35 yrs olds - old enough to carry off a hat? - Page 4

^Better no hat than that trilby.

Simply a random choice, my friend. I know the hat is atrocious; I ask you instead to note the style.

Neither is more stylish than the other; it depends on how you're proportioned and what you plan on wearing it with.

Are there any guidelines, or do you just have to try lots of hats until you find the ones that suit you?

Generally, the size of the brim should be proportional to your head. If you have a tiny head, you don't want a big brim. If you have a massive head, you don't want a tiny brim. Other than that, I can't think of much other than to experiment.

Personally, I find it good when a hat is proportional to what your wearing, too (and of course, it should be appropriate--i.e., no straw hats with flannel in the winter). I think one can carry off a slightly bigger brim than they normally can when wearing a DB suit or an overcoat, for example. But that much is just my own opinion.

Yes, there are guidelines. However, I do recommend trying on lots of hats so you can see what works best for you and whether or not you're happy with what's on your head. For the guidelines: http://www.millerhats.com/hatcare_index/hatfaces.html http://www.millerhats.com/hatcare_index/hatcolor.html In terms of pricing, the best deals are in the $100-$200 range. Above $200 you're better off getting one custom made while anything under $100 is usually crap.

+1.

Also I would not recommend going custom for your first hat, unless you're absolutely sure what you want. But do get a hat from a line with proper sizing -- no Small-Medium-Large nonsense. Stetson, Akubra, and Biltmore are all around $150 for rabbit felt hats. Don't pay the premium for a beaver felt factory hat; a custom hat is not much more.

There are some suggestions at this link: http://www.felthats.com/hats_info/style.html

I'm sure it does look good with an outer coat; it's much "easier" (and to me more appropriate) to wear a hat with a coat than with a suit alone (as you mention here). That way there's a practical as well as a stylistic reason for wearing it. The time when the overcoats and raincoats come out is a good time to consider wearing a hat.
(A summer Panama would obviously be worn without a coat - but there is a practical reason for wearing that as well.)

Actually you can get Akubras for much cheaper if you buy them off of Australian online retailers depending on the model of course. I've found the Akubras to be way more hardy but less flashy than Stetsons or Biltmores.

With this in mind I've finally come out of the hat closet...

Red Hat, White Hat, Not right hat.

I can't see anything but you avatar.