# Favorite Hats



## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

We've all seen old b&w newsreels of baseball games, where every man in the packed stadium seems to be wearing a fedora. Somewhere along the way - many date it to JFKs inauguration - the hat all but disappeared from the American scene. But a hardy few persist, some here. Uncle Mac, Caesars, Wild Blue, PH have all sported lids recently. New Poster Tim Hardy, from Worcestershire, a hat man, recently asked, why not a hat thread? Here, -ex ballcaps, which my wife insists make me look foolish, are my favorites. Post yours here, too!


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## Orgetorix (May 20, 2005)

The Rambler said:


> Somewhere along the way - many date it to JFKs inauguration - the hat all but disappeared from the American scene.


Little do they know that Kennedy actually _wore_ a top hat to his inauguration, and by doing so started a mini-revival of wearing toppers! Eisenhower had broken with the past by wearing a homburg to both of his inaugurations.

https://www.snopes.com/history/american/jfkhat.asp

(Sorry if I derailed the thread.)


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## Dragoon (Apr 1, 2010)

I bought this last winter. I'm bald headed and need a hat sometimes but I'm not sure I can pull this off.


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## Caesars0331 (Jun 23, 2009)

Good thread, Rambler. Nice hats, too. Dragoon as well.

I will snap a picture this afternoon and contribute. I only have a couple, though....


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Orgetorix said:


> Little do they know that Kennedy actually _wore_ a top hat to his inauguration, and by doing so started a mini-revival of wearing toppers! Eisenhower had broken with the past by wearing a homburg to both of his inaugurations.
> 
> https://www.snopes.com/history/american/jfkhat.asp
> 
> (Sorry if I derailed the thread.)


Fun link: thinking back, and as the photos make clear, it was the topcoat he did without, on a frigid day. Maybe that story was conflated with his frequent hatlessness.


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## Caesars0331 (Jun 23, 2009)

This is it, save for a few old ballcaps and a couple of old fedoras that are put away. The dress blue cover, piss cutter and the cowboy hat dont see any use these days, but were once frequently worn items.

Sorry about the low light image....


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Dragoon said:


> I bought this last winter. I'm bald headed and need a hat sometimes but I'm not sure I can pull this off.


A fine hat for Georgia, indeed. That style - is it a Stetson? - is well worn in Texas, too. All it takes to pull it off is a little confidence and practice. If you find that women's eyes linger, embarassingly, on your hat, well, you'll know how they feel when men's eyes linger on their decolletage


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Caesars0331 said:


> This is it, save for a few old ballcaps and a couple of old fedoras that are put away. The dress blue cover, piss cutter and the cowboy hat dont see any use these days, but were once frequently worn items.
> 
> Sorry about the low light image....
> 
> Outstanding - next, nice new fedora!


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## Caesars0331 (Jun 23, 2009)

The Rambler said:


> Outstanding - next, nice new fedora!


Thanks! Yes, new fedora, in brown or navy, is in the works....


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## Dragoon (Apr 1, 2010)

Caesars: I don't see a picture? I'm curious to see what a "piss cutter" is.

Rambler: it is a Stetson Open Road. The snapped up brim _really_ wasn't working for me so I pulled it down.


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## Caesars0331 (Jun 23, 2009)

Dragoon said:


> Caesars: I don't see a picture? I'm curious to see what a "piss cutter" is.


This is the second time someone cant see the pics....hmmm..I just started hosting my pics via the forum's attatchment option. Is that the cause of the problem? Can anyone else see/not see them. I am posting from firefox on a linux box and see them just fine.

"Piss Cutter" is the slang term for the green hat laying flat in my pic. Its a "cover" worn when you wear your service uniform, except for when the barracks cover is called for. Depends on the event and who is dictating the uniform.

Here is a decent pic which details how it can be worn.


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## David J. Cooper (Apr 26, 2010)

I have a Kangol mesh Fedora, 3 Kangol Newsboys which I wear with the brim above my face and a Kangol ballcap. Why all the Kangol, because the XXLs are my size 7 7/8 to 8.


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

David J. Cooper; my size 7 7/8 to 8.[/QUOTE said:


> wow! are you that big all over?


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

The Rambler said:


> A fine hat for Georgia, indeed. That style - is it a Stetson? - is well worn in Texas, too. All it takes to pull it off is a little confidence and practice. If you find that women's eyes linger, embarrassingly, on your hat, well, you'll know how they feel when men's eyes linger on their decolletage


LOL. I'm not sure why but, I think I may be blushing! 



Caesars0331 said:


> ...
> "Piss Cutter" is the slang term for the green hat laying flat in my pic. Its a "cover" worn when you wear your service uniform, except for when the barracks cover is called for. Depends on the event and who is dictating the uniform.
> 
> Here is a decent pic which details how it can be worn.


We used to refer to that hat design as a flight cap. And then there was the more graphic and certainly coarser description of such hats, drawn from an arguably loutish reference to the female anatomy! :devil: LOL, at this point, I am certain that I have embarrassed myself!


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## Youngster (Jun 5, 2008)

I'm watching this thread intently for good hat ideas. I wore out a cheap flat cap, and now can't find one that looks as nice (something about the tidyness of the brim, and lack of puff in the back- I can't find one like it!) and so now I'm down to a wool beanie and a 15 year old baseball cap. I'm always looking for more interesting hat choices.


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Youngster said:


> I'm watching this thread intently for good hat ideas. I wore out a cheap flat cap, and now can't find one that looks as nice (something about the tidyness of the brim, and lack of puff in the back- I can't find one like it!) and so now I'm down to a wool beanie and a 15 year old baseball cap. I'm always looking for more interesting hat choices.


www.hatshop.com always has a nice selection of flat caps.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

fedora from optimo hat co


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## Outlet_cherry_picker (Sep 9, 2009)

Like Panama hat, Fedora and "gota" styles


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## ZachGranstrom (Mar 11, 2010)

I been thinking about getting some hats to wear, but I have no idea what hats or brands that I should wear. Does anybody have suggestions? (keep in mind that I'm a college student, so a fedora hat would be a tad bit much)


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## David V (Sep 19, 2005)

I own far too many hats to have a favorite.


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## randomdude (Jun 4, 2007)

I'd like to put in a good word for this from Orvis. It's terrific and as you can imagine, it steals the show every time.


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## Youngster (Jun 5, 2008)

The Rambler said:


> www.hatshop.com always has a nice selection of flat caps.


I've heard that these guys do great hats. But this is the kinda thing you really need to try on in person. Having tasted that perfect hat, all others will pale in comparison (even though the actual material was crappy). It had this sort of "fittedness) that just made it look so much better than the average flat cap.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

fedora by optimo hat co


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Youngster said:


> I've heard that these guys do great hats. But this is the kinda thing you really need to try on in person. Having tasted that perfect hat, all others will pale in comparison (even though the actual material was crappy). It had this sort of "fittedness) that just made it look so much better than the average flat cap.


It's a quest, all right, a process. Have fun with it. If, like Uncle Mac, you ultimately find a first-rate hatmaker who gets to know you, your head, and what you like, the fun really begins.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

The Rambler said:


> It's a quest, all right, a process. Have fun with it. If, like Uncle Mac, you ultimately find a first-rate hatmaker who gets to know you, your head, and what you like, the fun really begins.


you are absolutely right


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## JJR512 (May 18, 2010)

Orgetorix said:


> Little do they know that Kennedy actually _wore_ a top hat to his inauguration, and by doing so started a mini-revival of wearing toppers! Eisenhower had broken with the past by wearing a homburg to both of his inaugurations.
> 
> https://www.snopes.com/history/american/jfkhat.asp
> 
> (Sorry if I derailed the thread.)


The Snopes article quotes what I believe to be a mis-statement from the Washington Post:


> The soon-to-be President now had on his high silk hat and cutaway...


I assume "cutaway" in this context is referring to his jacket. In the next few photos, it's hard to distinguish his jacket, but his inaugural address photo is much more clear:

If I understand my terminology correctly, this is _not_ a cutaway. A "cutaway" is a dress coat, the type to be worn with evening white tie, with a square cutout in the skirt at the waist. What Mr. Kennedy is wearing in the photo is a morning coat as part of a morning dress.


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## Orgetorix (May 20, 2005)

Sorry, but you have your terms mixed up. A cutaway is the American term for a morning coat, so named because the first morning coats were a single-breasted version of the frock coat (the morning coat's more formal predecessor) with the lower quarters _cut away_. The evening dress coat is referred to most commonly as a tailcoat, and I've also heard the term "swallowtail coat."


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## JJR512 (May 18, 2010)

I've double-checked and you are indeed correct. In fact, if in my research I had read a bit further down the page, I would have seen the morning coat listed as "aka cutaway".

The dress coat, in addition to "swallowtail coat", is also aka "clawhammer coat". It is also _commonly_ what is meant when one says "tailcoat", as you say; however, the word "tailcoat" technically includes the morning coat, or indeed any coat with tails. It appears all tailcoats are, in fact, cutaways, although, as you already knew and I now know, only the morning coat is referred to as such.


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Glad to have that straightened out. I've read, probably in a footnote to a Dickens novel, that spreading your tails before sitting is a sign of ill-breeding, indicating as it does that you had no valet to press them, when the habit was formed.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

fedora by optimo hat co


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## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)




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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Wow, just wow! The edges of the brims are beautifully finished, and the shapes wonderfully expressive of the qualities of that beautiful weave. That optimo takes the cake. These are the work of the man you mentioned?


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## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)

Thanks. They are all Montecristis blocked by Art Fawcett. 

Wait till you see Mac's straws from Optimo!


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

AlanC said:


> Thanks. They are all Montecristis blocked by Art Fawcett.
> 
> Wait till you see Mac's straws from Optimo!


Nephew,
thank you. your straw is outstanding


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## Oviatt (Jan 29, 2007)

I have several, but my favorite by far is a brown Trilby I bought at Bates in London's Jermyn Street. I have had it for years and it has been steamed and reblocked and looks great. It is my lucky hat to wear to horse races (Santa Anita is one of those places where you never feel overdressed in a hat). In summer, it is all about a good Panama fedora......


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

fedora by optimo hat co


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

fedora by optimo hat co


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

fedora by optimo hat co


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

time to change felt to straw


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

fedora by optimo hat co


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

fedora by optimo hat co


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## LeicaLad (Nov 5, 2006)

Dear Uncle,

Not only do I love your fine selection of hats, but I am also quite relieved to see your wide range of BB ss knits worn under a blazer. I’ve often thought I’m cheating when I do this. I have frequent inter-agency meetings where a blazer over anything is considered dressy (and decent shoes rare), but I’ve often felt like I was letting the side down to wear a short-sleeve polo, even if a nice BB one, under my jacket. 

You’ve given me a boost of confidence in the choice, although I’m still not sure I can pull off even the nicest hat. I’m still mostly in the tropics, and felt halts are essentially never seen. 



A good straw hat is possible, but I’ve yet to acquire a nice one. ‘Tis the season, tho.


:biggrin:


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

LeicaLad said:


> Dear Uncle,
> 
> Not only do I love your fine selection of hats, but I am also quite relieved to see your wide range of BB ss knits worn under a blazer. I've often thought I'm cheating when I do this. I have frequent inter-agency meetings where a blazer over anything is considered dressy (and decent shoes rare), but I've often felt like I was letting the side down to wear a short-sleeve polo, even if a nice BB one, under my jacket.
> 
> ...


thank you. based on your vocation and your accomplishments nothing should faze you. try it you might like it


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## JJR512 (May 18, 2010)

LeicaLad said:


> I'm still mostly in the tropics, and felt halts are essentially never seen.
> 
> A good straw hat is possible, but I've yet to acquire a nice one. 'Tis the season, tho.


It is my understanding that 100% beaver felt is very light and breathable. It is my understanding that 100% beaver felt, especially in a light color, is actually more comfortable in the heat than many straw hats. Felt used for many hats has at least amount of other materials, whether fur from other animals or, more commonly, wool; this is what makes these inferior felts warmer. Many straw hats have a heavy, dense weave that does not breathe well at all. Lighter, less-dense straw hats usually won't last anywhere near as long as a pure beaver felt hat. Unfortunately, pure beaver felt is expensive, although I know most people here would appreciate the value of spending more for a quality product that can very easily last a lifetime.

Consider that cowboys (real working cowboys) have traditionally worn felt hats throughout the year, and consider the environment in which they work. Also consider that a real working cowboy usually just had one hat that he wore for his entire life. Straw cowboy hats were originally made for rodeo people that wanted cheap disposable hats that wouldn't be a big loss if they got damaged in the rodeo.


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## LeicaLad (Nov 5, 2006)

Very interesting. Thank you for that.

On reflection, of course you are correct. I do own one top-end Akubra, most of which are rabbit pelt rather than beaver. It's lovely and I really like it. But, for me, it is simply too hot to wear except in spring or fall (in the US). It got left in storage at my dear aging mother's out in middle America because that's the only place I can wear it. 

For me, I guess I'm just too hot-headed! 

From the trad exchange, I did acquire a nice little Dobbs stingy brim fedora. I have a godson graduating from HS tomorrow. Me thinks I'll give it a try.


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## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)

I wouldn't say that beaver felt is inherently light. There are various weights of felt, just like there are of, say, wool suiting (flannel vs. tropical). And the higher grades of Montecristis can be so tightly woven as to impede allowing heat to escape. I go for my Panamas during the summer heat, unless it is raining, in which case I reach for my unlined fedora made of lightweight felt.

Any hat will hold in heat. The desire for a hat in the summer is to protect you from the direct rays of the sun. And to look good, of course.


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## richard d. (Mar 17, 2010)

What a great collection of hats there. Good taste in hats my friend! Richard d.


AlanC said:


>


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

LeicaLad said:


> Very interesting. Thank you for that.
> 
> From the trad exchange, I did acquire a nice little Dobbs stingy brim fedora. I have a godson graduating from HS tomorrow. Me thinks I'll give it a try.


congratulations on your godson graduation


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## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)

richard d. said:


> What a great collection of hats there. Good taste in hats my friend! Richard d.


Thank you, kind sir.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

Although I will admit to being partial to ball caps when I wear a cap, I do wear these on occasion:










Also, being a Navy man I wore a dixie cup in service; however, my job as a medical corpsman took me on assignment to the Marine Corps where I also wore the previously mentioned green piss cutter. :icon_smile_big:

Cruiser


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## Caesars0331 (Jun 23, 2009)

Excellent hat!!!! :biggrin:

I was waiting to see when the montecristis made it to this thread!


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

Caesars0331 said:


> Excellent hat!!!! :biggrin:
> 
> I was waiting to see when the montecristis made it to this thread!


thank you


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Looks superb uncle, and the blue suit and yellow tie set it off well! Does that phone camera have sufficient resolution to show a detail of the weave?


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

*New Montecristi*

Inspired to upgrade by AlanC and Uncle Mac


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

The Rambler said:


> Inspired to upgrade by AlanC and Uncle Mac


i am pleased that i am a positive influence. i like your straw. enjoy wearing. who is maker?


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

panama montecristi


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Cruiser said:


> Although I will admit to being partial to ball caps when I wear a cap, I do wear these on occasion:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


great photo - you wear it well :icon_smile:


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)




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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

mcarthur said:


>


Would love to see a closeup of the weave, but I suppose it would take an electron microsope to see anything.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

The Rambler said:


> Would love to see a closeup of the weave, but I suppose it would take an electron microsope to see anything.


i will try


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## Caesars0331 (Jun 23, 2009)

The Rambler said:


> Would love to see a closeup of the weave, but I suppose it would take an electron microsope to see anything.


:biggrin2:


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

mcarthur said:


> superfino montecristi


very cool pencil roll (or whatever you might call it) on the brim!


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## GBR (Aug 10, 2005)

My black beanie


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

The Rambler said:


> very cool pencil roll (or whatever you might call it) on the brim!


thank you


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

panama montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

milan straw


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

a little different--I like.


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Uncle, now that you've put the felt away: do you do anything to mothproof them?


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

I have been wearing J Press buckets.

A tweed for fall/winter, canvas for spring/summer.

I only break out the fedoras for evening...


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

The Rambler said:


> a little different--I like.


thank you


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

The Rambler said:


> Uncle, now that you've put the felt away: do you do anything to mothproof them?


the felt is placed in a hat box and stored in a cedar closet.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

WouldaShoulda said:


> I have been wearing J Press buckets.
> 
> A tweed for fall/winter, canvas for spring/summer.
> 
> I only break out the fedoras for evening...


consider straw. you might like it


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## Caesars0331 (Jun 23, 2009)

mcarthur said:


> superfino montecristi


This very well might be my favorite of the hats I have seen you wear!!! Very cool. :icon_cheers:


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

panama montecristi


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

long drive north today


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

Does anyone know any cheap good company that does sun hats with bands across the middle? I bought a white George by duffer bucket hat with a greenish band across the middle around 3 years ago but lost it. It was really nice but cant seem to find them now. Cotton bucket hats normally are plain.

BTW can rain hats be used for sun protection? Because i have got a hat described as a rain hat but i want it for sun protection really.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

The Rambler said:


> long drive north today


i like your straw. enjoy your special weekend


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

VincentC said:


> Does anyone know any cheap good company that does sun hats with bands across the middle? I bought a white George by duffer bucket hat with a greenish band across the middle around 3 years ago but lost it. It was really nice but cant seem to find them now. Cotton bucket hats normally are plain.
> 
> BTW can rain hats be used for sun protection? Because i have got a hat described as a rain hat but i want it for sun protection really.


straw hat with a wide brim is best source of protecting face


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

mcarthur said:


> straw hat with a wide brim is best source of protecting face


You mean a panama hat? WHich i have got. But i would like a cotton hat, as you can wash it and scrunch it up and put in your pocket.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

montecristi panama


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

^^^^^
I like yours, bui i prefer a optimo crown.
Are tres and co panamas any good do you know?


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

VincentC said:


> ^^^^^
> I like yours, bui i prefer a optimo crown.
> Are tres and co panamas any good do you know?


thank you! i am not familiar with tres & co


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

milan straw


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Can you pass your hats through your wedding ring? :biggrin2:


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

Tres and Co panamas you can get in debenhams department store. I will give you a link to it if you like?


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

VincentC said:


> Tres and Co panamas you can get in debenhams department store. I will give you a link to it if you like?


please pass along the link


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

mcarthur said:


> please pass along the link


This is it.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

my favorite.


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

mcarthur said:


> superfino montecristi


Am i right in thinking you like the superfino montecristi?


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

The Rambler said:


> my favorite.


you have good taste. it is a great looking hat with 1,500 weaves per square inch


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

VincentC said:


> Am i right in thinking you like the superfino montecristi?


you are absolutely correct


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

VincentC said:


> Am i right in thinking you like the superfino montecristi?


Vincent, who wouldn't. There are - if I may, Uncle - only 25 or 30 people in the world who could weave a hat like that, and it takes them months!


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

panama montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

milan straw


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

Pardon me Mister, but is that a Susquehanna Hat?? 

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?105252-Favorite-Hats&p=1114761#post1114761


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

WouldaShoulda said:


> Pardon me Mister, but is that a Susquehanna Hat??
> 
> https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?105252-Favorite-Hats&p=1114761#post1114761


what is a susquehanna hat?


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

mcarthur said:


> you are absolutely correct


Dont you like a optimo crown?


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

A very average American-blocked Montecristi, but light and flexible, and with my abusive hat habits, better than I deserve.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

panama


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

panama montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

milan straw


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## Tooch (Jun 26, 2010)

Here's me in a vintage Resistol Outlook. I'm pretty sure it had never been worn before I got hold of it.


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## Tooch (Jun 26, 2010)

And here's a more summer-friendly panama hat -- just a Cuenca, so I don't wince when it gets roughed up while I'm traveling.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Uncle, do you get your panamas made with a leather browband, or sweatband, or whatever it's called, or do you prfer the grosgrain kind with an absorbent band under it?


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

nephew,
leather sweatbands


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

panama montecristi


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

mcarthur said:


> what is a susquehanna hat?


Sorry, didn't post the correct link to Abbott and Costello reference!!


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

panama montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

milan straw


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

panama montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

borsalino straw


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

panama montecristi


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Tooch said:


> Here's me in a vintage Resistol Outlook. I'm pretty sure it had never been worn before I got hold of it.


Beautiful Resistol, well worn. I use your approach to panamas myself: they have a way of getting blown off my head into salt water: your Cuenca looks nice.


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

mcarthur said:


> superfino montecristi


That hat cries out for a $50 Cuban cigar and a few thousand acres of sugar cane plantation to survey :icon_hailthee:


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

The Rambler said:


> That hat cries out for a $50 Cuban cigar and a few thousand acres of sugar cane plantation to survey :icon_hailthee:


thank you for your good thoughts


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## chiamdream (Aug 7, 2009)

Recent acquisition: a tan downturn-brim Panama made by Capas, picked up at Hats Plus on Irving Park in Chicago. Looking forward to breaking it in at several outdoor weddings in the coming months.


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

chiamdream said:


> Recent acquisition: a tan downturn-brim Panama made by Capas, picked up at Hats Plus on Irving Park in Chicago. Looking forward to breaking it in at several outdoor weddings in the coming months.


Snappy! Suits you well.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

borsalino straw


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

panama montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

milan straw


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

milan straw


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Fishing/gardening hat: victim of years of abuse.


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
Rambler: Indeed, if that hat has suffered "years of abuse", it seems to suffer such treatment rather well...it looks great, as do you!


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

In the summer I only wear headgear for one reason, to protect my very sensitive eyes from the sun. My current favourite, which I bought last week in H & M, and which I've been wearing every day cycling to and from work in tennis shirt, shorts and trainers is a tight lattice black paper-straw hat, it looks a like a Brixton hat. The brim is turned up all the way around. I've had quite a few compliments on it. It goes really well with casual clothes. I wear it square fore and aft on the head & none of those rakish angles favoured by teenyboper singers. Looks exactly like this paper straw Brixton Castor, except for an all black band.


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Looks sharp in your link, Ormonde, favor us with a photo, one day. As for the rakish angle favored by teenyboppers, does that differ from the rakish angles favored by Spencer Tracy, Frank Sinatra, Walter Huston, Bogie, etc.? Do you wear polarized sunglasses for eye protection?


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

eagle2250 said:


> ^^
> Rambler: Indeed, if that hat has suffered "years of abuse", it seems to suffer such treatment rather well...it looks great, as do you!


Thank you, kind sir: the combination of soft focus and a flattering angle: the poor thing has had to swim for its life many times, has an (ultimately) fatal crack in the crown


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

The Rambler said:


> Looks sharp in your link, Ormonde, favor us with a photo, one day. As for the rakish angle favored by teenyboppers, does that differ from the rakish angles favored by Spencer Tracy, Frank Sinatra, Walter Huston, Bogie, etc.? Do you wear polarized sunglasses for eye protection?


Do you know what, you wouldn't believe how difficult it is to find polarized sunglasses in Sweden.

I think hats at angles always look overly affected resulting in the opposite effect intended i.e. it doesn't look cool, it ends up looking naff in my opinion. A hat worn straight looks cooler, I think, making the wearer look less self-conscious and as if he wears a hat naturally every day, like Clark Johnson in "'Homicide - Life on the Street, that's the look I like.
This photo of Clark is the same hat as mine and that is how I wear it https://www1.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Museum+Moving+Image+Presents+HBO+Wire+Reception+Y_wZqb92gpMl.jpg


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

"Naff," eh? A wonderful all-purpose word that has not penetrated our borders. "Uncool," "dorky," etc, in my understanding, but also f**k in its extended meanings. Didn't Princess Anne famously tell a reporter to "naff off?" That model does look well squared up, or even tilted slightly back. Suggests saxophone vutuosity :icon_smile_big:.

IMO, polarized glasses are a must for sensitive eyes, because they are so effective at eliminating glare, eg, they make it easy to look at the bottom of a sunny pond or river, as if the surface wasn't there; reflections on the car windshield of items left on the dashboard just disappear. I suggest you try a fishing supplies store. If all else fails, I will send you a pair


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

The Rambler said:


> "Naff," eh? A wonderful all-purpose word that has not penetrated our borders. "Uncool," "dorky," etc, in my understanding, but also f**k in its extended meanings. Didn't Princess Anne famously tell a reporter to "naff off?"


Yes, it's a wodnerful word, "Naff off" or as Princess Anne would say it "Naff awf" is equivalent to "bog off" or "sod off" it's not all all as strong as "F off". In its adjective form "Naff" covers everything from "no longer in style" to "bad taste" to "bourgeois" to "not the done thing" to "that's just not it at all old boy" to "socially unacceptable" to "that just looks wrong" In other words it's a cover-all that really defies definition.



The Rambler said:


> IMO, polarized glasses are a must for sensitive eyes, because they are so effective at eliminating glare, eg, they make it easy to look at the bottom of a sunny pond or river, as if the surface wasn't there; reflections on the car windshield of items left on the dashboard just disappear. I suggest you try a fishing supplies store. If all else fails, I will send you a pair


I've had polarizeds before, I really need to find some more. Thanks for the kind offer but I'm sure I'll find a pair again somehow.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

mcarthur said:


> superfino montecristi


My favorite hat and my favorite belt. Now that I have my own S&B, I marvel at the unseen part, the leather lining (well, it isn't really a lining) which is superb full grain leather.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

The Rambler said:


> My favorite hat and my favorite belt. Now that I have my own S&B, I marvel at the unseen part, the leather lining (well, it isn't really a lining) which is superb full grain leather.


thank you. s&b are very addictive


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## JJR512 (May 18, 2010)

Goodness gracious me...How many hats do you own, anyway, Mcarthur?

Admittedly, I'm no expert on hats, but to me, the last two look the same, except for a bit of mis-shaping on the brim in the latter photo.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

panama montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

borsalino panama


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

panama montecristi


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Uncle Mac: You wear your Panamas' ever so well and seem to have quite the collection of knit polo shirts to go with them! Those embroidered belts really pull it all together...looking good, as always. :thumbs-up:


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

eagle2250 said:


> Uncle Mac: You wear your Panamas' ever so well and seem to have quite the collection of knit polo shirts to go with them! Those embroidered belts really pull it all together...looking good, as always. :thumbs-up:


thank you


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

milan straw


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

my montecristi


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## Thom Browne's Schooldays (Jul 29, 2007)

Great looks all around, this thread makes me want a Panama!

Are there such things as budget Panama hats?

I don't have much occasion to wear one, and I'm not sure that I'm a hat tpe guy, but I'd love to give it a try.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

The Rambler said:


> my montecristi


i like your panama. what belt are you wearing?


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

Thom Browne's Schooldays said:


> Great looks all around, this thread makes me want a Panama!
> 
> Are there such things as budget Panama hats?
> 
> I don't have much occasion to wear one, and I'm not sure that I'm a hat tpe guy, but I'd love to give it a try.


check the website for panama bob


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

They come in all prices, TBS: if you look at Panama Bob's website, as Uncle Mac suggested, click on the "Cuenca" page: he offers a wonderful variety of styles at moderate prices from this Ecuadorian city which is near the town of Montecristi, and known for excellent Panamas.


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

Uncle, that's my S&B grand slam belt, thoughtlessly covered. The bowtie model, sold out in my size, is still on backorder.


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## Thom Browne's Schooldays (Jul 29, 2007)

Mac and Rambler,

many thanks, that was exactly what I was looking for.


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

The Rambler said:


> Uncle, that's my S&B grand slam belt, thoughtlessly covered. The bowtie model, sold out in my size, is still on backorder.


what size do you wear?


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

Thom Browne's Schooldays said:


> Mac and Rambler,
> 
> many thanks, that was exactly what I was looking for.


keep us in the loop


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

mcarthur said:


> what size do you wear?


A good question - I'm still buying 38, though my waist is currently 35 (best in a while :icon_smile, and I am on the last hole of my belts (I like that).


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

panama montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

milan straw


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

superfino montecristi


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## mcarthur (Jul 18, 2005)

milan straw


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## The Rambler (Feb 18, 2010)

It's so humid these days that I was able to restore the brim roll to this beat-up, but much-loved Cuenca


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