Stetson Vita-felt

[Woodfluter]

Lefty, you never cease to amaze me...don't stop!

I love the text on the first ad, and after considering that it's too small for most to view, allow me to translate.

She: When they see this ragamuffin's delight you call a hat, you'll be tossed about like a sack of second-class mail!

He: I like this hat. Have for years. You're always trying to separate me from it. Lay off it, will you?

She: What your head needs is a good cocky hat at the Victory angle. [Notice that in the picture she appears to have our hero tweaked in an ear lock at this point.] Or do you insist on looking like a dollar-a-year man living on his salary?

He: All right! I'm putty in your hands, but remember...it's only because that Stetson "Vita-Felt" appeals to me.

Next he's talking with the skipper...
Admiral: Now keep everything under your hat...a Stetson by the way. or I never saw one! And I've worn Stetsons in civvies since I was a one-striper.

He: It's a Stetson all right - the "Vita-Felt" - lightweight, springy, strong - real quality, a long-laster.

Later...
She: No need to tell me, its written all over you! They greeted you with open arms...like this!
He: Well, to put it modestly, I was colossal. But then, who could miss with a wife like you and a hat like mine!
_______________________________________
All this from a Royal Stetson Whippet Vita-Felt (shown in the Whippet style) ad in 1942, $10 (other Stetsons $2 - $25).

Egad...I wish I had the resources to be a "dollar-a-year man"! Sounds like a public service honorific position. I love where he's talking about some wartime secret and he turns it toward a hat quality discussion...advertising guys...that never changes...

Thanks for letting us experience this blast from the past!

- Bill

 

[Lefty]

Thanks Bill. I couldn't read that one on my laptop screen and I love the line about the victory tilt. It's also nice how they tie this ad with the "keep it under your stetson" campaign.

What I'd really like to read is the third ad - at the very bottom. The bottom is cropped from the first ad and the second is just so tiny. I'm curious to know whether the thin ribbon is a Strat, which was available in vita-felt at the time, or something else that relates to the hat that I just got.

 

[Woodfluter]

Lefty said:
"What I'd really like to read is the third ad - at the very bottom. The bottom is cropped from the first ad and the second is just so tiny. I'm curious to know whether the thin ribbon is a Strat, which was available in vita-felt at the time, or something else that relates to the hat that I just got."
___________________________
Third ad at bottom...meaning the fourth picture you posted I think, where the bottom is included. Sorry, for the text under the tiny hat pictures you'd need a better scan. I tried processing but it was hopeless - just pixels. I'm sure all of the illustrated hats are Vita-Felt Stetsons, just illustrating different styles available - homburg, fedoras with different treatments and ribbons, all that.

Here's the text of the third ad except for the picture captions...it's sort of funny...and I thought this was going to be the decade of ellipses...well, nothing is really new! Not even exclamation marks! - Bill
________________________

Lady Luck took me by the hand,
Said “Welcome, pal, to the promised land!”

“Riding high today…hey, big boy!”

Hank: And why not? I’m a 3-time winner already! I picked one, I’m with one, and I’m wearing one!

Honey: Nice going!…And speaking on behalf of myself and that new Stetson “Vita-Felt”, we thank you for those few true words!

Springy as a yearling on an early-morning gallop…all the stamina of a timber-topper…Finest light-weight hat in the world…Produced by the exclusive Stetson Vita-Felt process.
Ten dollars.
Stetson hats are also made in Canada.

 

[johnnyphi]

Stratoliner with "Vita-Felt Process"

I don't have any expert information regarding the "process", but I can share these photos of my Stetson Stratoliner with "Vita-Felt Process" markings.

This is a size 6 3/4, and it has some pretty significant moth bites, but it's one heck of a rare Stetson.

I took several detailed photos because I know it's historically interesting.

Without further mumbling... I give you the Vita-Felt:

 

[Lefty]

Thanks for that. There's so much that's great about that hat: the sweat markings, the red back-bow, and the crown label - but that bow...it looks like the knot has a tumor.

 

[Lefty]

from the March of '42 AA I posted in the Suits forum

 

[carouselvic]

Thanks for that. There's so much that's great about that hat: the sweat markings, the red back-bow, and the crown label - but that bow...it looks like the knot has a tumor.

...and it has an old style size hang tag(gold and black) not to be confused with the gold foil Canadian type

 

[Lefty]

Billy's newly cleaned-up Stetsonian Vita-Felt reminded me that I never posted my own photos here.

(Yes, I stuff. )

Here's a much bigger version of that 1942 ad I posted earlier, showing the same hat.

 

[billyspew]

Thanks for bumping this one.. I'll cross post my Stetsonian and my Homburg...

 

[billyspew]

Homburg Vita-felt...

 

[Lefty]

1941

 

[jimmy the lid]

I previously posted this New York Times article in the Stratoliner Society thread, but I think that it's worth re-posting it here. This article is dated March 5, 1941, and details Stetson's efforts to develop a $10 hat to replace the imports that were no longer available due to the war. So, as previously theorized in this thread, it appears that Stetson Vita-Felt lids really were intended to offer a Borsalino alternative.

Cheers,
JtL

 

[Lefty]

more about vita-felt replacing those fine foreign brands

this one is just fun

 

[buler]

Here is one I just picked off the bay. Hoping to find some vintage ribbon to replace the current stained one. The felt is nice, about the thickness of my 7X clear beaver, but not as stiff. This felt might be just a tad floppy. Maybe a steam will reVITAlize it....

B

 

[Lefty]

bump.


bartenders, please merge with this thread

 

[ScottF]

Stetson Avenue Vita Felt Royal

The following hat, though Vita Felt, is not lightweight. But I really, really like it!

Just received today - I highly encourage anyone with a 7 1/4 + 1/16 noggin to give any hat offered by M_Jones a very close look! I haven't been this excited to see a hat in at least a week or two

 

[Brad Bowers]

March 15, 1941:

Brad

 

[Lefty]

Whippet

Strat

 

[rlk]

Stetson Eagle Vita-Felt 1942-ish

rediscovered this one

Just traded my Stetson Porkpie for this, with a fellow whom I've encouraged to join the Lounge.

It's a Stetson Medalist with no liner, and it's a Vita-Felt. I think I'll be wearing this one a lot. Here are a few pictures, click on the small ones for a bigger version:

Any guesses as to its vintage?

 

[rlk]

Stetson Eagle Vita-Felt Medalist

Actually a size 7(standard Stetson tags) with the usual conflicting measurements. Great color and frayed ribbon. Non-reeded with Medalist tip sticker.