The Akubra Squatter

[Ephraim Tutt]

Eph,

Are you on the Akubra payroll?

I gotta say, you are doing a great job of making me hungry for one of those beauts!:eusa_clap

I like the taller crown, but after we conversed the other day, I went home and dug out my wife's copy of Australia and was looking at the hats in it.

Was the one ... sorry ... Mrs. Boss, you know, oh man, her name escapes me know ... anyway, the gal that used to be married to Tom Cruse ... aging stinks

Anyway ... was that a Campdraft that she wears in that movie? It looks to have a thinner ribbon, but it seems about the same color as the one you had.

Long way of getting to the point, which is ... that movie takes place in the 1940s ... so how would that hat have been shaped then?

Low crown, porkpie?

Just wondering.

Sam

I'm no expert on Nicole Kidman's hats, Sam, but as Dr Strange says below, one of Australia's leading hatters (Rosie Boylan) worked with the costume design folk and modified Akubras to suit the role. In the photos provided by Dr Strange, it does look like a modified Squatter. By the way I've emailed Rosie to ask (among other things) what hat she used for Hugh Jackman. She has yet to reply.

As for how they were shaped back in the 40's - the Squatter - and virtually all other Akubras - came open crowned back then. So the bashes were many and varied. The low crown, pork-pie seemed to become the standard for Squatters and several of Akubras factory creased lids over the years. It became a very Aussie look. The Squatter still comes in an open crown version.

 

[Sam Craig]

Thanks, Eph

I realize, the movies take a lot of liberties with how things really looked, but there are some terrific looking hats in that movie.

The fedora the fella who gets killed in the stampede wears is dynamite, too.

Campdraft?

 

[elvisroe]

Pork Pie Theory

My theory on why the low pork pie became popular is that it comes down to the heat.

Fur hats are all year 'round in the bush and I think the low crown is perhaps cooler.

Wearing the hat high on the back of the head... (ah-la Slim Dusty)

...offers all the shade but sits loosely on top and doesn't give you that head-hugging heat.

My farmer father-in-law has always worn squatters (and the occasional Camp Draft) and always wears them rolled right down and high on the head as part of the Aussie agricultural uniform along with th blue shirt, cream pants, plaited belt and elastic sided boots.

Here's my daughter modeling one of his a few years ago...

Anyway, just a theory

 

[theinterchange]

elvisroe, any photos of your father in-law wearing his work clothes, I'd be interested in seeing one.

That hat Slim Dusty is wearing in that pic is HUGE looking!

Randy

 

[elvisroe]

elvisroe, any photos of your father in-law wearing his work clothes, I'd be interested in seeing one.

That hat Slim Dusty is wearing in that pic is HUGE looking!

Yeah, Slim was all brim zero crown!

As for FIL I don't have too many but you get the idea...

This is his latest squatter in carbon grey with a much taller crown than usual. I compared it to his old brown one and it is actually an inch or two taller open.

He's very much the gentleman farmer. A squatter you might say!

 

[elvisroe]

A true Squatter

whoops - double post - weird!

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

That's interesting elvis. So Akubra may have fiddled with their Squatter specs after all!
I asked my local hatter why Akubra doesn't produce a high crowned town hat these days (and even most of its country hats are given a low crown bash). "Nobody wants high crowns these days - except you. They don't sell" he replied.
So maybe Akubra has reduced the crown height with this in mind.

 

[theinterchange]

Thanks, elvisroe! I had a mental picture from your description, and his dress was as I pictured. Really, not far removed from what my grandfather wore [though he wore ball caps and a wide brimmed straw sun hat, not felt hats.]

Ephraim Tutt, that's an interesting story.

Randy

 

[elvisroe]

That's interesting elvis. So Akubra may have fiddled with their Squatter specs after all!
I asked my local hatter why Akubra doesn't produce a high crowned town hat these days (and even most of its country hats are given a low crown bash). "Nobody wants high crowns these days - except you. They don't sell" he replied.
So maybe Akubra has reduced the crown height with this in mind.

I had the same response at Strand Hatters last year when I asked for something with a bit more crown. The shop-dude giggled (yes a definite giggle) and turned to his co-worker saying "My God did you hear that!".

Apparently most people who try on brimmed hats usually complain that it makes their head look too big. And I've gotta say the more I wear my fed iv the more comfortable I'm becoming with a fuller crown.

As for the specs of the Squatter I reckon his older hat's smaller top could come down to shrinkage. Mine's pretty much a cone shape now after about 19 years.

 

[Sam Craig]

OK, I'm not an expert on anything Australian ... but I've lived my life on the Great Plains, and one theory out here ... going back to the Old Days, is that a taller crown and wider brim are both important to keeping you cooler.

Supposedly, you could tell the cowpokes who were from the northern plains country because they had the smaller hats ... sort of like Little Joe on Bonanza.

Where as the guys from the desert country wore stuff closer to what Willie Nelson wore in Barbarosa or the old Tom Mix look.

The first "real" cowboy hats, based on illustrations from that era, appear to have a really wide brim and a fairly short crown.

The only think I know, from personal experience, is that if you are going to wear felt in the heat, make it a light color!

We're usually darting from an air conditioned car into an air conditioned office these days. What do we know about spending all day out in the triple-digit heat?

 

[Slouch-Hat]

Nicely done, Adrian! Looks fantastic! A great hat for you.

Slouch...

 

[elvisroe]

Supposedly, you could tell the cowpokes who were from the northern plains country because they had the smaller hats ... sort of like Little Joe on Bonanza.

Where as the guys from the desert country wore stuff closer to what Willie Nelson wore in Barbarosa or the old Tom Mix look.

Interesting - I know a mate of mine who's a cow farmer and chases down wild horses in the Snowy Mountains in his spare time insists that a taller crown is best for riding in. He always wears the Akubra Arena (a fairly standard rodeo style) because he can pull it right down and it stays on his head when riding at pace through mountain scrub.

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

I believe the Squatter would look fantastic with a narrower brim, something in the 2-1/2" range. Keep the crown the same, make the brim more narrow and you'd have a great looking city fedora. A hat that the Sydney (Fedora) wishes it could be. I've thought of trimming the brim down, but I never would because of the binding...and it wouldn't be a Squatter anymore.

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

The narrower brimmed Squatter does look great, Chuck. It's called the Stylemaster.

 

[elvisroe]

I believe the Squatter would look fantastic with a narrower brim, something in the 2-1/2" range. Keep the crown the same, make the brim more narrow and you'd have a great looking city fedora. A hat that the Sydney (Fedora) wishes it could be. I've thought of trimming the brim down, but I never would because of the binding...and it wouldn't be a Squatter anymore.

I've considered that too chuck. I asked if anyone had done it last year but got no response so I guess not. [huh]

If I ever come across one on ebay (they do appear regularly but not in my size) I might give it a trim.

Woah Tut, your post just appeared! I'm pretty sure the Stylemaster has a much lower crown, which is why I've never bought one.

 

[Chinaski]

Interesting - I know a mate of mine who's a cow farmer and chases down wild horses in the Snowy Mountains in his spare time insists that a taller crown is best for riding in. He always wears the Akubra Arena (a fairly standard rodeo style) because he can pull it right down and it stays on his head when riding at pace through mountain scrub.

If it were a lower crown he couldn't pull it down as far on his head. I hadn't thought of that before you posted but it makes sense.

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

I've considered that too chuck. I asked if anyone had done it last year but got no response so I guess not. [huh]

If I ever come across one on ebay (they do appear regularly but not in my size) I might give it a trim.

Woah Tut, your post just appeared! I'm pretty sure the Stylemaster has a much lower crown, which is why I've never bought one.

Elvis, I'll need to pop into my local hatshop (Distinctive Accessories in the Anzac Square building, cnr Edward & Adelaide Sts, Brisbane), grab a stylemaster and a squatter, wrestle them into open crown while at the same time fighting off the furious store manager (very helpful chap is Keith), and compare them. I'll be banned from the shop of course - but at least I'll know the truth!

The crowns look similar to me.

 

[gtdean48]

cut down Squatter

I believe the Squatter would look fantastic with a narrower brim, something in the 2-1/2" range. Keep the crown the same, make the brim more narrow and you'd have a great looking city fedora. A hat that the Sydney (Fedora) wishes it could be. I've thought of trimming the brim down, but I never would because of the binding...and it wouldn't be a Squatter anymore.

Bought it this way from Lounger Cookie then trimmed it up some myself...
Dimensional cut 2 5/8" front & back with 2 1/2" on the sides...

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

Bought it this way from Lounger Cookie then trimmed it up some myself...
Dimensional cut 2 5/8" front & back with 2 1/2" on the sides...

Interesting gtdean48, I saw the pic but didn't realize the brim was cut down.

Elvis, I'll need to pop into my local hatshop (Distinctive Accessories in the Anzac Square building, cnr Edward & Adelaide Sts, Brisbane), grab a stylemaster and a squatter, wrestle them into open crown while at the same time fighting off the furious store manager (very helpful chap is Keith), and compare them. I'll be banned from the shop of course - but at least I'll know the truth!

The crowns look similar to me.

I'd be really interested to see what you find out.

I've considered that too chuck. I asked if anyone had done it last year but got no response so I guess not. [huh]

If I ever come across one on ebay (they do appear regularly but not in my size) I might give it a trim.

Woah Tut, your post just appeared! I'm pretty sure the Stylemaster has a much lower crown, which is why I've never bought one.

I think I remember you asking. I've searched through the Squatter threads pretty thoroughly and didn't remember reading about anyone having done that. I missed gtdean's Squatter, that does look pretty good. I think the Stylemaster is a pretty nice hat and have considered one also. Someone wrote that it was within 1/8" dimensionally of the Capricorn which is my Summer hat.

I just feel that Akubra is missing a style in between the Stylemaster and Fed or Squatter. Something tall and open crowned that can be worn tall or lowered down into a deep diamond if preferred, but less brim. I guess like they said in Strand Hatters, no one wants a tall crown anymore.

I'd take this Akubra here though. Where can I buy this one? Done on an old block, not used anymore and a wider ribbon added. Supposedly a Squatter.

 

[Sam Craig]

Chuck

Thanks for the pix

They're worth a thousand words each, you know ...

Eph,

Go for it!

The truth shall set you free ... that plus the bail money someone pays after the manager has you tossed in the poke!lol lol lol