Why is the Stetson Whippet so prized?

[Viper Man]

OK, I don't own one and have only seen photos but what exactly makes this particular model so sought after? They seem to continually sell for a king's ramsom on ebay. What gives? Also, while searching here, I found a thread someone made with an Art Fawcett hat in midnight blue that was based on the Whippet. What a looker! Personally, for the money I'd rather buy one of those! lol

EDIT: It was fedoralover who owns the hat I saw...

HERE is the thread...

 

[Hemingway Jones]

It's a nicely styled hat, from an great American hat company when it was great, and it has a cool name, though not as cool as "Stratoliner," which also came in a really cool box.

My opinion, for what it's worth.

 

[Mojave Jack]

Definately what Hem has pointed out, but also I think it has to do with the consistency of the style, and the recognizibility. Why are early Mustangs more highly prized than the nearly identical Cougars? Who knows, but the Mustang is the car that everyone recognizes. I think the same is probably true of a Whippet. A semi-knowledgeable hat buyer knows that a Whippet with have particualar charateristics, i.e. wider snap brim, bound edge, medium tall, slightly tapered crown, etc. and so he or she will pay a little extra. Word of mouth at places like the FL and pretty soon it is the Mustang of hats.

I know my Whippet is exactly what I was looking for in a dress hat, and it is the only dress hat I really need. I pretty much stopped looking once I got my Whippet.

 

[Fletch]

It's excellently proportioned - looks good on a wide variety of heads and face shapes - and the wide ribbon and bound brim adds a touch of elegance to a basically sporty silhouette. It also came in a luscious array of colors.

 

[Feraud]

slightly tapered crown,

This is interesting. In replying to this thread the first characteristic that comes to my mind is the square-ish(untapered) appearance of the crown.
I always find my eye drawn to the Whippet silhouette for this reason.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

It is of a style that has become synonymous with the early 1950s. I cannot help but think of the man in the grey flannel suit, though i don't think he wore this hat. It is distinctly inoffensive. It has a moderate crown, a moderate brim and a moderate ribbon so it suits most head shapes. I don't think it came in any more colours than any other Stetson of the time.

Stetson wasn't the only company making hats with the dimensions, ribbon and edge binding like this, but the efforts of other companies are commonly derided as "Whippet clones". I've seen no evidence that Stetson produced the Whippet before the other companies produced their hats in this style.

And, of course, many people are simply obsessed with Stetson. Though by this time I would say their felt was distinctly inferior (to the untrained, admittedly) to their earlier (1930s, early 1940s) felt. i would put any french hat up against a Stetson and bet my money that people would choose the French one if the labels were removed.

bk

p.s. I love my Whippets, but they're inferior to my French and Italian hats.

 

[surely]

Added value seems also due to the fact that Bing Crosby's picture was used in ads and he may have worn one. It is for that reason why I refuse to own one (at least I tell myself as I let another fine example go by.[huh])

 

[Fredthecat]

Modern Whippet?

I also like my Stetson Whippets, and fortunately I bought them years ago when they were still $10-20 “used hats”. Nice and soft and they just feel right.

Is there a modern hat with Whippet dimensions, crown, brim, ribbon etc?
An Akubra perhaps?
I remember you guys saying the Akubra Campdraft is a modern rabbit fur version of Stetson Open Road.

And just curious surely (don’t call me Shirley!): Why do you dislike Bing so much as to not own a hat model just because he may have worn one in an ad? I suppose I could feel that way about Frank…perhaps > Never did like that guys attitude.

Modern Whippet?

 

[Mojave Jack]

This is interesting. In replying to this thread the first characteristic that comes to my mind is the square-ish(untapered) appearance of the crown.
I always find my eye drawn to the Whippet silhouette for this reason.

Well, my Whippet has a slightly tapered crown, anyway. It may just have acquired that over time, but it's one reason I like it so much. The slight taper fits my face much more than my Appleby Open Road clone, which is just too much hat for my face.

The Whippet was produced for a shorter length of time than other models, too, wasn't it? For example, there are so many Open Roads out there and the variety in quality is so great that you never really know what you're going to get if you pick up an OR. I had one that was awful, and I got rid of it but quick. I've never felt confident enough in the quality of an Open Road to risk it again wihtout having the hat in hand. With a Whippet I don't think there is near the gamble in it's (relatively) good quality, or at least a consistent quality, and were I in the market I would feel confident nabbing one sight unseen.

 

[Feraud]

Of course individual hats of the same brand may develop different crown shapes.
What is important is you have found the crown shape that works best with your features.
The Whippet, along with the Penny's Marathon(the two I own) fit my face best. The moderate qualities outlined by Baron Kurtz work well with my round head.

 

[jamespowers]

Added value seems also due to the fact that Bing Crosby's picture was used in ads and he may have worn one. It is for that reason why I refuse to own one (at least I tell myself as I let another fine example go by.[huh])

Yes, yes he wore one. Good ole Bing in 1949:

The whippet is the hat that most people think of when they think of their hat wearing grandfather. At least its the hat that got me into collecting hats. I still have my grandfather's whippet. It needs quite a bit of work and at a size 6 7/8 it would only fit my son now at 2 rather than me. It might be worth having rebuilt for him though. [huh] I am still thinking about it.

 

[jamespowers]

And, of course, many people are simply obsessed with Stetson. Though by this time I would say their felt was distinctly inferior (to the untrained, admittedly) to their earlier (1930s, early 1940s) felt. i would put any french hat up against a Stetson and bet my money that people would choose the French one if the labels were removed.

bk

p.s. I love my Whippets, but they're inferior to my French and Italian hats.

I might take that bet against the French hats like Mossant but not Borsalino.

 

[Feraud]

Have the Whippet refurbished for your son. Let him enjoy it before he outgrows the size. Take lots of family pictures.

 

[jamespowers]

Have the Whippet refurbished for your son. Let him enjoy it before he outgrows the size. Take lots of family pictures.

Probably a good idea but it has sort of a hole at the front of the hat from three generations of use.

 

[Feraud]

Probably a good idea but it has sort of a hole at the front of the hat from three generations of use.

This may sound crazy but can you get it refurb'd and reverse the felt? Put the hole at the back of the hat?
You might get another three generations out of it!

 

[jamespowers]

This may sound crazy but can you get it refurb'd and reverse the felt? Put the hole at the back of the hat?
You might get another three generations out of it!

I thought about that after I posted. I am sure my son will put more holes it in anyway. :eusa_doh:

 

[RBH]

It's a nicely styled hat, from an great American hat company when it was great, and it has a cool name, though not as cool as "Stratoliner," which also came in a really cool box.

My opinion, for what it's worth.

Your opinion is spot on , Hem....

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I might take that bet against the French hats like Mossant but not Borsalino.

I'll take your money off you any day with pleasure (maybe not a Mossant, but a Flechet or a Brosson? 1950s Stetson don't stand a chance! Ask Jack over at the cad about that French hat i gave him. Whew! That's some lovely felt. I rate them way above Borsalino. - yeah, i said it! )

bk

 

[DOUGLAS]

I have several Stetsons that seem to have the Whippet proportions and detail but are not said hat. I think I let go of a few of them along with a couple of Whippets. The hat style doesn't hold the same allure for me as others do however the ones I have Whippets or not are and were well made.

Several Whippets I have seen have all been in very good condition or had attractive bashes. This too will drive the price of a hat.

 

[jamespowers]

I'll take your money off you any day with pleasure (maybe not a Mossant, but a Flechet or a Brosson? 1950s Stetson don't stand a chance! Ask Jack over at the cad about that French hat i gave him. Whew! That's some lovely felt. I rate them way above Borsalino. - yeah, i said it! )

bk

If the current level of quality that the Mossant and Flechet produce is any indication......