions when I do.

 

[59Lark]

new straw fedora purchased.

Dear Loungers; after much procrastination the pure sweat of wearing a felt fedora in eighty degrees weather caused me to send a urgent email to my brother who lives a block away from the biltmore factory in guelph ont. The basic instructions it must be conversative , milano straw, , and a correct size 7 5/8, none of that large or extra large crap. He e mailed me friday night , he had forgotten to go, so my last urgent email caused him to jump up and hike it over. So he bought a black milnao straw fedora with plain band and in the correct size , also he bought him self the last state trooper style straw hat that biltmore will make, thats what he told me. Price was $75. canadian funds, last time he looked they wanted $150. we pay more here in canada and they make them here, but it is the factory outlet and the seconds and slight imperfections are cheaper. Hoping he mails the box out this week 59LARK.

 

[jazzncocktails]

I'm not a huge fan of Village Hat Shop, particularly their Jaxon line. On the recommendation of fellow Loungers, I bought a Milan straw from Miller Hats a couple of months ago, and it's turned out to be a great, relatively inexpensive summer hat. I'd love to get a good Panama from Panama Bob, but I just don't have that kind of reserve cash on hand!

Check out Miller Milan weave straw hats at www.millerhats.com.
Steve

 

[59Lark]

new straw fedora here.

My new fedora straw milano biltmore, it was originally made for valentinos zoot suit connection las vegas nevada. Considering that i am a hour from the biltmore factory in Guelph. its a long way from Nevada, its a nice hat, will try to get my daughter to photo it and put it here to be seen 59LARK.