The Frustration of the Less Than Perfectly Shaped Hat

[Mustang]

Hi, my name is Mustang ( honestly ), and I admit...I have a problem (the first step, right?). I'm a perfectionist. I stopped wearing cowboy hats awhile ago because of it, and now it's rearing its ugly head again. I've bought two fedoras so far. The first one being the Akubra Sydney. Now I have an Akubra Federation, which quickly became my favorite of the two. Now the problem. I'm pretty sure it's just my perfectionism (Is that a word?), but I can't help but notice that one side is slightly higher than the other, the dent on one side is slighter different than the other. etc., etc., etc.shakeshead [huh] :eusa_doh:. I'm hoping my fellow FL members can help.

Is it just me, or am I justified. PLEASE be honest! This one is mostly a reference for the brim:

 

[LocktownDog]

Lighten up. They're just hats. [huh]

Richard

 

[Mustang]

Lighten up. They're just hats. [huh]

Richard

What do you mean just hats?! Among other things, I've heard they even have internet forums devoted to the wearing of them!

 

[J.B.]

I had the same thing happen to me. :eusa_doh:

My Akubra Bogart seems to "snap" at a slightly different point on each side of the brim?! Like yours -- nothing major. I am in the process of re-training the brim now.

I just equate it to the same construction anomaly as the tongue-to-toebox leather "crinkling" unevenly in a new pair of oxfords.

 

[mingoslim]

What do you mean just hats?! Among other things, I've heard they even have internet forums devoted to the wearing of them!

I have heard the same noxious rumors, though I hardly would beleive that grown men and women would waste their time writing elegant expressions about a simple hat . . . even a beatiful, vintage masterpeice, crafted by artists in the distant past . . . made of the finest fur felts, with exquisite detail . . . er . . . ummm . . .

OK, so apparently grown men and women DO wax eloquently about hats

 

[Desdinova721]

Imperfection adds character, I think.

 

[JEEP]

I think your hat looks just fine.

If you look at photograps of people wearing hats back in the days you will notice a lot of more or less "imperfect" (or maybe "asymmetric" is a better term) bashes.

Hats simply gain "personality" from wear - and that makes them perfect in my eyes.


/Jakob

 

[Stoney]

I concur

Nothing looks worse, to my eye, than a factory formed bash that is perfectly symmetrical in every detail. Hats like these are totally devoid of character.
How could we possibly be unique individuals if all of our hats were perfectly the same?

[huh]

 

[surely]

Several thoughts on this truly very vexing problem.

1. take a vallium
2. get your head lowered on the high side.
3. felt hat brims will invariably change over time simply by taking off and putting on the hat.
4. perfectionism is ok if you can sense it when achieved. Glen Gould could not and became weird.
5. you're not weird, are you?

lol :cool2:

 

[Mustang]

4. perfectionism is ok if you can sense it when achieved. Glen Gould could not and became weird.
5. you're not weird, are you?

lol :cool2:

I don't think it would be fair for me to make that judgment, as I would probably be somewhat biased. [huh] lol

 

[Fletch]

Nothing looks worse, to my eye, than a factory formed bash that is perfectly symmetrical in every detail.

:eusa_clap Hear hear.

Also, feel free to back the brim off out of your eyes, unless your first name is Drill and your middle either Sergeant or Instructor.

 

[Mustang]

:eusa_clap Hear hear.

Also, feel free to back the brim off out of your eyes, unless your first name is Drill and your middle either Sergeant or Instructor.]

That was for this photo only. I don't normally wear it like that.

 

[surely]

Fletch, may I be so bold as to suggest that Mustang was exercising his good judgment and taking a pic without staring at the viewer. It's more relaxing that way & much easier to analyze the hat and form a more objective judgment.

Am I right?

 

[J.T.Marcus]

It looks great to me. Of course, I have one ear higher than the other.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Looks fine to me. If you really want ,wear it at an angle, then no one will notice a difference anyway.
Johnny

 

[Mustang]

Fletch, may I be so bold as to suggest that Mustang was exercising his good judgment and taking a pic without staring at the viewer. It's more relaxing that way & much easier to analyze the hat and form a more objective judgment.

Am I right?

Yes, you are correct. The hat, not me, gets center stage for this thread.

 

[Wolfmanjack]

Mustang, If you wear your hat at a rakish angle, the crown will become crooked relative to the brim. The softer the felt, the more the asymmetry. After a few wearings, the crown stays that way when you take it off.

Asymmetry is pure class. Here's an example:

 

[MK]

.

I have frustrations about symmetry too.

 

[Wolfmanjack]

Look at the extreme asymmetry of this hat worn by George Raft:

 

[carebear]

Feel free to send all those ruined fedoras to me. I will make it my life's mission to train them to symmetry, however long it may take, before returning them to you.

Fedora, fedora,
felt so light,
With pin of strato-liner in flight.
What obsessive Lounger's mind
would worry about your symmetry?