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What does your hat color say? What does it go with?

Agent_of_Empire

New in Town
Messages
15
Location
Baghdad, Iraq
I started doing some research into the colors of hats commonly available, mostly to determine what colored suits a hat might go well with. As I looked more into hats and their colors I also started to look into the different connotations of colors. This is just a quick guide to the information that I have compiled from a few sources.

Brown

Brown, because it is the color of dirt, is often seen as wholesome or earthly. Because of this natural feel to the color, it can als be regarded as simple and steadfast. Some people consider this to be a dull color as a result of simplicity.

Brown, depending on its shade, goes with just about anything. It is particularly well complimented by green (possibly through their mutual connection to nature).

Black

Black is an ominous color that is usually associated with death. Itis also a fairly commonly used color to represent simplicity or something stylishly new. The contrast of black against most other colors, because it is not a naturally occuring color, sends a message. Black can also come to symbolize evil, but remains a fairly popular color.

Black can also go with viruatlly everything else, even moreso that brown. It has a powerful effect when used to contrast against a particularly light color.

Gray

Gray takes the middle ground between black and white, good and evil. It can represent security and stability, as well as an ability to compromise. It can be considered a bland or depressing color at times as well though, especially when associated with dark clouds.

Grays neutrality allows it to go with most other colors, but some people argue that it doesn't look good with blues and greens. Once again, this is mostly an issue of shading with the lighter grays being more versatile and only the darkest shades being restricted on what might look good.

White

White represents purity, neutrality, and sterility (cleanliness). White is a neutral color, and also a color representing good.

White is another neutral color, and is therefore able to go with most other colors. Like black, it can be used to create contrast, but with dark colors as opposed to light ones.

Green

Green is a color of nature that produces a calming or soothing effect. Green, through its association with the spring time, can also channel a feeling of renewal or rebirth and youth. Negative connotations, however, have green representing envy.

Browns and greens are mutually beneficial colors - so, as a brown hat goes well with a greent suit, a green suit goes well with a brown hat. Greens clash with blues though, and I am personally not too fond of the greens with grays either.

Blue

Blue is a color of confidence, stability and security. Unlike black, however, blue is considered to be a non-threatening color of power. Despite the soothing effecs of blue, and the non-threatening power associated with it, blue is also a color that channels depression.

I haven't seen too many hats in blue, but a navy blue might be an alternative to black in some cases... The biggest problem with blues seem to be that, when worn with a blue suit, the tones must match up or something will always look off. Similarly, it must be a suitably dark shade of blue to go with other colors.

I tried to hit the main colors with this, but there will always be variations of these and more obscure colors - feel free to chime in.
 

Wil Tam

Practically Family
Messages
670
Location
Metropolis
my grays are the most versatile and go with most of my wardrobe
my browns work well if I wear tans, khakis, whites with my brown leather coat
my blacks look good with my black, blue & gray suits ... also looks cool when I'm dressing down with a white tee, jeans, black boots & black leather jacket



----------------
Now playing: Dusty Springfield - Son Of A Preacher Man
via FoxyTunes
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
Although I have a gray or two, brown is definitely my favorite color for hats. I love the as-described earthy, simple nature of the color. I wear brown hats with anything Ive got on. My favorite suit is my olive one. So yeah, Im of that nature.

Hey, that was a funny. Im of that 'nature.' lol
 

jpbales

Practically Family
Messages
507
Location
Georga, USA
:eek:fftopic: In your avatar, are you wearing a fedora while in uniform?? :eek: I hope it's a campaign cover with a floppy brim
 

avedwards

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,425
Location
London and Midlands, UK
Browns can also be worn with more suits than just greens. Needless to say a tan/khaki summer suit is good with brown but even a grey suit will work with a brown hat (see Indiana Jones 3).

And the only green hats I have ever seen are loden ones. So far I have not seen green fur felt ones.

As for grey, in clothing I find that it can look very boring, but in a hat, escpecially with a black band, I find it one of the most interesting colours.
 

jpbales

Practically Family
Messages
507
Location
Georga, USA
ah ok, i just did some lookin' up and found that they do wear calvary hats for things such as "change of commands, hail and fairwells, Military balls and other special events. " Carry on gents...
 

Torpedo

One Too Many
Messages
1,332
Location
Barcelona (Spain)
avedwards said:
Browns can also be worn with more suits than just greens. Needless to say a tan/khaki summer suit is good with brown but even a grey suit will work with a brown hat (see Indiana Jones 3).

And the only green hats I have ever seen are loden ones. So far I have not seen green fur felt ones.

As for grey, in clothing I find that it can look very boring, but in a hat, escpecially with a black band, I find it one of the most interesting colours.

I agree that the right shade of brown hat does look well with the right shade of grey suit. It is mainly a question of "earthiness". If the grey is warm, it will work with brown. If it is cold (blue greys, some steel greys...) it will not.

(Of course the reverse applies, too).

The right brown can be pulled off with the right blue, too. As happens with the right grey and the right green. Some apparently unlikely combinations do work if the colours share certain characteristics (like warmness or coldness, etc).

In fact, a lot of factors apply, like complementariness of colours, degree of contrast between them, etc. Some people are more able at recognizing and applying naturally this, some people find more difficulties. Many people, in fact, detect a given combination is pleasant, even if could not tell why. It can be learnt, to a certain degree. Some of it is, I believe, related to some kind of artistic sense, which you either have or you have not.

BTW, if you want to see some green hats, take a look at the "Green Machine" thread... ;)
 

Agent_of_Empire

New in Town
Messages
15
Location
Baghdad, Iraq
:eek:fftopic: Cavalry Stetson's aren't issued... They are just something we Cavalry scouts do for formal events (as you mentioned), beer calls (yes, you do fill it with beer and then drink it all in one go to "break it in"), and you can't forget Cav hat Friday ;) We wear it on the last duty day of the week, with your spurs if you've earned them.
 

Wil Tam

Practically Family
Messages
670
Location
Metropolis
Agent_of_Empire said:
:eek:fftopic: Cavalry Stetson's aren't issued... They are just something we Cavalry scouts do for formal events (as you mentioned), beer calls (yes, you do fill it with beer and then drink it all in one go to "break it in"), and you can't forget Cav hat Friday ;) We wear it on the last duty day of the week, with your spurs if you've earned them.

you need to buy your own? shouldn't it be part of your uniform allowance?
 

Subvet642

A-List Customer
Agent_of_Empire said:
:eek:fftopic: Cavalry Stetson's aren't issued... They are just something we Cavalry scouts do for formal events (as you mentioned), beer calls (yes, you do fill it with beer and then drink it all in one go to "break it in"), and you can't forget Cav hat Friday ;) We wear it on the last duty day of the week, with your spurs if you've earned them.

I was a Submariner, so I'm not familiar with Army Traditions. How does one earn their spurs?
 

Agent_of_Empire

New in Town
Messages
15
Location
Baghdad, Iraq
Starting a new post on the cav hat to explain it a little better. I will throw in a blurb about spurs too ;)

All it proves for the point of this post is that blue hats can in fact go with grey, green, and loam suits.
 

Fletch

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,865
Location
Iowa - The Land That Stuff Forgot
Grey with black band: I am dull and boring and omnipresent, but I am in good taste.
Grey with any other color band: I know about hats.
Black: I am either serious, or trying to look serious as an ironic pose.
Charcoal grey: This hat is not black.
Navy blue: Neither is this one.
Dark brown: I have taste, but it's a dark brown taste.
Cinnamon brown: I am fond of baked goods.
Olive: No clothing I own looks good with this hat.
Taupe: I am enough of a fuddy-duddy to know what "taupe" is.
Tan or silverbelly: I am outdoorsy, and perhaps armed.
Royal blue: No clothing anyone owns looks good with this hat.
Forest or sage green: I am that guy in the green hat.
Lime green: I am either a. an Italian currently in Italy or b. a hopeless dork.
Yellow: I am a member of the Junior Dick Tracy Club.
White (felt): I am either a. the bad guy who thinks this makes him look like the good guy, or b. Tom Wolfe.
 

RBH

Bartender
Agent_of_Empire said:
:eek:fftopic: Cavalry Stetson's aren't issued... They are just something we Cavalry scouts do for formal events (as you mentioned), beer calls (yes, you do fill it with beer and then drink it all in one go to "break it in"), and you can't forget Cav hat Friday ;) We wear it on the last duty day of the week, with your spurs if you've earned them.
Neat!!! Thanks for the info!!
 

Feraud

Bartender
Messages
17,190
Location
Hardlucksville, NY
Fletch said:
Grey with black band: I am dull and boring and omnipresent, but I am in good taste.
Grey with any other color band: I know about hats.
Black: I am either serious, or trying to look serious as an ironic pose.
Charcoal grey: This hat is not black.
Navy blue: Neither is this one.
Dark brown: I have taste, but it's a dark brown taste.
Cinnamon brown: I am fond of baked goods.
Olive: No clothing I own looks good with this hat.
Taupe: I am enough of a fuddy-duddy to know what "taupe" is.
Tan or silverbelly: I am outdoorsy, and perhaps armed.
Royal blue: No clothing anyone owns looks good with this hat.
Forest or sage green: I am that guy in the green hat.
Lime green: I am either a. an Italian currently in Italy or b. a hopeless dork.
Yellow: I am a member of the Junior Dick Tracy Club.
White (felt): I am either a. the bad guy who thinks this makes him look like the good guy, or b. Tom Wolfe.

Now this should be made a sticky! lol
 

Mr. Paladin

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,133
Location
North Texas
Fletch said:
Tan or silverbelly: I am outdoorsy, and perhaps armed.

I think you are on to something here...

CopyofJan06007.jpg
 

Gilgamark

A-List Customer
Messages
306
Location
Nashville, TN
I've completely gotten off black. It looks too formal with just about anything. I've replaced all my blacks with grays. Gray is much more versatile.
 

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