Western, anyone?

[Neophyte]

Well, whatever that color is called, I love it! lol

 

[barrowjh]

Well that is great - increasing options available is a good thing!

 

[gtdean48]

... Winchester makes Statton's blanks if I remember correctly.

Winchester is owned by Stratton..,

 

[Neophyte]

Well, the trip to Buckaroo Hatters got me hooked on the westerns. The black cherry hat is incredible. It's a bit too small for my head, but that is solved by wearing it tilted back. That's excellent, because it looks best that way.
The wide brim on that hat protects from rain and snow perfectly. What it does not do, however, is shade my eyes from the sun, particularly that of the early morning or afternoon. For that I need a wide, flat brim, seated on my head so that it is nearly parallel to the ground I'm standing on.

What I realized is that I've come up with an excuse to buy another hat (sweet!). This one must have a flat brim and fit me well. It must also be different enough from the black cherry so as not to take the black cherry's place in my rotation. fter recently viewing the Clint Eastwood flick Hang 'Em High, I think I found my next one.

Using Eastwood's hat as a starting point, I envision it with a raw edge kettle curl all the way around the brim. It would be a dark color felt, preferrably black, with a grey/silver ribbon or tooled leather band for decoration. Stampede strings may be an option, but I'd have to find a pair without those fluffy horsehair ends. By the end of it, the general shape would be something like this, but with a telescope crown:

So what do you guys think? Anything I should should add or subtract from this? This will probably be my first truly custom hat, so I'm open to all opinions. I might even consider trail dust. I love having a January birthday .

 

[monbla256]

The Real Deal

... from the Shorpy files a pic of Texas Cowboys back in 1901 showing real "Cowboy Hats" :

 

[fmw]

So what do you guys think? Anything I should should add or subtract from this? .

You'll need a pair of castanets and a bolero jacket.

 

[barrowjh]

Good think that fmw brought that up, because folks are going to associate the raw-edge kettle curl brim with a mexican cowboy image that the media has implanted for us, unless you finish out the hat in a way that is clearly distinct, such as the traditional tall 'gus' type crowns from Stetson's past, or maybe a flare crown, or even a 'texas straight' flat-top (no flare). Why not just copy the hat Eastwood is wearing for that movie character role? Are you sure that you want this next hat to be dark? In the pic that you posted, the hat softens Eastwood's dark (no grey hair in that movie) features and dark clothing. I think there is decreasing marginal utility for all the features we sometimes want to cram into a hat - often less is more.

 

[Neophyte]

... from the Shorpy files a pic of Texas Cowboys back in 1901 showing real "Cowboy Hats" :

lol Thanks, Monbla, but those guys are so far away! I can't see any of those hats in detail .

You'll need a pair of castanets and a bolero jacket.

lol I think I see what you mean. It is starting to sound like a vaquero/mariachi hat, isn't it.


...Perhaps I need to rethink this. Maybe a lighter color felt (but something that won't accentuate how pale I am). Maybe I"ll trash the kettle curl. The only thing that's for certain right now is that I'd like a good fit and a flat brim.

Good think that fmw brought that up, because folks are going to associate the raw-edge kettle curl brim with a mexican cowboy image that the media has implanted for us, unless you finish out the hat in a way that is clearly distinct, such as the traditional tall 'gus' type crowns from Stetson's past, or maybe a flare crown, or even a 'texas straight' flat-top (no flare). Why not just copy the hat Eastwood is wearing for that movie character role? Are you sure that you want this next hat to be dark? In the pic that you posted, the hat softens Eastwood's dark (no grey hair in that movie) features and dark clothing. I think there is decreasing marginal utility for all the features we sometimes want to cram into a hat - often less is more.

You bring up a good point as well. Although I've never heard of the kettle curl being associated as such, I'll take your word for it (I am, after all, VERY new to this stuff). As for the color of the hat, it really has to do more with my complexion. I am pretty pale, and shades of tan such as what is present in Eastwood's hat really, REALLY worsen the effect (my Tawny Fawn Campdraft is notorious for this ). Beyond that, I really wouldn't know what color to choose.

At any rate, my birthday is a little ways off, so I've time to hammer out the details. Thanks for helping me do that, guys!

 

[danofarlington]

Good think that fmw brought that up, because folks are going to associate the raw-edge kettle curl brim with a mexican cowboy image that the media has implanted for us, unless you finish out the hat in a way that is clearly distinct, such as the traditional tall 'gus' type crowns from Stetson's past, or maybe a flare crown, or even a 'texas straight' flat-top (no flare). Why not just copy the hat Eastwood is wearing for that movie character role? Are you sure that you want this next hat to be dark? In the pic that you posted, the hat softens Eastwood's dark (no grey hair in that movie) features and dark clothing. I think there is decreasing marginal utility for all the features we sometimes want to cram into a hat - often less is more.

I think that too. The Eastwood hat has a rawhide look to it, simple, rugged and easy to understand. I'm not sure what I understand by the curl and the gray (maybe forget gray and go to brown or black), although such a wide hat in any dark color will definitely carry a "bad guy" look to it. The curl should go, because I think it's sort of a dude look, which works against the tough-guy Eastwood hat. I also agree with barrowjh that trying to do too much with a hat design might not have a good effect--the worst case is that you pay money for what observers might get just as some kind of a funny hat.

 

[Neophyte]

I think that too. The Eastwood hat has a rawhide look to it, simple, rugged and easy to understand. I'm not sure what I understand by the curl and the gray (maybe forget gray and go to brown or black), although such a wide hat in any dark color will definitely carry a "bad guy" look to it. The curl should go, because I think it's sort of a dude look, which works against the tough-guy Eastwood hat. I also agree with barrowjh that trying to do too much with a hat design might not have a good effect--the worst case is that you pay money for what observers might get just as some kind of a funny hat.

Thanks for the input, Dano. I understand what you guys mean. I like the look of Eastwood's hats in those films because they're all so simple. Alright fellas, ya done good :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap.
Here's what I'm starting to think: this talk of complexions and such be d*mned! If I need a tan to make the hat work, that just means more time outside. That would probably do me some good, anyway. My black cherry western DEMANDS a lighter-colored brother, and I dare not disobey .
Thanks again, everyone, for bringing these issues to my attention. I think I'll stick with the KISS method.

So, here's my next question:
This movie is set in the 1880s. I do not care that much for period accuracy, but I like to get my inspiration from the traditions of the era. With that in mind, would any of you be able to tell me what the common felt colors were between, let's say, the 1870s through the 1910s? I know black, silverbelly, and natural, but were there possibly any others?

 

[danofarlington]

I don't know the answer to your question. But I have a seed to plant for another hat model. What would the Rowdy Yates hat look like on you?

 

[Neophyte]

I don't know the answer to your question. But I have a seed to plant for another hat model. What would the Rowdy Yates hat look like on you?

Oh, you're such an enabler lol. From my experiences at Buckaroo Hatters trying on the different kinds of hats, I found only two brim shapes worked on me both at around 3.5''. Either it's flat, or it's curled so intensly that the edge of the curl almost touches the crown, as seen in this pic:

 

[barrowjh]

I want to caution about letting others (us) choose your color - if you know that light tan does not work for you, well definitely do not go there. As danofarlington pointed out, part of the softness of the hat was a 'rawhide' look - maybe a suede finish to a medium brown might get there (or whichever color you decide on).

 

[Neophyte]

I want to caution about letting others (us) choose your color - if you know that light tan does not work for you, well definitely do not go there. As danofarlington pointed out, part of the softness of the hat was a 'rawhide' look - maybe a suede finish to a medium brown might get there (or whichever color you decide on).

Thanks, I'll be wary .
My main reason for choosing a lighter color is that I do not want to have a hat that's too similar to my other western. What makes that difficult is that I have already decided on a similar telescope crown and flat brim. What's gonna make it different is the color and whatever accessory I put on the crown. Mike Moore has a color called "dirty natural" that I like, but he's got a couple of mid-to-light greys that I favor as well.....:eusa_doh: looks like I just solved my own mystery, jinkees!

Alright, guys, you've all been a big help . I'm gonna take a break from this and come back later. I'll try not to pester my fellow Loungers any more with my ignorance and incessant questioning. Loungers that come to this thread hoping to see western hats will be disappointed with my rambliings .

 

[monbla256]

Her's your next "western" and some clothing to go with it....

.... Neo, I'm sure you have taken a look at this before, but after seeing your Black Cherry Buckaroo Hatters hat I feel THIS is what you should get next AND get the poncho to complete it and you can be a western version of all those "Indy" wannabes ( you know they gotta wear the hat, jacket, khakis and boots, hell some even carry around the whip! I mean it, I saw one in the mall here back at Christmas time with one over his shoulder !!) But then you'd have to deal with Baron's

Onward thru the Fog

 

[Neophyte]

.... Neo, I'm sure you have taken a look at this before, but after seeing your Black Cherry Buckaroo Hatters hat I feel THIS is what you should get next AND get the poncho to complete it and you can be a western version of all those "Indy" wannabes ( you know they gotta wear the hat, jacket, khakis and boots, hell some even carry around the whip! I mean it, I saw one in the mall here back at Christmas time with one over his shoulder !!) But then you'd have to deal with Baron's

Onward thru the Fog

I like where you're going with this, Monbla, but I'm not sure what you're referencing. Is it possible that you forgot to include a picture or link?

 

[Yeps]

I like where you're going with this, Monbla, but I'm not sure what you're referencing. Is it possible that you forgot to include a picture or link?

I am guessing that he means this.

 

[monbla256]

My BAD Here's the link :

http://www.baronhats.com/noname.htm

Onward thru the Fog

 

[Neophyte]

Pfft....$400 for a poncho?!!! lol lol lol $560 for the hat!!! :eeek:

Aside from the color, though, that hat DOES seem to be close to what I outlined in my description. That price seems unreasonable, and I've heard too many horror stories about Baron Hats to even consider them.

Thanks for the link, though. I recall this hat in particular being the one that got me interested in western hats in the first place, though I was never crazy about the brown color. I've got some thinking to do ! It seems that I'm interested in the Civil War/Old West image versus your standard western.

 

[monbla256]

But it MATCHES the REAL THING!!! Authenticity knows NO PRICE in the world of " Wannabes"

Onward thru the Fog