Wearing Suit with Straw Hat or Fedora

[wgiceman]

It will be soon be spring and summer here in Houston and hot temperatures come with that. I typically wear tropical weight wool suits or blazer/slack combinations on a regular basis.

Can the lighter fur felt fedoras be worn comfortably in the summer heat? Or, would a dress straw look okay? I am having a difficult time envisionioning the straw with a conservative business suit, for example.

If a straw is recommended, should I get the lighter bleached straw that would go with most suits, or get multiple hats in different shades?

Finally, is there a particular shape of dress straw fedora that is any more formal than another?

 

[cptjeff]

Straws and panamas are fine with suits in the summer. They would look more normal with lighter colored suits,

Panama:

Go with the straw, and go for one in natural color.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

On straw; I agree about the "natural" color, but be aware that some factory hats have what I call "artificial natural" color. In other words, very yellow or very tan. You want something that's off white or bleached white for maximum versatility. You'll be surprised how neutral the natural color can be if you have a black ribbon. For suits, lighter colors are traditional for summer. If you must go dark, pick up a darker dyed straw for those occasions. Oh, and skip the stingy brim straws with suits. They look too casual, IMHO. At least a 2 1/2".

On felt; How hot it feels will depend upon each individual. Some people are comfortable with felt in all seasons, others get hot very easily. I'm really bad, in that I can barely tolerate straw in the summer!!! So, this is something you will need to learn through experimentation.

 

[kaosharper1]

I live in southern California, and when it gets hot I usually wear a nice panama fedora that I bought from Panama Bob on Ebay in a natural color. It always gets nice comments when I wear a suit, even a darker colored lightweight wool.

I'd think that in Texas where humidity is usually high in the summer, that you'd want a panama rather than a felt. I wear felts here in the summer when the heat is below 85, but there's no humidity here.

 

[zetwal]

I think that a good straw can look great with a suit. Everything depends on which hat and which suit. Go with a fine high quality straw, not a cheap one.

I live in a hot climate and wear felt fedoras in the summer too. That's not to say that I don't wear straw hats, I do. But I don't stop wearing felt just because it's hot.

Not all felt fedoras are created equal. Some are quite warm and others less so. It is often said that unlined fedoras are cooler (and/or lighter) than those with linings. I have not found this to always be the case. What makes one hat feel warmer or less warm than another is not that simple. In my opinion, the type of felt and liner and sweatband, as well as fit and proportions, all play a role.

That notwithstanding, you will probably want to go with a lightweight fedora in the summer. Something under 3 ounces is a good place to start. Just remember that, even among fedoras that light, some will make for better summer wear than others. It's just a matter of finding the particular hat or hats that work for you.

 

[Richard Warren]

If you wear a felt hat in the summer in Houston you will die, or wish you had.

 

[zetwal]

If you wear a felt hat in the summer in Houston you will die, or wish you had.

Finding myself in Houston during the summer made may lead me to wish I were dead, but I don't think wearing a felt hat would have anything to do with it.

By the way, a lot of this also has to do with your lifestyle and what you plan to do outside, etc.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

... Houston during the summer may lead me to wish I were dead, ....

Only during the summer?


.

 

[zetwal]

OK, so I didn't want to overstate my case ...

 

[suitedcboy]

In other words, if you won Houston and Hell, you'd sell Houston and buy new furniture for Hell?

 

[carldelo]

I have an Akubra Capricorn in the dark gray color - even though it is a polypro hat, it is finished enough to look proper with a suit. I tend not to wear it during the day, however, but at night it's a natural. There is a bit of venting around the crown that helps give some ventilation. I've received many compliments on it. There is a lighter tan color that might be better for daytime, although some people can't abide the idea of a polypro hat. Many loungers have a Capricorn or two.

 

[Geesie]

I have two summer hats, a Panama and a Dobbs Rosebud in gray for more conservative occasions.

 

[carldelo]

I have two summer hats, a Panama and a Dobbs Rosebud in gray for more conservative occasions.

I like that Rosebud, comes in big sizes too, very tempting...

 

[skyvue]

Very tempting, indeed, though I do wish the brim was wider.

Love the big sizes, though.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

MAN that guy could wear a sailor straw!! :eusa_clap

 

[cptjeff]

MAN that guy could wear a sailor straw!! :eusa_clap

Perhaps he should have gone into pictures... lol

 

[carldelo]

Very tempting, indeed, though I do wish the brim was wider.

Love the big sizes, though.

Your wish appears to be answered: Dobbs Palomar

The Palomar also goes up to size 8, has a 2-3/8 brim and appears to have crown vents similar to the Akubra Capricorn (and comes in more colors).

 

[cybergentleman]

sunbody

depending how dressy you are looking to go, you may be able to get away with a sunbody hat...but the more fine weave versions.

it comes with a basic black ribbon, or color of your choice. I think you could take a fine weave sunbody 2.5-3inch brim, put your own ribbon, bow combo on it and have a fairly sharp looking quasi- dressy hat.

but again, it depends just how formal you are speaking; court room formal etc sunbody wont quite cut it.

 

[skyvue]

Your wish appears to be answered: Dobbs Palomar

The Palomar also goes up to size 8, has a 2-3/8 brim and appears to have crown vents similar to the Akubra Capricorn (and comes in more colors).

Hmm. That's getting closer. I'd prefer 2-5/8 or even 3/4 on a summer hat, but 2-3/8 might do the trick.