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To Tilt or Not to Tilt...That is the Question!

HosManHatter

One of the Regulars
Messages
207
Location
Northern CA
Try as I may to be a Tough Tilter ala Bogie or Sinatra my hats seem to "level out" with prolonged wearing. Straw stingies are easy to keep tilted so I`m more gangsta in the Summer. :D

Tilted or straight is no biggy here...long as I`m "hattin`" !! lol

HMH
 

Fedora Jay

Familiar Face
Messages
80
Location
Anaheim, CA
I'm a lefty, but I noticed that I'm tending to tilt to the right. I tried tilting to the left, but it neither looks right nor feels good. So, I'll keep tilting to the right.
 

amador

A-List Customer
Messages
372
Location
Locum Tenens
I tilt to the left. This is because I am right eye dominant and tend to look at things askanse. When I drive and the sun is on the left my hat offers some help due to the tilt.
 

Phoenix_400

New in Town
Messages
9
Location
NC
I always seem to naturally tilt my hat to left, usually with the brim just barely scrappin' the top of my left ear. Its like an index point for me. Kinda like my ol' army days and the maroon beret, tilted right, slap your left hand over your face and make sure the flash is lined up over your left eye....funny that I wear my hat tilted opposite that beret now that I think about it....
 

MikeBravo

One Too Many
Messages
1,301
Location
Melbourne, Australia
I snap and tilt when wearing my fedora. A fedora is also called a "snap brim", so it must be a natural thing to snap or bend the brim.

My daily fedora has a 56 millimetre or 2 1/4 inch brim. When I put it on, I snap the brim and tilt it forward over my right eye; I am right-handed. Of course it can vary if the sun is in my eyes from a particular direction, then I tilit toward the source of the light. This can also affect the degree of tilt I use, though I pretty well hide behind the brim as I walk anyway

When I am sweating, I will use a finger to tilt it toward the back of my head, letting my forehead get some air to cool down

When I wear my stringy straw, I don't tilt or snap at all. There is not so much brim to play with so I just plonk it on

Mood has an effect as well. Sometimes I want to hide and pull it forward a lot :)
 

Henry Gondorff

A-List Customer
Messages
327
Location
Fulda, Germany
Interestingly it depends on the hat I'm wearing. I never tilt my fedoras, I put them on very straight. When wearing a bowler on the other hand, I always tilt. To the right. This perhaps because I'm right handed? I never thought about it. Thanks for this interesting question!
 

mattface

Practically Family
Messages
877
Location
Montpelier, VT
I don't usually pay attention , or do it consciously, but when I check myself I find I consistently tilt to the left. I do put my hat on with my left hand.
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
A fedora is also called a "snap brim", so it must be a natural thing to snap or bend the brim.

Not all fedoras have snap brims which are made with bound brims. The binding is sewn on just tight enough to force the brim into an either up or down position. Because the brim can no longer lie flat, it is forced to snap, either up or down. Most hats with non-bound brims are not 'snap-brims,' because the brims can lie flat. They need to be shaped by hand, sometimes with steam or sprayed water, so they can hold their position better.
 

ShortAndCashed

One of the Regulars
Messages
247
Location
NE Alabama
It depends on what I'm wearing a fedora with. If I'm wearing very casual clothes, it normally gets tipped back and is pretty square to the front. A little more formal, it gets tipped very far forward and a very rakish angle. Even more formal, it's almost square, but still a little rake.
 

Sam Craig

One Too Many
Messages
1,356
Location
Great Bend, Kansas
Dad taught when I was REALLY young ...

You always tilt it forward and to the right for average wear.

Over the years I've added:

Way forward = Leave me alone

Way back = Aloha ... especially with appropriate shirt and sun specks

Brim up, forward and to right with above clothes = enjoy the heck out of Brian Setzer!

Semaphore Sam
 

Brad Bowers

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,187
Not all fedoras have snap brims which are made with bound brims. The binding is sewn on just tight enough to force the brim into an either up or down position. Because the brim can no longer lie flat, it is forced to snap, either up or down. Most hats with non-bound brims are not 'snap-brims,' because the brims can lie flat. They need to be shaped by hand, sometimes with steam or sprayed water, so they can hold their position better.

Actually, any brim can be a snap brim, even a raw edge brim. The snap is based on the flange given to the brim. As you pointed out, bound edges have a natural curl for snapping, but so do Cavanagh Edge hats.

Brad
 

RichardH

One of the Regulars
Messages
252
Location
Bergen, Norway
Dad taught when I was REALLY young ...

You always tilt it forward and to the right for average wear.

Over the years I've added:

Way forward = Leave me alone

Way back = Aloha ... especially with appropriate shirt and sun specks

Brim up, forward and to right with above clothes = enjoy the heck out of Brian Setzer!

Semaphore Sam

I second that! Your father is/was a very wise man!
 

HeyMoe

Practically Family
Messages
698
Location
Central Vermont
Dad taught when I was REALLY young ...

You always tilt it forward and to the right for average wear.

Over the years I've added:

Way forward = Leave me alone

Way back = Aloha ... especially with appropriate shirt and sun specks

Brim up, forward and to right with above clothes = enjoy the heck out of Brian Setzer!

Semaphore Sam

Exactly how I wear mine.
 

DNO

One Too Many
Messages
1,815
Location
Toronto, Canada
Dad taught when I was REALLY young ...

You always tilt it forward and to the right for average wear.

Over the years I've added:

Way forward = Leave me alone

Way back = Aloha ... especially with appropriate shirt and sun specks

Brim up, forward and to right with above clothes = enjoy the heck out of Brian Setzer!

Semaphore Sam

Absolutely! I always tilt...looks a tad more cavalier. Tilt to the right and a bit forward. Can't wear the brim up very often...I keep trying but it just doesn't seem to work for me.
 

1961MJS

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,370
Location
Norman Oklahoma
Dad taught when I was REALLY young ...
You always tilt it forward and to the right for average wear.
Over the years I've added:
Way forward = Leave me alone
Way back = Aloha ... especially with appropriate shirt and sun specks
Brim up, forward and to right with above clothes = enjoy the heck out of Brian Setzer!
Semaphore Sam

Hiya Sam

I went to see Hatman Jack today. Pictures when he gets done and when I get a new computer.

O.K., why to the right? I tilt left so my shooting eye is less covered.

later
 

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