Winter hats

[Jay Gatsby]

I usually don't wear hats, but will want something this winter to keep warm. Stocking caps are too casual for a man who is wearing a sportcoat. Fedoras look respectable on older men but on a younger guy the impression they give off is one of novelty and eccentricity. What are winter hat alternatives for someone who is well dressed and young?

 

[jjimison]

What about some kind of russian fur hat? I've often thought an ushanka in grey rabbit fur would look awesome. Or some other kind of Ashtrakhan cossack-type job...

 

[Jay Gatsby]

Originally Posted by jjimison

What about some kind of russian fur hat? I've often thought an ushanka in grey rabbit fur would look awesome. Or some other kind of Ashtrakhan cossack-type job...

Cool hats indeed, but they have the same problem that the fedora does: on a young guy, they look too much like a novelty item.

 

[HPress]

Originally Posted by Jay Gatsby

I usually don't wear hats, but will want something this winter to keep warm. Stocking caps are too casual for a man who is wearing a sportcoat. Fedoras look respectable on older men but on a younger guy the impression they give off is one of novelty and eccentricity. What are winter hat alternatives for someone who is well dressed and young?

I haven't figured this one out yet. What do you think about flat caps?

 

[crinklecut]

Tuques are utilitarian, like a sock for your head, so frankly I couldn't care less if they're "too casual". A nice knitted one in a sober shade like charcoal will look good and keep your ears warm, unlike a fedora. Those Russian hats look too costumey to my eye.

 

[Jay Gatsby]

Originally Posted by crinklecut

Tuques are utilitarian, like a sock for your head, so frankly I couldn't care less if they're "too casual". A nice knitted one in a sober shade like charcoal will look good and keep your ears warm, unlike a fedora. Those Russian hats look too costumey to my eye.

Tuques mess up your hair on the way to work. Is there no answer for keeping the head warm in the winter time without looking like you're playing dress up?

 

[Long river]

Everyone's taste is different

 

[crinklecut]

Originally Posted by Jay Gatsby

Tuques mess up your hair on the way to work. Is there no answer for keeping the head warm in the winter time without looking like you're playing dress up?

Carry a comb?

 

[Jay Gatsby]

Originally Posted by crinklecut

Carry a comb?

I now understand your username.

 

[ysc]

Tweed or plain wool flat cap, they look fine on a younger guy and don't blow away in the wind.
You can get some with concealed fold down ear flaps for when it is very cold.

 

[lettre_de_cachet]

Jay Gatsby, how cold is in your country?

 

[crinklecut]

Originally Posted by Jay Gatsby

I now understand your username.

You mean you understand that it's an homage to my favourite way of preparing potato chips? How could you possibly have inferred that from this thread?!

 

[Jay Gatsby]

Originally Posted by lettre_de_cachet

Jay Gatsby, how cold is in your country?


down to -15 maybe

 

[hikari013]

For what its worth, here in Chicago I've seen lots of people young and old wearing ushanka hats in the winter. Might look silly with just a suit, but with the right matching overcoat I don't think it would look novelty.

 

[ktrp]

A question that cannot be answered, I fear. Several decades ago, stylish men from warmer climates decided to stop wearing hats entirely when dressed well.

Stocking caps look about as good with a suit and overcoat as running shoes do. Unfortunately, most young men stopped wearing any other sort of winter hat.

If you can look good in a fedora or similar, more power to you. I feel I would look 'costumey' wearing one with a suit. I actually think its easier to pair a traditional men's hat with streetwear and not look costumey then with a suit. Suit + fedora + overcoat = full anachronistic dress.

I'm considering going for a flat cap, as suggested above, though I haven't pulled the trigger yet. I'll probably start with a cheap one and see how I find it. If you decide to look into a nicer one, I saw someone with one made by Hanna Hats of ireland that looked terrific. They are available through that companies website in a variety of tweeds, and in both a traditional and a 'more fitted' look.

My father always wore a black Karakul hat, the sort one now sees most on central asian politicians, though I would say he wore it a little lower then they do. To me that still draws less attention then a traditional brimmed hat when paired with an overcoat in winter.