Fedora Brands (Borsalino v. Stetson v. Makins)

Originally Posted by mktitsworth

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You're never too young for a good hat. If it's done well with a good brim and something that suits you, I, personally, think a hat is a wonderful accessory that lets you remain classic while standing out... especially a good hat amongst the what-I'm-wearing-barely-counts-as-a-fedora-in-look-and-not-at-all-in-quality hipster crowd.

Originally Posted by sartorialism

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+1. No one will mistake you for a hipster if you wear a quality hat that fits well. They might mistake you for Italian, Jewish, rich or stylish"”but not a hipster.

I think I'll start educating myself about this brimmed hat thing. For now I wear a tweed ivy cap when I need to look presentable.

You'd be a lot better off, pal, by contacting the Custom Hatter based in Buffalo, NY. He's the guy who did Indiana Jones' fedora. Do a Google search and you'll find him. He made me a custom fedora for me for around $300 and some change about 13 years ago and it fits like a glove. The best part is all I had to do was send them the circumference of my noggin and two pics and he did the rest. If you wear fedoras, you need to deep six the OTR crap and get a custom hat from the custom hatter!

Originally Posted by Felix Krull

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You'd be a lot better off, pal, by contacting the Custom Hatter based in Buffalo, NY. He's the guy who did Indiana Jones' fedora. Do a Google search and you'll find him. He made me a custom fedora for me for around $300 and some change about 13 years ago and it fits like a glove. The best part is all I had to do was send them the circumference of my noggin and two pics and he did the rest. If you wear fedoras, you need to deep six the OTR crap and get a custom hat from the custom hatter!
The place that made the hats for the latest film is adventurebilt, and the guy (Steve Delk) behind them posts over on the Fedora Lounge. He's got the entire story on his website here. There is a custom guy in Buffalo who's reportedly quite good, but from what I understand, he's not the guy who did the original film hats. But the premium stuff that they made for the film don't come cheap.

Originally Posted by sartorialism

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But the hats all of you are suggesting are quite pricey relative to these hats!

Never, never take quantity over quality. Save your money and buy one good custom made hat and add more as your budget allows. Borsalinos made before the mid 70s are just as good as most of today's custom made hats. Start with a brown fedora, add a black fedora and then get a good quality panama.

Originally Posted by sartorialism

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But the hats all of you are suggesting are quite pricey relative to these hats!

Agreed and are you all not supposed to be giving your opinions on Makin hats instead ?

Originally Posted by Fred H.

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Art Fawcett and Vintage Silhouettes... Art's hats run a little over $300

Again, 300 is above my range. Also, I'm not crazy about most of his models. Although the Jazzman is awesome!

Originally Posted by hatguy

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would also consider penman hats which is custom for your head shape/size, felt, ribbon etc.

These are really beautiful. But again, above my range. Especially because I won't order my first hat from the guy long-distance. Maybe if I could get one I could try on, touch, feel, etc., I'd consider it...

Originally Posted by cptjeff

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Also, Akubra.

I'm talking about business/dress/sex/style fedoras. Not crocodile-hunter gear!

Originally Posted by mktitsworth

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...Peters Bros. Hats.

I don't see pics of their custom hats. Their Borsalino prices are meh...

Originally Posted by Felix Krull

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YCustom Hatter based in Buffalo, NY.

Some of these hats are ugly, but some are beautiful. I liked the High Crown, Longhair Gambler (but not IRL"”just stunning in aesthetic type of way), Montecristi (but that all depends on the feel of the straw"”there's no way to judge a straw hat by pics alone), Three-point Diamond, Indie, and the Moonshine.

Originally Posted by sartorialism

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Again, 300 is above my range. Also, I'm not crazy about most of his models. Although the Jazzman is awesome!


Art has a few RTW hats that you can just buy, true, but the bulk of his stuff is pure custom. You decide what you want, you don't have to settle for what he has available.

Oh, and as for trying on custom hats- you don't. They (well, at least Art does) send you a purpose made device to measure the shape of your head. it accounts for the exact shape, as well as any bumps and irregularities. Fit wouldn't be a question.

Though I do understand the price range bit- which is why I suggested akubra. Find a model you like, there are plenty available- fedora, ceo, hampton, stylemaster, trilby, whippet are some models I would say to look at, not knowing what's a good fit for your face.

I'm talking about business/dress/sex/style fedoras. Not crocodile-hunter gear!

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I do understand the price range bit- which is why I suggested akubra. Find a model you like, there are plenty available- fedora, ceo, hampton, stylemaster, trilby, whippet are some models I would say to look at, not knowing what's a good fit for your face. Or, of course, the Fed IV that so obsesses the Fedora Lounge folk.

what about huckel hats? anyone with any info =)?

Originally Posted by sartorialism

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These are really beautiful. But again, above my range. Especially because I won't order my first hat from the guy long-distance. Maybe if I could get one I could try on, touch, feel, etc., I'd consider it...


J.J. Hat Center has a line by Selentino (made in Czech) that are $150. http://www.jjhatcenter.com/madison-b...no-p-2382.html

Should be available on DC somewhere.

lefty

Originally Posted by ThinkDerm

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what about huckel hats? anyone with any info =)?


Tell me you're kidding... The ones I've seen are garbage.

I promised pics, so here goes. This is my hat collection, excluding one black hat which is currently inaccessible. First up, this is a 100% wool J. Press hat. Mainly for the cold as it doesn't have all that much style. But it aint bad either. Next up is my Statson for Brooks Brothers, which I don't love but I kinda like, too. It' rabbit fur. This is a vintage Borsalino beaver (?) long-fur fedora. Truly stunning, but it's too small on me, so I'll try flipping it here soon (if you want it, feel free to PM me). This here is a rabbit fur Borsalino As for Makins... This first one is my favorite. Rabbit fur: These are Rabbit as well: This one is a wool/fur blend: Now, for Brooks Brothers, I just got this hat last week and I love it. But I can't figure out who makes it for Brooks Brothers (the only tag is BB). It's made in Italy, so it can't be Stetson, but it doesn't look like a Borsalino, either. Suggestions? It's also rabbit fur. It's blue, but the pictures suck so that's hard to discern...

Originally Posted by cptjeff

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Also, Akubra. If you thought the Stetson was too stiff (I'll probably soften up a fair deal), you won't like them at the start, but I'm told that they really break in. Durable as hell, apparently. And the Fed IV (a special for hatsdirect) is a favorite of the fedora lounge, which I would recommend you spend some time on.

Stetson breaks in really well.

Originally Posted by sartorialism

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AI'm talking about business/dress/sex/style fedoras. Not crocodile-hunter gear!

You ******** with your hats!

Originally Posted by cptjeff

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Art has a few RTW hats that you can just buy, true, but the bulk of his stuff is pure custom. You decide what you want, you don't have to settle for what he has available.

Oh, and as for trying on custom hats- you don't. They (well, at least Art does) send you a purpose made device to measure the shape of your head. it accounts for the exact shape, as well as any bumps and irregularities. Fit wouldn't be a question.

Though I do understand the price range bit- which is why I suggested akubra. Find a model you like, there are plenty available- fedora, ceo, hampton, stylemaster, trilby, whippet are some models I would say to look at, not knowing what's a good fit for your face.



I do understand the price range bit- which is why I suggested akubra. Find a model you like, there are plenty available- fedora, ceo, hampton, stylemaster, trilby, whippet are some models I would say to look at, not knowing what's a good fit for your face. Or, of course, the Fed IV that so obsesses the Fedora Lounge folk.

My oval head thanks you for this information.

Originally Posted by Master Squirrel

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You ******** with your hats!