Wearing my Fedora for the first time any advice

[TipTop]

I love it!!! Can I steal your line?

Be my guest...and leave it at that.

 

[Mystic]

I've ordered a very nice Indy Fedora. I really love the hat.

I have never worn a hat other than a baseball cap, and plan to wear the Fedora as my standard go to lid.

My concern is the reaction I'm going to get.

Any advice/comments would be appreciated.

At onetime, everyone here donned their Fedora for the first time in public and I'm quite sure with a little trepidation.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Take a walk through a local mall, any mall....you see guys, young, and middle aged wearing baseball hats sideways and backwards, old guys still wearing the old foam front trucker ball caps from the 70's and teens wearing their pants below their butt with their skivvies showing.......

trust me a nice fedora is not the thing that's strange or out of place.........

 

[Deafjeff]

When I wore my black fedora for the first time I wasn't sure how people would react, but so far its been very positive. Most of my friends have tried it on or asked to and several teachers have looked the other way when I'm in the halls at school. One who is very strict did tell me to take it off but she was smiling as she did so and told me I was very well dressed. Even my schools principal has complimented me on it once. Wear what you like and have a good attitude about it and people will notice and approve

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

You will be surprised how many people will take notice of your hat wearing. That is the one thing you will have to get use to. Wearing the hat is the easy part.

 

[Destinys Agent]

Not wishing to hijack the thread but...

My girlfriend suggested that since we have a free day tomorrow, we go to London (We live just SE of London on the border of Kent). So *deep breath* I've decided to dress up a little and take my Jaxon C Crown for a spin!

Wish me luck guys, I'll let you know how I get on with my first ever Fedora outing

 

[tealseal]

Wish me luck guys, I'll let you know how I get on with my first ever Fedora outing

Good luck! Wear it with pride.

 

[St. Valentine]

That´s a good idea! You will see, nobody will give a damn about it and you will probably be the only one who cares about how you look. I had the first outing with my brandnew Borsalino tonight and neither the lovely blond at the petrol station, nor my colleagues at work said a word although the Borsa gives you the "Bogart-look"! I miss London, enjoy the day!

Frank

 

[ShadedDude]

I agree with all the posts....you have to be comfortable with it on you, or you will stick out and feel out of place.

The difference is all about your own confidence.

my two favorite lines....

idiot: What? You think your Indiana Jones?

me: Indiana Jones is a pu$$y, I would never dress like him.

and....

Nice looking lady(s): Nice hat.

me: Thanks, looks great on the floor too.


YMMV, I tend to get in trouble allot

 

[scottyrocks]

Ya.

My scenario that I have used with no ill effects:

Idiot: 'Hey, Indiana Jones!' (or some such)

Me: 'Who's that?'

 

[TipTop]

When I wore my black fedora for the first time I wasn't sure how people would react, but so far its been very positive. Most of my friends have tried it on or asked to and several teachers have looked the other way when I'm in the halls at school. One who is very strict did tell me to take it off but she was smiling as she did so and told me I was very well dressed. Even my schools principal has complimented me on it once. Wear what you like and have a good attitude about it and people will notice and approve

And I'll bet that "strict" teacher was "correcting" you for wearing a hat (any hat) indoors...which is something that there are long-standing rules about in polite public behavior. There is a link in the Links to ImportantThreads at the top of each thread page that lists the various rules on hat engagement. The one you always want to obey is removing it at a dining table. Otherwise, use common sense about wearing it indoors....even it it is new and fun!

Enjoy it.

 

[Edward]

It can be intimidating at first but confidence is key. Don't let the hat wear you

Exactly. Generally speaking, the lower orders of human being who will shout mean spirited things at anything or anyone who looks "different" (and is therefore to be feared by the tiny-minded) work like lions: they will single out the less confident members of the herd for their vitriol. If you don't act like you're expecting to receive abuse, you're much less likely to receive it. And in any case, anyone who is mean spirited in that way isn't worth bothering with, so.

"life isn't a dress rehearsal"
~Anon

First I heard of saying that was Michael Caine, but I don't know if it originated with him.

I too just started wearing my fedoras I have about 12 I started buying them a month ago, I have received a few complements, nothing negative not that I would care like everybody said they are for you the wearer. It sure made a difference when I dressed up the first time and put my fedora on now it just seems natural to grab one on my way out. I don't know how to post pictures so I can upload any not that anybody wants to see. But I am very proud of my hats and I enjoy expereminting with them and bashing the crown the way I like them. Just wear it buddy you'll look great and glad you did, never be ashamed or afraid they make a person look sophisticated and worldly, A man about town!!

Jinkies! You're a lot worse than me!

Not wishing to hijack the thread but...

My girlfriend suggested that since we have a free day tomorrow, we go to London (We live just SE of London on the border of Kent). So *deep breath* I've decided to dress up a little and take my Jaxon C Crown for a spin!

Wish me luck guys, I'll let you know how I get on with my first ever Fedora outing

Report and pics expected now....

Ya.

My scenario that I have used with no ill effects:

Idiot: 'Hey, Indiana Jones!' (or some such)

Me: 'Who's that?'

I usually get "Inspector Gadget" these days..... from kids who have to be far too young evne to have been around when the film was out. Bizarre.

 

[Lt.Tom]

A lot of good advice so far. I think the best advice, even though it sounds like a cliche, is "Wear the hat, don't let the hat wear you." What does that mean? Be confident, but not the kind of over confident that draws attention to the hat. Like seabss said, try to forget it's there. Unless you live in a small town like me, none of the people at the mall know you, so wear it as if you've always worn one. As far as they're concerned, you have, if you're comfortable in it. Most people have never seen a fedora with more than a 1" brim except in movies, so they will look at you. Don't get paranoid, try not to notice. Every comment I've had has been positive. It is FUN after a lifetime of being just sort of OK looking, to look out of the corner of my eye and see a pretty young girl trying to work up the confidence to speak to me, to compliment me on my hat! I guess not feeling self concious in a fedora was easy for me, because once you've gone about your business (drug store, hardware store, etc,) on a Saturday afternoon in a small north Georgia town in a kilt, you learn that if you can wear that thing as if you've always worn one everyday, you're home free. The only other advice I can add is, don't try to tip it to every girl you see. This is another advantage of not noticing all of the looks you're getting. You'll look ridiculous , you'll look like you're not used to wearing it, and your arm will get tired. So, head up, be confident, and try to forget the fact that suddenly all of the women want you, and all of the men want to be you.

 

[Destinys Agent]

...So, head up, be confident, and try to forget the fact that suddenly all of the women want you, and all of the men want to be you.

Ha ha! Not in Crayford! But I get where you're coming from.

@Edward Report in 'Hat You're Wearing Today'.

 

[feralwaves]

I bought a Borsalino fedora while studying abroad in Firenze for college five years ago. First time wearing it was on the plane ride home, as there was no room in my luggage and I didn't want to roll it up for travel even though I supposedly can. I got lots of stares from my fellow twenty-year-olds classmates seeing me with it on for the first time, then two comments:

Guy: "F***ing sharp hat!" big smile
Girl: "Hey, Cowboy!" bigger smile (even though it looks nothing like a cowboy hat)
Most girls smiled and struck up random conversations with me after that.
Random passenger on the plane: "Why don't you take off your hat?" After my explanation that I was breaking it in for the first time: "It really is beautiful."

I have heard "The man with the Hat!" once, even though it looks nothing like an Indy fedora.

A week ago, I wore it to the mall and had a man stare, whistle, and say, "Wow, what a hat! Eliot Ness ... The Untouchables."

The point is that people who just stare and say nothing aren't brave enough to compliment you.

 

[zetwal]

I bought a Borsalino fedora while studying abroad in Firenze for college five years ago.[...]

Great hat comment stories. Welcome to the Lounge ... :yo:

 

[mikeg]

Since I starting wearing (my first!) fedora 2 weeks ago, I have received several comments- and all of them have been very positive! I was at a wine tasting event last night with several friends who had not seen the hat yet. They all loved it. My hat was the talk of the night. It is now part of who I am!

 

[zetwal]

Since I starting wearing (my first!) fedora 2 weeks ago, I have received several comments- and all of them have been very positive! I was at a wine tasting event last night with several friends who had not seen the hat yet. They all loved it. My hat was the talk of the night. It is now part of who I am!

Excellent ... :yo:

 

[feralwaves]

Great hat comment stories. Welcome to the Lounge ... :yo:

Thanks, zetwal.

(looking back at my post, it went without saying that these weren't the most genius comments people could've made in attempting a compliment, right?)

 

[felkor]

This past weekend I finally got my first comment on my hat from a stranger. He came up to me and said, "A Biltmore! Good choice!" and shook my hand.

I don't believe he even got a look at the tiny Biltmore pin - he actually recognized the brand (I do live quite close to where the Biltmore plant was up unti lthe end of last month.)

It was quite nice to have someone say something who actually knows hats!

 

[St.Ignatz]

The best way to wear a hat is to wear it like it's yours. Looks good on you. I was in Toronto two summers ago and stopped by Guelph. Biltmore was a pretty glum place and you could feel the reaper approaching. Proud tradition lost to the country not just the town.
Tom D.