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To fedora or not?

Definitely wear it!

I am in my 40's, and have enjoyed wearing one since college. It may not always be the latest fashion, but it is timeless in style!

I have a brown one for more casual times, and a gray one with a black ribbon to wear when I am in a suit (and overcoat in cold weather.)
 
I'm in my 50s, won't say how far along, but I love the look of a black fedora hat. I want to to get one or two (spring/summer, fall/sinter), would I be "in style" or just an old gut wearing a hat. Don't really care what people think, but I don't want to be that crazy guy either. Would appreciate any input, and you can be honest, I can handle the truth. Lol

life is to short not to do what you enjoy. if you like the hat wear it every chance you get and enjoy. thats why we have vanilla and chocolate ice cream, everyones tastes are going to be different.
 
I've had mine for 10 years. I'm an attorney and I only wear it when it rains (I never use an umbrella). I love it.

+1. Lost in the current (general, not just here) discussion about fedoras and other brimmed hats and their trendiness is the fact that they have a utility to them. I have a felt wool fedora from Goorin Bros that I wear when it's raining (lightly, not downpours) or snowing and I have no need for an umbrella.

Also the brim helps retain heat while the crown helps dissipate heat. So my head doesn't get sweaty during my subway commute but I don't get really cold during the frigid walks.
 
I've enjoyed wearing one for decades and still do. I'm in my 60's so I don't think age is something that should concern you about what style hat you wear
 
This is 100% unfair, but IME, younger guys wearing fedoras are gigantic unapologetic toolbags. That said, I hate generalizations (even if I have yet to meet a young fedora-wearer that would change my opinion...no joke, they are batting 1.000 so far and numbering in the dozens), so wear what you like.
 
im 27 and have always sported smaller brimmed fedoras, or a trilby, its a classy addition to many an outfit. I probably own 10-15 of them
 
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Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
This is 100% unfair, but IME, younger guys wearing fedoras are gigantic unapologetic toolbags. That said, I hate generalizations (even if I have yet to meet a young fedora-wearer that would change my opinion...no joke, they are batting 1.000 so far and numbering in the dozens), so wear what you like.

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I guess we should change the tag from "press" to "toolbag".

:001_rolle
 
This is 100% unfair, but IME, younger guys wearing fedoras are gigantic unapologetic toolbags. That said, I hate generalizations (even if I have yet to meet a young fedora-wearer that would change my opinion...no joke, they are batting 1.000 so far and numbering in the dozens), so wear what you like.

Aren't they called hipsters?
 
Well, I'll say one thing. Brimmed hats serve a very functional purpose (fashion aside). They keep the weather and sun off your head. It's kind of important in a place like Ohio where the sun is either beating down on you in August or the snow is blowing and gusting (like now). Then there are the cold drizzles.... those are great. Gotta love Ohio weather!!

Ben
 
Aren't they called hipsters?

Dunno anymore….I was recently referred to as a hipster because I shave with a straight razor (not a Mach 12 with canned goo), and I care what my coffee tastes like. *** do I know? I'll say again, wear what you like. I can all but guarantee that if I ran into a fellow B&Ber in a fedora, my preconceptions and previous experience aside, we'd probably walk away friends.
 
I've had mine for 10 years. I'm an attorney and I only wear it when it rains (I never use an umbrella). I love it. Mine is black.

I also have an Akubra that I use when I'm wearing causal clothes.

Whatever you do, don't buy a cheap hat. They look terrible.

http://www.stetsonhat.com/products_detail.php?id=363

View attachment 419425

The last line is the best advice. Buy quality.

I'm 68 and have been wearing fedora type hats for about ten years now. Before that it was western types only, as that was and is about the only thing you find in my part of the country. I have a number of Akrubra hats, most bought open crown and shaped by me to my liking. I do have four custom hats, I would not recommend that route until you are comfortable wearing one all the time. I have several older Stetsons, dating back to the early 70's, on I bought for myself, then did not like it and gave it to my dad, and I got it back along with a matching black model when he died. I had them reworked with a classic type hatband from the embossed plastic band they cam with. I also have several open road models, including one of the 20x high grade models.

For summer hats, I have several Panama hats from Panama Bob, all with subtle styling differences, along with a few open road types, including a couple in genuine Panama straw vs the standard shantung type

I will not go out of the house without a hat, never a cap. Here we need sun protection on the top of the ears and back of neck as skin cancers are rather common in those areas if unprotected. It's amazing with all the information about the cancer problem that so many never take any precautions.
 
Thanks gents, great advise and discussion, I've enjoyed it. Don't stop. I have looked on several web sites and ground some hats that I like within my budget, I hope to be making a per has soon and will post pics when they arrive.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
The reaction against fedoras of late I think has more to do with punk kids (PS: get off my lawn!) playing dress-up with "their father's" clothing, and they're doing it as a sort of attention-getting statement-thing, rather than actually enjoying it for itself. Think back to the 90's when the "in thing" was to smoke a cigar (or at least hold a lit cigar and wave it around and occasionally try to blow a smoke ring.)

As long as you wear it as an adult who truly enjoys it, and not to be part of the hip crowd and be noticed, you are fine.

Ignore anything hat-related you see any current Hollywood and/or pop music celebrity doing ... or pay attention and avoid whatever it is they are doing.
 
If I ever bought a fedora, I'd need a suitable jacket to go with it. Since I usually wear fleece/ski-type jackets, I figure that I'm pushing it with leather newsboy/golf caps.
 
Aren't they called hipsters?

No, the wearing of fedoras more so is associated with the overweight, mysonigistic, militant atheist, unshaven, basement dwelling nerd.

Is that an extreme generalization and rude thing to say? Yes. That being said, a lot of people under the age of 40 wearing a fedora just look like they are trying too hard. The generalization of the fedora weares doesn't help, but that is a pretty niche market to be a part of.
 
Dunno anymore….I was recently referred to as a hipster because I shave with a straight razor (not a Mach 12 with canned goo), and I care what my coffee tastes like. *** do I know? I'll say again, wear what you like. I can all but guarantee that if I ran into a fellow B&Ber in a fedora, my preconceptions and previous experience aside, we'd probably walk away friends.

I can almost guarantee that I probably don't fit any B&B prototype. As least aesthetically speaking. LoL
 
If I ever bought a fedora, I'd need a suitable jacket to go with it. Since I usually wear fleece/ski-type jackets, I figure that I'm pushing it with leather newsboy/golf caps.

Not really. Most days in cooler weather I wear mine with a casual jacket, a Columbia windbreaker or a London Fog sort of a barn style, or a plaid shirt with a Filson wool vest, Pants are usually Dockers or something similar. I do tend to color coordinate the hat with the rest of the outfit.

Just start wearing one with whatever style you like and you will get used to it.
 
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