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#1 2008-03-03 19:04:57
- tom22
- Member
- Posts: 295
The lure of the Fedora
I know there is an Indiana Jones movie coming in May. and I know there is a website called the Fedora Lounge. But I'm not sure that is it.
For some reason I was drawn to the Delmonico Hat Shop in New Haven this weekend with my best female friend. I threatened to buy a straw boater for summer (my concious reason for attending). But the more hats I looked at, and the more compliments I received from the salesman and my best friend the more I was drawn to the stylish fedora. In the end I succummed to the lure of not the pricey Borsalino but the fully lined, stylish, fur Fedora from Stetson. reasonably priced in excess of a c note, I suddenly became convinced I wouldn't be truly stylish without a fedora.(OK, I was in a hat shop that I hadn't entered since I was in law school.) My dear friend said that, back in the day, clearly the 50s, her mother had convinced the owner (the shop now owned by the son, or possibly the grandson) to stock more women's hats. they still had a few. Not as many as Lock's, though.
They did have a brief article with pics about fedoras at the ultra, ultra NY Observer today. The men, whoever they were, looked way stylish, a distinct throwback, but possibly a future trend.
I may be insane, but I think this may be the decade of the hat. I officially declare it so. Of course I bought the damn hat, in a gray color (clay, I think) that I was assured would go with anything. and how happy am I? I own a fur felt fedora, fully lined, and a couple of people think it is stylish. and I do too.The lure of the Fedora, once you try one on, that is a lure that can only be compared to the Sirens of Greek mythology. The Fedora, men might go to New Haven to try on a hat in a genuine hat shop. That is one very desirable lure, that Fedora lure in New Haven.
Last edited by tom22 (2008-03-03 19:53:41)
#2 2008-03-03 19:43:12
- tom22
- Member
- Posts: 295
Re: The lure of the Fedora
34 posts and no reply. I do live in a world of voyeurs. very disturbing. and the post is all about hats. Creeps.
#3 2008-03-03 19:59:08
- Coolidge
- Member
- Posts: 1192
Re: The lure of the Fedora
I have a classic Brooks fedora...grey with black band. I feel too young to wear it, as much as I love the way it looks.
I have a wide-brimmed panama I bought from the old fellow at Del Monico's a few years before he died. It seems pure costume, very 30s, but I have worn it on such 'fun' occasions as was appropriate.
My boater is actually a DelMonico's stock as well, but it's quite old, my maternal grandfather had it I think since the 40s, the logo on the inside band is fading but unmistakably from that New Haven store.
The only hat I feel I can get away with is a short-brimmed straw one (brown straw, not white like the panama), it has that circular indentation around a center raised middle, rather like the Sinatra short-brims. If I ever got another fedora it'd be like this one. For some reason it seems more plausible than the classic I have to wear as someone under 40.
But I'd have to say my most worn hat is a porkpie...my substitute for the summer baseball cap...a seersucker, madras, or polo shirt untucked over Bermuda shorts and that thing on my head.
Last edited by Coolidge (2008-03-03 19:59:41)
#4 2008-03-03 20:25:31
- tom22
- Member
- Posts: 295
Re: The lure of the Fedora
well, at least he is not a voyeur. But I pronounce an official pronouncement. The Fedora is an element of style today.
Ignore this at the peril of being seen in public wearing a baseball cap.
The style is the hat, and the hat is a fur felt fedora.
#5 2008-03-03 21:33:09
- Horace
- Member
- Posts: 6433
Re: The lure of the Fedora
Delmonico has a great-type face and nice old shop. I was turned off by the dumb kid working there who didn't know or care about hats. But I'm sure I got it on a bad day. Another old place like that is Meyer's in New Orleans. I like some of the Stetson styles. They do special make ups for certain stores. I can't imagine having more than a few hats. My favorite, as I've mentioned is the voyager at Lock. Though a few others are contenders.
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#6 2008-03-04 02:19:35
- Taylor McIntyre
- Son of Ivy...
- Posts: 342
Re: The lure of the Fedora
Are you out there, Charlie?
Mr. 'Gladhatter' would be great on this thread.
#8 2008-03-04 13:32:29
- captainpreppy
- Member
- Posts: 1536
Re: The lure of the Fedora
For a number of years I wore a fedora almost constantly whenever I was out and about. In the past year or so, I have moved away from it. I still wear a sporty fedora whenever I am out in the elements for any length of time, as when walking the dog, and I will wear a more dressy fedora in cool weather when I do actually feel the need for a head covering.
However, in mild weather, if I am not going to be outside for any protracted period, wearing a hat has come to strike me as a costume-ish affectation. I think what really turned me off were all the costume boys in their fedoras in the first couple of issues of "Classic Style: magazine, which, BTW, seems to have bitten the dust.
#11 2008-03-05 04:25:25
- Horace
- Member
- Posts: 6433
Re: The lure of the Fedora
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#16 2008-03-05 20:31:49
- tom22
- Member
- Posts: 295
Re: The lure of the Fedora
to get back to the thread. I was impressed with the Stetsons. They did have a Stetson Imperial model that seemed like a luxe hat. The one I bought seemed fine. I didn't try on the Borsalinos. May be next visit. But if you buy Black and Gray and maybe Navy, that does seem to exhaust the possibilities of the fedora. But you probably need to own one. at least when an Indiana Jones movie comes out.
#17 2008-03-05 21:47:10
- tom22
- Member
- Posts: 295
Re: The lure of the Fedora
The eldery salesman who was born in the Islands only works 3 days a week. You have to go when he is there. As old school as you could imagine.
The hats are there and you get a soft sell as you can possibly imagine. i think they make most sales on the net. The store is a 100 years old, and they still sell hats. I think I will buy a boater just to irritate all of my friends. t
#18 2008-03-06 01:21:37
- Taylor McIntyre
- Son of Ivy...
- Posts: 342
Re: The lure of the Fedora
That's the spirit, Tom!
A 'Go-To-Hell' hat maybe? 
(Tom Wolfe has a lot to answer for...)
Best -
#21 2008-03-07 18:19:11
- tom22
- Member
- Posts: 295
Re: The lure of the Fedora
I guess hats are dead. nobody wants to write about the lure of the fedora. I hope this thread will be revived when the Indiana Jones movie (partly filmed in New Haven) comes out on Memorial Day.
#22 2008-03-09 17:53:51
- Horace
- Member
- Posts: 6433
Re: The lure of the Fedora
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.
#23 2008-03-10 02:15:57
- Taylor McIntyre
- Son of Ivy...
- Posts: 342
Re: The lure of the Fedora
Last edited by Russell_Street (2008-03-10 02:19:31)
#24 2008-03-10 02:37:59
- Horace
- Member
- Posts: 6433
Re: The lure of the Fedora
""This is probably the last Deb season...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." - W. Stillman.