Off to Hats Plus

[luvmysuper]

Well, I'm off to Hats Plus in Chicago Monday to pick out my two Christmas presents.
SWMBO will be in tow so as to provide an honest opinion.
My plan is traditional Fedora in fur felt, lined and with a leather headband - one in senate or graphite color, and still undecided on the second.
Kind of a toss-up between a navy or a deep forest moss green.
Just can't bring myself to consider brown, as visions of "Indiana Jones" leaps to mind whenever I see one.
Any last minute suggestions or advice is welcome and appreciated.

Edit: Postponed the trip till Monday so I can get some opinions from the Haberdashery experts.

 

[flylot]

Since you are in Chicago, it would do you good to stop in and check out Optimo Hats. You wont find a better place!

 

[luvmysuper]

Since you are in Chicago, it would do you good to stop in and check out Optimo Hats. You wont find a better place!

No doubt Optimo is the cats meow in hats, but I'm really looking for a brand name as opposed to a custom made.

At this point I don't really want to spend upwards of $300 per hat.

I might go that route for a "special occasion" hat later, but not for my second and third "wear every day" hat.

 

[StylinLA]

Optimo rocks!

But the best bang for the buck is Vintage Silhouettes.

By all means, go to Hats Plus. The Biltmore line is probably the best hat they've got, but see what you like. They have one of the better selections of ready made fedoras that I've seen.

If you really like Fedoras, you owe it to yourself at some point to take a look at Art Fawcett's bespoke hats for $5 more than your price point.

 

[taprater]

Just can't bring myself to consider brown, as visions of "Indiana Jones" leaps to mind whenever I see one.

Hey Indy was and still is my hero to this day and when I go to buy my first fedora will be a a brown one.

I found a nice felt stetson at a Dillards in Dallas I plan on picking up after christmas when I have some spare cash-o

 

[luvmysuper]

Hey Indy was and still is my hero to this day and when I go to buy my first fedora will be a a brown one.

I found a nice felt stetson at a Dillards in Dallas I plan on picking up after christmas when I have some spare cash-o

Oh, believe me, it is not the fact that I think that I'm trying to look like Indiana Jones, it's the fact that I don't want OTHERS to think I'm trying to look like Indiana Jones.

The hatter might convince me otherwise, or perhaps a brown might be ok in something other than a fedora.

 

[taprater]

Oh, believe me, it is not the fact that I think that I'm trying to look like Indiana Jones, it's the fact that I don't want OTHERS to think I'm trying to look like Indiana Jones.

The hatter might convince me otherwise, or perhaps a brown might be ok in something other than a fedora.

Not 100% about your liking to the overall look of the brown but if you like it why let it bother you what others think. I look at what people my age(I'm 24) wear and many of those fashions died years ago(and with good reason) and think of how much flak I would have caught for wearing it in public. One good example that I saw while doing some christmas shopping was a pair of jeans, a flannel shirt, and a vest on a display... when did lumberjack become hip?!... So within reason go with whatever you like and are comfortable with. *drops 2 pennies in the tray*

 

[luvmysuper]

Not 100% about your liking to the overall look of the brown but if you like it why let it bother you what others think. I look at what people my age(I'm 24) wear and many of those fashions died years ago(and with good reason) and think of how much flak I would have caught for wearing it in public. One good example that I saw while doing some christmas shopping was a pair of jeans, a flannel shirt, and a vest on a display... when did lumberjack become hip?!... So within reason go with whatever you like and are comfortable with. *drops 2 pennies in the tray*

Yep, that is what I mean. Picture yourself wearing those jeans, flannel shirt and vest - knowing what you think when you see someone wearing it, and knowing that other people are now thinking it about you!

Though brown is not my favorite, I just want to present a look of "owning the hat" and most folks who present themselves as an Indiana Jones wanna be just don't pull it off.

I guess I could buy an aviator leather jacket and a bullwhip, but that isn't my style either

 

[StylinLA]

There are some nice brown hats...but it depends on how you wear it.

If you plan on wearing a brown fedora with a more casual look, or leather jacket, it does invite a bit of "Hey Indy...."

But if you wear it pretty decked out, it shouldn't be a problem except to some who just don't cotton to men in hats.

As many of you may or may not know, there is a huge contingent of guys who love and cultivate the Indy look...they have their own forum.

Akubra and Adventurebuilt are their ultimate hats. Most of the Hats Plus inventory that I've seen doesn't really have the Indy style fedoras. It's a bit more contemporary. The Indy hats are pretty high crown.

 

[taprater]

From what my mom and a couple other family members said I looked good with it. I'm not shooting for the Indy look but I like the brown. The 20' - 50's style of fashion just needs to make a comeback people knew how to dress back then.

Sorry about the rant the majority of modern styles just don't make sense in my crazy little head.

 

[Tolduonce]

Not sure when you said you were going hat shopping on Monday if you were talking about today or a week from today. I'm no a hat "expert", but I just picked out my Christmas present on Saturday. Went to Henry the Hatter. The store is a Detroit institution. Settled on a Cellini/Biltmore Ultra and wore it to church the next day. Nothing but compliments. Chose the Black Diamond color which is not a true "saturated" black color (always thought those looked too funeral directorish) although it may look like it under indoor lighting. It's more of a black/charcoal hybrid. You owe yourself a try-on when you get to the hatter in Chicago. In the meantime, here's a link to Henry T H. No drooling, and let me know what you chose. In addition to SRAD, I also have a serious case of HAD.

www.henrythehatterdetroit.com

Just in case B&B isn't occupying enough of your time, here's a link to The Fedora Lounge Forum.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/forumdisplay.php?f=3

 

[DonOhio]

Yesterday the antique mall had a Royal Stetson in my size (that alone is unusual), charcoal gray, absolutely pristine for $32 out the door. Only downside is a 2" brim; I prefer 2 1/4 or 3/8. Ah well, for that price I can live with it. Had to steam bash it a bit to get the teardrop right.

I have a tan/fawn one with slightly bigger brim that I wear in fall/winter, but wanted a gray one, so now I'm set.

I have the same Indiana Jones based apprehensions about brown fedoras, though I have nothing against them per se.

 

[mark the shoeshine boy]

Now these are real Indy Jones hats, this one was made by the actaul hatter of the IJ4 movies...Steve Delk Adventurebuilt hats....

Now this is "The Tucker" By Art Fawcett of Vintage Silouhettes....I actaully created and named it and he produced it for me....it is a brown however it is very different for the IJ hats....I haven't heard the Indy Jones shoutout in over a year...and I wear a leather bomber too, but I do not try to portray the actor...

 

[scottish steve]

As many of you may or may not know, there is a huge contingent of guys who love and cultivate the Indy look...they have their own forum.

I'm amazed at that! My favourite hat is a brown Stetson Delaware, (terrible photo, but the only one I could find, from a Polish website) which is in no way outre, or very like an Indiana Jones hat, but that doesn't seem to make a blind bit of difference to most people. They just see a real hat and think "Indiana". Have had a bit of catcalling myself, especially when wearing it in conjunction with a brown Bufallo leather pilot's jacket (I didn't even think of the association!). A few nights ago I passed a couple of NEDs and one of them whispered "Marlboro Man" to the other. Quite a mild insult, TBH.

 

[luvmysuper]

Thanks for all the great advice guys, I went yesterday and wound up picking up a Stetson Downs in Graphite and a Baily Carson in Senate.
The darker gray of the graphite and the light gray of the senate was just what I was looking for.
Incidentally - They did have a "Indiana Jones" name brand hat there, and I can see that though it is a fedora type hat, the whole demeanor is different, with both the front and the back of the brim flipped down.
This makes me feel better about the brown fedora, and I'll keep that in mind when I go back in the spring to pick up another and my Panama.

Pictures of my purchase yesterday;

 

[Obsessed]

Nice buys! I think the grays will be very versatile.

 

[The Mick]

Two very nice picks

 

[Tolduonce]

Thanks for all the great advice guys, I went yesterday and wound up picking up a Stetson Downs in Graphite and a Baily Carson in Senate.
The darker gray of the graphite and the light gray of the senate was just what I was looking for.
Incidentally - They did have a "Indiana Jones" name brand hat there, and I can see that though it is a fedora type hat, the whole demeanor is different, with both the front and the back of the brim flipped down.
This makes me feel better about the brown fedora, and I'll keep that in mind when I go back in the spring to pick up another and my Panama.

Pictures of my purchase yesterday;

Two very nice choices. I think Baileys have been under the radar for a long time. Like that teardrop crease on the Stetson a lot. Wish I knew how to do that.

 

[DonOhio]

Wish I knew how to do that.

Slow application of steam from a kettle, gently shape it to where you want it, and that's about it. Had to do it with both my feds to get the teardrop, works fine.

 

[luvmysuper]

Slow application of steam from a kettle, gently shape it to where you want it, and that's about it. Had to do it with both my feds to get the teardrop, works fine.

I have an off-the-shelf wool felt Scala and used steam to get a teardrop top. Works like a charm.