Got a Country Gentleman wool Fedora and a wool Pork Pie (forgot the maker). Love the hats. Went on-line today to understand the proper way to wear each hat given the level of attire (casual vs business casual, vs business formal). I found one trend that was disturbing and I did some serious reading. It appears that the Fedora has a following but also a very vocal segment who actively hate the hat. I found sites that give reasons why women should not date men that wear Fedoras, sites that simply disparage the hat, and sites that go to great lengths to show how men look stupid with the hat on their heads. I have also noticed a trend. The sites I saw were most often by women discussing men. However, given the language, references and pictures, I had to conclude that the sites were about (mostly) girls and some boys talking about boys who wear the hat. I say boys because when it comes to the Fedora, anyone under about 40 is simply too young. The Fedora is a hat for a mature face, a face with some weather to it. Imagine Casablanca without Bogart's Fedora. The goodbye scene simply doesn't work without the hat. Imagine the Indiana Jones character in that Fedora 20 years younger (younger than Harrison Ford when he played in the first Star Wars). The hat would have made the character look very baby-faced. It simply wouldn't have worked for the Jones character. My point? Gentlemen, when selecting a hat, leave the Fedora to men in their 40s and Hombergs to those over 40 who can pull it off. Pork Pies rarely work for men under 30 (unless music, cards, or pool is involved) and the Trilby is not a hat for a large man. The brim is too narrow for a mature man's wide shoulders. IF a Trilby can be found with some quality, it probably would be a good choice for a thinner young man (under 30-35 depending). If in doubt, the flat cap (ivy cap, driver's cap) looks good on 95+% of the men who wear them (thus their popularity). Unlike you have been told, the baseball cap is also not for everyone but looks good on 90% + of the people who wear them. Finally, all rules have exceptions (think of the Fedora on Sinatra way back when he was young). IF IF IF your frame and facial features can pull off the hat at 18 or 98, then wear it with style and confidence. Just be SURE you are an exception to the rule, ask the wife, girlfriend or another woman you know well enough that she will tell you the truth, no matter how much it may hurt. My wife has told me that a hat I tried made me look like a walrus. Better to know from her and pass because when you don the right one, her eyes will tell you long before her voice does. Merry Christmas
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