Velour as a hat fabric - how is it? (Stetson Sovereign)

[MattJH]

I've seen vintage fedoras state that they're made of "velour" or "velour fur-felt." What does the "velour" tag mean for hat wearers? How does it hold up to time? Can it be crushed/folded? How does it stand up to rain? For those who own a velour hat, how do you feel about it?

I'm very curious because I'm on the edge of procuring my first truly vintage hat -- a gray 50's(?) Stetson Sovereign. The fantastic story of how this came to be will come later. Braided band instead of a grossgrain. Looks extremely sleek. What information could you provide?

 

[moustache]

Spledid question!

This is a good question because i also have my eyes on a dark brown velour fedora.It is a wee bit more than i want to spend but one of my local vintage shoppes has it and it fits nicely.
The plushness of the velour is delightful but i can't imagine what would happen in that sudden downpour.

I will have to think about this one.

JD

 

[feltfan]

There's felt an there's felt. There's velour and there's velour.
If you search the archives here you will find a lot of velour hats.
If it were a wide brim 30s Borsalino velour hat in my size like someone
recently posted, I'd kill for it. The hat
you show is not my style and I have no idea what the velour
is like. I have a friend who wears a Dunlap a bit like that
and it suits him fine.

I do have a Knox Twenty velour hat. Outstanding hat.
It appears to be a finish on a standard fine quality felt,
if that helps. It's not like the knap on your car upholstery...

 

[The Wingnut]

Velour is pretty durable, just keep it away from moths. It shows tracking much worse than regular felt.

 

[Mr Maltby]

Heh.

Anxious to see what its like, I see!

Its not flimsy. If a company like Kangol made a velour hat, itd be flimsy, like all their other hats, like wearing womens pants on your head.. I dont know how it holds up. its texture is solid, it holds up nicely. How? I do not know. Wish I could give you more advance info, but it kind of goes beyond my knowledge.

 

[Mr Maltby]

I also just remembed. I believe Akim Tamiroff wears one in the original oceans 11, which is from 1960. yours looks exactly like his, the only difference being that his is black. You could check that out if you want a visual on it.

 

[J.B.]

...flimsy ... like wearing womens pants on your head...

...it kind of goes beyond my knowledge.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

The velour hats from the 30s i've held (one Borsalino i also own) are relatively thick felt and relatively stiff compared to their standard felt counterparts. The one i own holds its shape well

This thread:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=14349&highlight=grand+luxe

Here's one from Tony in Tarzana:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=11984

Note, that both of these are substantially older hats than the one this thread started with. The felt may be very different.

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

If it were a wide brim 30s Borsalino velour hat in my size like someone
recently posted, I'd kill for it.

he he. The one i posted was sold to me as a 7 1/4-7 3/8 (apparently it was "a bit loose on a 7 1/4 head"). I bought it to sell for major profit based on this erroneous info. Someone doesn't know their head size! It was a solid 7. Hey, i didn't get my profit, but i got the great hat for a measly sum (the listing didn't mention borsalino at all, but i recognised the liner).

bk

 

[Mr Maltby]

just to clear something up. im not saying all kangols would feel like womens pants. I was just saying if they made velour hats ...you know? ...like the... track suits...aw, nevermind

 

[Bargepole]

I have five Herbert Johnson velours and one Fischer. The tan/taupe/pale brown/whatever HJ hat is my "beater". I reckon it's been the equivalent of twice round the world, in three civil wars, four deserts, two - no, hang on, three - riots, it's been in a Sudanese jail and a Frankfurt cathouse (now that was a story I enjoyed writing ), immersed in the Indian Ocean, the Tiber and the Thames, run over by a motorcyle, monsooned-on twice, and whirled off my head in a blizzard in the Tatra mountains.

It looks great. A few moth-tracks, true (on the underside, thankfully) but... it looks great. More than can be said for me. Maybe it's The Hat of Dorian Bargepole... but it's got cojones and endurance.

 

[Tomasso]

a Frankfurt cathouse (now that was a story I enjoyed writing

It must have been written in first person.

 

[DOUGLAS]

This is a type of Velour.It is a Borsalino. It is really fine and very comfortable. I haven't worn it in the rain yet.

[/IMG]
This has become one of my favorite wearing hats.

 

[besdor]

If you ever come across a velour hat from the 1940's and earlier , grab it up. They dont make them like that anymore . The Borsalino and Stetson hats from that era in velour were fantastic hats that I believe used mercury in the process of felting to give the hats their rich nap and fell. Today , the only decent velour is made by Tonak . They use the trade name called "Selentino" . We have them on our site at www.bencrafthats.com .


Steven
www.bencraft.com

 

[Dinerman]

here's mine

 

[Matt Deckard]

The vlour hats are very nice. You see them more in europe, in fact the only ones I have from relatives that are men's hats are velour and from europe.

Guess it's a German thing. Very good for cold weather. Moth track yes... bold and very visable.

I'm sure they sponge up water just as good as the standard finnished felts.

Though durability I haven't seen to judge velour.

 

[150719541]

I have a velour hat, nice and confortable,

Here is on my sweet Yohali, in winter is wonderful ¡¡¡¡¡

 

[mayserwegener]

Here are a couple of Austrian Velours. Very simple finishes.