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A Sears catalogue from 1950 lists Pilgrim hats ranging in price from around $3.00 to $8.00 which in today's dollars is around 40.00 to $100.00. Hats were not a cheap item. Most working class men owned only one at any one time and took care of it because $50 bucks is a lot of money to drop on a fashion accessory.
I Like Crowns What's Your Opinion On Wearing A Crown In Public? You See I Like To Feel Like I'm Royalty Even Tho I'm Not... My Persona Is A King Of Demons:D As A Furry Tho I Still Like The Natural Feeling Of Furred Fabric Like A Furry/Fluffy Hat Or Say A Feathered Fedora:P
i have a couple custom hats so they fit me as much as i fit them since the fit, shape, color, and small details are all made to compliment my features and sensibilities. I live in NYS and wear a pure beaver outback style cowboy hat which isn’t common for us yanks but nobody really sees it as super outlandish because it seems like i’ve been wearing my hats all my life even if they’re new
As someone who designs clothes I like and then make (with invaluable help from my seamstress mother) I can't stress this enough. The biggest reason you can't find any boots for men higher than the ankle (and god forbid if it's fluffy and warm!) is because few dare to wear them. But that makes nobody make them. So even if you try to find one, you can't, so it's difficult to start wearing some things you want to. But at least with many things, if there's a will there's a way, so making your own clothes is a good skill. Unfortunately, leather boots are a bit difficult for me.
What have found, as a lifelong hat wearer, is that “hat people” find each other in a crowd. There may be a conversation about hats or just a nod of mutual recognition / respect, but we find each other. A quality hat sets you apart. And can often be a conversation starter.
As someone who hasn't left home without a hat for more or less my entire adult life, I get this. They keep the sun out of my eyes and the rain off my head. My current everyday wearer is a heavy wide-brimmed brown leather hat that I actually made myself earlier this spring. I had always wanted one like it, but could never find anything commercially made with that size of brim and material weight, and having one made custom by a hatmaker was outside of my budget, but buying the materials, tools, and a template off of Etsy to do it myself was not. I spent the better part of a month working on it in the evenings after work and had to redo the crown once because I messed up the symmetry on the vent grommets. One side of the crown is still slightly mushed, and the wire in the brim never sits flat, but I think it gives the hat its own character that it wouldn't have if I had found it on a shelf or had it made to perfection. I regularly get comments on it, and I always grin a little when people go "Really?" when I tell them I made it myself.
I agree with your hat character statement. I live close to the Hatco hat factory in Garland TX and go to their outlet store for mine. None are perfect and they all have a unique character to them. My best is a 30X Stetson in Natural for $150. The felt isn’t a smooth color, there is one patch that is a little gray.
As a milliner for womens hats I love helping a customer find their hat style. All of my hats are indiviually hand made on my collection of vintage wooden hat blocks mostly from the 1930s and 1940s. A fun challenge is always to have someone say 'I cannot wear hats' and then have them leave with their new favorite accessory that is just the perfect finishing touch to their outfit or style. The process is what I enjoy most. Making hats personal is such fun...matching colours or fabrics to specific outfits or recycling a favorite family broach or scarf as part of the new creation. So much to experiment with that every customer is a new adventure. I love making hats.
Last year I bought a Stetson kind of as a joke but mostly because I was tired of getting sunburned on a certain part of my head. Since then I get random comments from strangers saying how they like my hat. I also find that I stand a little differently and am just a little more polite. A good hat will have more effect than you realize.
Adam, what a great video. My wife is milliner, and something we hear SO much is "I don't look good in hats." This is the biggest fallacy. It's like saying "I don't look good in shirts." You have to try on different kinds of hats, and you WILL find one that suits you. It just takes some trial and error. A good hat store/milliner will help you find a hat that not only suits your face and style, but also suits what you want to do with it. Do you want to wear it out in the town? Do you want to wear it when you go for long walks? The "why" of a hat is just as important as the "what kind".
I could listen to this for hours. Always wanted to be a hat person but cringed whenever I tried one on, then I decided to bite the bullet and buy a relatively expensive Akubra for a cowgirl halloween costume. Within a week I was absorbing all the hat knowledge I could get, completely reshaping it to my preferences and I'm so in love with it. I've also bought a couple of old ruined hats (crushed, oil-stained, hole-ridden) to restore and they come up amazing with just a few hours effort. I do also find fedoras hard to enjoy now, but there are so many other styles to choose from!
Mr. Savage... As an avid hat wearing citizen. This video has made me smile and giddy with my utmost respect for you. I have been a massive fan of Aegean Greek fisherman caps for more than a decade and will never go back. Just the thought process of picking a hat that imbodies your soul is very important to me, and more people who are afraid of the hat concept really need to watch this video. Thank you for everything you and the tested team do, and keep up the great work. (I am in no way affiliated with the Aegean hat company)
I’ve had kind of an opposite thing to what types are presented. I’ve had a wide hat for backpacking that I’ve used for years and loved, but I’ve never liked baseball caps. Recently though, I found one with a design that I loved, and got it despite my distain. After a few months of wearing it I can now say I love it, I really like how it feels and I look. Oh and PS you totally do rock the fedora better than anyone else
I was never a fan of baseball caps, but when I started welding I was turned onto welders caps, and that became my go-to for daily wear. They're comfortable, you can get them in virtually any color/pattern/etc as long as it's cotton, they're fairly inexpensive, and you can throw them in the wash with your regular laundry.
As you discussed the reactions you get from wearing a hat for the first few weeks, I was reminded of the very similar comments thrown my way when I began wearing a beard. Especially from family. "You've got dirt on your face." "I wish you'd get rid of that thing." "You don't look like you anymore." Eventually, they warmed up to it. I am aiming for the Gandalf look, but I have to put up with all the Santa comparisons for a few more years. 😅
I didn't like my beard at first, but it grew on me. :P Thirteen years ago a young lady I was sweet on said she liked beards, now she's my wife and I've only shaved it off once, and hated the naked face it revealed.
I go through stages every year with facial hair. Most of the summer months I'll sport short stubble just cause I don't like being completely clean shaven because it's practical/ keeps me cooler and because it's higher maintenance then if I were to shave every single day. During the cooler months I'll usually grow a beard out for a few months. Currently rocking a huge "Dali" inspired moustache at the moment though. I often find if I'm getting compliments on certain facial hair styles I'll stick with them for a bit longer, more often then not I'll get bored and change it up.
I would add, you can change how a hat looks on you by how you wear it, tilt it up or to the side, etc. the look changes a lot depending on how much forehead you show.
After watching this series for a few years, THIS video is the one that made me subscribe and hit the like button. I can relate to what Adam says 100%. I am so lost without a cover, I even have to wear a men's ascot cap to funerals and weddings in churches. (yes they are appropriate) Two things I want to ad about newcomers to the hat game. 1, the brim or bill that gives you shade for your eyes and/or rain diversion for your eyes and glasses should you wear them, also gives a blind spot above your line of sight in tight quarters. So you will bump your head from time to time as you missed that object that the brim/bill hides from your peripheral. 2, if you still have hair, remember it will grow back. Don't be afraid to cut and/or style your hair to accommodate your new choice for head gear. Often newcomers to the world of wearing a hat/cap will quit or change to a different style that they do not prefer simply because the hair style does not work with it. Don't be afraid to experiment. I'm 61 years old. I have old color slides of me wearing a hat at 3 years old and have never been able to go anywhere without one. I simply can not function outside my house without a cover that has a bill or brim over my eyes. So thank you Adam for this most awesome video and advice to a new comer to the awesome world of wearing head gear.
I have a habit that works well for me. I go for substance over style and then let substance become a style all its own. My selection process for most garments goes like this. 1. WHat do I need the garment to accomplish? 2. What options do I have that will nominally accomplish this within my budget and my sensibilities? 3. Which of those options is quirkier than the others? How so? What message does that send? 4. Which of those more eccentric options fits my needs best? 5. Which of those more eccentric options do I like the best? Then I pull the trigger on that. I stick to it for a while and I have functionality as an excuse to cover up any initial shortcomings or perception thereof. I kept getting badly sunburnt on top of my head after I started to bald. So I needed something to protect my scalp and nominally my head, neck, and face from the sun as I started spending more time outdoors. There were options, but the kind that worked best for me was going to be something with a wide brim. I wasn't feeling the traditional cattleman or fedora look, and I live in the midwest where it gets pretty hot in the summer. So I selected an inexpensive mass-produced Stetson wool blend crushable gambler with a telescope crown. I got the fit perfect somehow, without trying it on. I got lucky. YOu should try it on before buying it. At first, I got a few crooked smiles, but after a year, any time I didn't have the hat, someone would ask, "WHere's your hat? I like that hat."
I have been wearing Akubra hats for 30 years. The reason people don’t wear hats today is that society is not set up for them. The hats worked when people walked and there were hat racks and button shirts. Now we drive and fly and have t-shirts and it is hard to wear them. I did just get a new hat that fits like a glove. I’ll be wearing hats for a long time to come.
Oh, I have a big problem with a size of ready to wear hats - usually they're too small for my head (same thing about safety helmets and so on). And recently, in the clothing shop there was a nice black classic hat, that I tried, it was just the right size. I was not sure for some reason and put it back on the shelf and immediately some person took it and started to try in front of the mirror. That was the moment I realized -- I need this hat. I was standing there, crossing my fingers waiting for the guy to put it back. I am so happy now :)
My daily hat is an Australian oilskin canvas hat. It pairs well with my duster. Both of which are essential this time of year in the PNW. I have had alot of people call me The Undertaker but thats cool by me.
I regularly wear a leather Jacaru hat with the croc teeth when I'm working, and it's usually paired with a Utilikilt loaded down with tools. I wanted a full-brim hat for work, being primarily a cap person before this, and I didn't feel like an American-style cowboy hat suited me at all, but since I was born in Australia (but only lived there for 6 months), I had an easy built-in defense if someone got weird about it. I regularly get compliments on that outfit, too
I'm a ball cap wearer also I had a easy transition to a hats in the belfry porkpie. The low top and small brem was a good stepping off point to something bigger.
This might be my favourite Adam Savage video ever. It really resonated with me, as a person who has always, for as long as I can remember, *wanted* to wear hats but always felt too self-conscious to. Hats are complicated! The semiotics of the different styles, what any particular hat might be saying about you - and yes, the fear of negative comments. I guess it's because they're now a rare accessory, outside of baseball caps or beanies. If you wear an older style, you're going to stand out! And I lost the nerve somewhere along the way. Then I finally got old enough to become one of the elder invisibles (and moved to a city where no-one cares what you wear), and decided to just get over it. Still working on it! Now I just make sure the hat knows who's boss and to hell with anyone who thinks it's funny-lookin'!
Reading an article that explicitly says "Everyone stop doing this, except specifically you, _____ ____" and calls to you by name must be such a surreal experience. It must feel you're in the Truman Show or something.
My grandfather lived all through the great hat era of the 20th century, the 20s through to the early 60s, and could never wear a hat. No matter what hat he tried on, it always made him look ridiculous. So, he never wore one. His father, my great grandfather, was the sheriff of their small town and he wore a pith helmet everywhere he went. He was known for that pith helmet.
It took me going through a handful of makers before I found an Indy hat that fit me and had the look I wanted. So for those struggling to find one, don’t give up! I even have multiple hats from the same maker, and they each have their own uniqueness.
my hatter worked on last crusade, he did a few of the mobster hats from the start but he apprenticed under the hatter who made the indie hats, so my hatter makes indie replicas and got 10 orders for indie hats when the dial of destiny trailer dopped
I was in Devon in the West Country of England and visited a clothes/ department shop that had been a family business for over 120 years. I was lucky enough to meet the grandson of the first owner of the company who was now an older man. We talked about hats as he was a hat maker/ seller for decades. Truly fascinating to talk to him. I purchased a fedora (not a very expensive one) and it’s still my favourite hat to wear but as Adam says here I don’t think I’ve truly allowed it to be absorbed into my character but I love wearing it. Here’s hoping more people wear classic hats like this :)
One thing people always underestimate with hats, is that it actually takes courage to wear it. You're going to stick out in a crowd, people are going to point out the fact that you're wearing a hat, and they're going to ask questions about it. Just remember that hats come in different sizes. So just like with cloth, a great looking hat can still look bad on you if the fit is wrong. If you choose to wear a hat, be confident about it! Imagine that people are thinking something positive when they look at you, because they most likely are. Wearing a hat is a lot like wearing a leather jacket, it gets an identity of its own and becomes a part of you. Hats are great conversations starters, and they give you more identity. Just make sure to buy one that fits your head and your style.
A few months back I was asked, "Are you dressed like Freddy Krueger?" I responded, with my big black fedora and Black & White shirt, "I think it's the Hamburgler." 🤣
I am no hat aficionado, but I do wear a variety of different hats at various times. One of the things I like most about wearing a good hat, besides as Adam mentions regarding how it makes you feel, is that hats have a special affordance few other wearables posses... we can gesture with them! A hat allows for so many extra and sometimes exceedingly subtle gestures and expressions that we can't really accomplish without them. No one ever mentions this when talking about enjoying wearing hats but it seems to me like a major feature. Cheers (and tip of the hat to you).
It started when i totally burned my face while traveling years ago and had to get shade. Thought i looked silly. Two weeks later i got used to the feeling and now going outdoors without hat is like going out naked. Most are from South African brand Rogue, leather in winter, canvas in fall and a leather/mesh. breezy in summer.
Im not from America but had the chance to experience Line Dancing at a bar my coworkers took me too. Everyone was rocking cowboy gear and hats and I was then introduced to the deep rabbit hole that are cowboy hats! I’ve yet to pick one up but I gained a new appreciation for them outside of just movies.
A good company to buy is Akubra hats - they are basically the Australian Stetson and make from rabbit fur. I have one and I love it, they are great quality and they have a variety of styles from fedora to more western cowboy style. I was looking for a hat but not finding one I liked, then I found their Territory one in green - bought it on the spot and love it. And yes, people will make comments - just remember that if it is a snide comment, it is because they can't pull off wearing the hat themselves.
I had a bow!er that I absolutely adored. Wore the hell out of it until my stupid butt accidentally shrank it. I had no idea about felt hat care, and it got SOAKED in a down pour. I also loved my bell cloche that mysteriously disappeared at an event. I now mostly exclusively wear ball caps and beanies. My authentic redheaded self burns, and hates being cold.
I rarely wear hats these days, Usually just a rainy day ball cap, but I had some when I was younger. My all time favorite was a brown corduroy pork pie style, much like golfers wear. One that immediately looked and felt right was marked as a "Greek Fisherman's Hat". Unfortunately, I didn't have the money to buy it that day.
I started wearing my hat (a scala crushable outback) and just not giving a damn what anyone else thought about it. People responded to it positively. I also have a wide brim Panama I use during the summer months that's a similar shape
Years and years ago I bought a canvas Aussie slouch hat at the San Diego Zoo. Loved it. Wore it everywhere. Mostly outside, but also when traveling. It was looking pretty worn. One weekend I was working at my Rocky Mountain cabin and left the hat sitting on the big propane tank. The next weekend it was gone. About a month later I learned the neighbor's dog, who adored me, found the hat, took it home, and slept on it outside. It'd shrunk past usability. Then I bought a cheap cowboy hat at the Colorado State Fair. Not as cool as an Aussie slouch hat, and I mostly wore it outside to protect my head from the weather. Hiking up the west face of Pikes Peak at midnight (on the night of the full moon), when I got lost in the woods. Found myself at treeline on the northwest corner of Son of Sentinel (broad peak directly north of Sentinel Point). My legs were wobbly and scrambling through a boulder field I lost my balance and fell backwards, the hat landing on my face. I tossed it aside (temporarily), found my second trekking pole which had gone flying, and continued on my way. About the time I reached the summit of Son of Sentinel, I realized I didn't have my hat. Well screw it. I was too tired to descend into the boulder field to look for a cheap hat. I wanted another Aussie slouch hat, so I did a bit of research. Discovered that Akubra is one of the official suppliers of slouch hats to the Australian Army. David Morgan is the US importer for Akubra and so I did a little shopping. Akubra also supplied the Crocodile Dundee hat for the movies, which they stopped making years ago. But if you like that look you can start with a Snowy River model in black, rebash it to take out the pinch in front, then get a crocodile hatband & teeth from David Morgan (it is remarkably hard to transport certain animal products across international borders, so these bands came from farmed US crocodiles). Turns out the slouch hat is just a bit over the size limit for cheap shipping, and it comes unbashed (each Army Unit creates their own bash). Since I wasn't 100% sure of size, not sure of my ability to bash a hat (or where to get it done), I went with the Cattlemen model which I love! Still have that hat, but my girlfriend is getting me a Territory model for Christmas. Huzzah! Someday I'll get a slouch hat.
One type of hat I can highly recommend is a panama hat for the summer time, or if you are living in a warmer climate. Very versatile & can be worn with almost anything, but will of course look best with a cotton or linen suit or at least some lighter coloured slacks and a dress shirt. Also, because it is a straw hat it doesn't get the usual childish scorn that traditional hats normally receive these days.
I find that when people talk down on fedora wearers (and "fedora beards"), they are almost always thinking of trilbies. And particularly narrow-brimmed trilbies, at that. As someone who often wears true fedoras, and other similar wide-brimmed hats, I don't feel like I typically suffer from the same judgments.
I am a big fan. Worked in them for decades. Wear them daily when I leave the house. So many reasons to make it a daily routine. Keeps the sun & rain off your head. It helps to keep the glasses clean.
I gabbed a brown felt Bailey at a hat store in Oklahoma City, it is a cowboy hat, slightly upturned brim, as soon as the fall arrived I began wearing it again, love it, keeps the sun out of my eyes at sunrise and sunset, and during fall winter weather it also, and most importantly keeps my head warm outdoors. Recently it was blown off my head, across a farm field, and it was nothing to put on a dirty hat that had acquired class in action.
Completely get it, especially the sharp point forming on the fedora. I have a leather fedora, bought it some 40 yrs ago. The front has narrowed from grabbing my hat my the front every time. Now, my go to hat is a Tilley. It was the last Christmas gift from my dad, bought at s tire on Pier 39.
If you've never worn hats before and all of a sudden you start wearing one, particularly one of the vintage variety, you WILL get the crooked looks from your friends and family. DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED!! It will take them time to accept your new look and before you know it, your hat will become a part of your normal personality and appearance. Stick to it!!!!!
My go-to hat for hiking, rail-fanning, thresherman's meets, etc. is a Filson "Tin Cloth Packer Hat", it's waxwear, so it's water resistant if it rains, and sturdy as all get out.
And many years ago, when staffing at model railroad trade shows, I had my Conductor's Hat, customized with the brass nametag for my own fictional railroad. Made folks remember who you were!
My go to is a Montana Peak (park ranger or Canadian Mountie). My first one was essentially a costume supply shop and my current one is a custom hand made and hand steamed one. The first few months were rough but I stuck it through. Now when I don't wear it I get asked where the hat is. Just have to find the style that fits you best. 100% agree on having someone providing feedback too.
Adam, great post. You're exactly right...just start wearing it. I'm in my late 60's but didn't start wearing hats until a few years ago. I've always liked them and have fond memories of my grandfathers, mother, and a few uncles wearing them when I was a kid. Living in Texas and being exposed to brutal sunlight, my dermatologist lectures me about keeping my head covered. So now I own about a dozen different types from fedoras, cowboy, Akubras, Stetson Stratoliner, Panama, and flat caps. I like them all and wear the one that fits the weather and how I'm dressed. I get compliments from people who I never thought would notice. You've got to wear your hat with confidence and that'll grow the longer you wear it.
I have a nice Fedora that I wear. It's my third from the same company (13 or so years now). It was pretty much a "yeah, that's exactly what I want" and it fit great. I then bought a porkpie (for wearing with my suits). It was a cheaper hat... looked nice, but didn't last long. I wanted a nice bowler, so my family bought me one for Christmas a few years ago... I hated it (but wouldn't say anything). It fit horribly... I tried to wear it to break it in or adjust to it. Nope. I watched one of Adams videos on hat care... went and bought a stretcher and brush set. It took about a month of being on the stretcher... and now that bowler fits great and I wear it often (typically with suits).
The Mythbusters hat is legendary, +50 charisma. For a long time I wondered if Adam had ever swapped out the hat because I thought maybe it could've been damaged but knowing now that he's always had it makes it iconic. I feel like something is off balance whenever he wears a different hat (not that they don't look good I just always expect _that_ one to be on his head.)
Also worth mentioning: Tilley hats (no affiliation). More utilitarian, and easier to start with because they look less like a fashion choice and more a practical one (i.e. keep off the sun or the rain)...
I have always been a hat person! There's no longer an occasion (At least in my life) where custom demands a hat, so I wear different styles depending on how I'm feeling. I totally agree with Adam's advice, but one thing to add. If you're buying a traditional blocked hat like a cowboy or Indy hat go the extra mile and get one made of fur felt, not wool felt which will shrink as soon as it gets rained on. Fur felt shrinks too, but you can stretch it back and reshape it and it will last decades
As an American of Scottish descent who frequently wears a kilt, casually and formally, it's mostly about just having the confidence to wear it. I get tons of compliments on it, it's a conversation starter, I like how it gives me better posture if not a wee bit of swagger, and it connects me to my homeland.
Got 5 Indy hats lol as you said, they're all very different even tho the same. Most expensive doesn't always mean best for you. Always ask yourself "Where am I wearing this?" as in temperature and climate and weather. That will tell you what material to focus on. I say everyone should bash at least one hat for themselves. You can get your exact feel for it, it will be unique to you.
My friend says hats are hat shaped not head shaped and there should be at least two points of contract on the head Streaming hats can make them softer and mailable that's when you shape it to your head
I’ve started wearing an Akubra, absolutely love it. I’m British so it’s extremely niche to wear Australian style hats. I can’t explain how exiting it was when someone recognised the brand
Years ago a”gentleman” never went out without a hat. I’ve always liked the “Indiana” style hat. They always looked so dressy. When Dad drove in the early years of his trucking career, he wore what was referred to as a “double clutcher” hat. This was also required by regulation, there wore “chauffeur” pins that they wore over the left ear. It’s too bad this custom has died away.
My favorite hat is my original Outback Hat in traditional material. I also have a very nice Henchel, panama sort of style, that I wear when it is warm.
I prefer to go with 'Blade extra', which I think is a step up from the 'Matrix extra' look I had through my 20s. At least for winter, anyway. It's too hot for thick leather coats in summer, so that changes my look to 'metalhead'. I've also been likened to a vampire slayer, which I think is pretty neat. I'll probably lean into that a bit more when I've lost a little weight.
I just recently started wearing a hat. We were at a leather shop, and I was looking for a jacket. However, I saw this hat on a rack. It's $150, way more than I ever had considered spending on anything other than shoes or a jacket. But damn, it looked good and fit perfectly. I had to grab it, and I love it. I'm not 100% sure everyone else thinks it looks as good on me as I feel in it, but I've gotten some good comments from some folks as work.
My problem is that I have a brown leather bomber jacket that I've had since high school that's well broken in, comfortable and my go to medium weight jacket. But _also,_ and completely independently of that, I have a brown fedora that I got without thinking of the jacket which I love and frequently would like to wear out in similar weather. _But_ I don't want to look like I'm cosplaying as Indy, with all of the comments that would come with that, just because I happened to grab two of my favorite pieces of apparel that day. It's like unintentionally putting on multiple pieces of the same sports team themed clothing and looking like your on your way to cheer in the stands.
Well, if they are your favorite items, don't fear comments. The "Indy" look isn't "original" anyway, I believe it is based on many types of adventurer/explorers characters, real or fictive. I bought my Stetson cavalry hat in 2008, just around when the fourth IJ movie came out in Denmark. I turned 40 that year, and I guess that had something to do with the desire for changes in my life. At that time I often wore a black version of the classic leather bomber jacket, and I wear the hat without insignia and a leather band instead of the golden cord. So sure, some of my colleagues may have thought there was a relation to the movie, when we went to the movie opening viewing. Pure coincidence. I even had a car or two passing me in the street saluting me with a toot of the horn (had to be, there was nothing else that could have caused it), so I was definitely getting attention. As a shy person, that definitely took some getting used to. I also had a few people giggle (I think mostly teenagers, as they get scared of anything unusual, probably because they don't dare such things themselves), which I simply ignored. But I also received _many_ spontaneous and sincere compliments for wearing a great looking hat! I never had anybody compliment me on the way I looked before! (I look kind of like a fatter version of Adam, but with more hair... in recent years I have added a ponytail to the look. My hair is still red, except for my beard, which is bright white.) As Adam said, it takes some time if you haven't worn a hat regularly, before you get used to it and stop being conscious about it. I don't remember how long it took for me, probably a month or two. Now I am more likely to go out naked, except for the hat, than to go without it! I have worn it almost daily for 15 years now. (And it could probably do with a bit of refurbishing...) Put on your jacket and your hat and just make it _your own_ look! (As long as you don't also add a bullwhip to the outfit - that would probably be pushing it. ;-) )
@@lhpl Funny enough, I do have a bullwhip but haven't picket it up in decades. Don't know where it is now. I've also been thinking about getting a messenger bag and only just now realized that it would further add to the theme. Oh, well. You're right, I should just not worry about it.
Best advice I ever got about hat wearing is this; Wear the hat, don't let the hat wear you. In other words, don't think about the hat while you have it on, don't adjust your behavior while wearing it. If your mind is on it, the hat will be an affectation, which is what people associate with the whole neckbeard/bad fedora thing (even if they don't know how articulate it). At that point, the hat dominates, and you're just engaged in a performance. Remember, a hat is the cherry on top of a sundae, not the ice cream.
I have been wearing my Indy fedora for 19 years. Its been through a lot, well worn and fits me well, and the wife likes it. It was a cheap hat but it fits my head. Wouldn't travel without it.
I stumbled into a hat maker and had a hand made cowboy hat styled in an early 1900s fashion. At the time it was 400 bucks. It is a pure bever felt 100x hat. I have worn it in all types of weather and adventures. Has been fitted to my head has never blown off ,has never failed. Has been worn almost daily for 20 plus years.
Love this. Bald man here, and I have to wear a hat as I work outside. Some are for form and others just function, and I don't give a hoot what anyone else thinks about them anymore as that seems like too much work. ;-)
ahhh....but the lovely ladies my good man. you must think of their needs and desires. they need all the love's they can get. I started buying hats for a year or so. its a game changer with the smooth legs.
Love my Tilley hat when I'm out camping/hiking and my Watch cap for winter but my favourite hat is probably my straw 'lifeguard' hat, it's the absolute best for hot weather keeping the sun off your head while keeping your head cool.
One of the biggest things no one really thinks about with hats is the little daily driver things that crop up and you won't know about it until it happens to you. I favor plantation style hats with stiff brims, which requires a leather and rather stiff headband. I also like to keep my hats in my vehicle, because...well I only use it when I'm outside and I take my vehicle to go outside places, so I never forget it. The only problem with this is that the headband shrinks over time due to the constant heating and cooling, so after a year or so the relatively expensive hat I bought doesn't really fit anymore. That's totally my fault, it's what I end up paying for the convenience of not having to keep track of my hat...but these are the little things that come up you usually don't know about beforehand.
if the hat is of remotely half-decent quality, a good hat shop can remove the old leather sweatband and replace with a new one that'll fit like it did originally, as long as the felt itself hasn't shrunk. I've had a cloth sweat replaced with leather on a straw had and a leather replaced with leather on a fur felt hat. Both fit better than new afterwards. Only cost about $30/ea to do at my local hat shop.
Get a tea kettle and a hat stretcher. Prop open the lid on the kettle and bring to a boil. Steam the inside of the hat. Stretch the hat out till it fits again. Never leave the hat in the vehicle unless the stretcher is in the hat to keep the size right. Heat is especially bad on hats. When I sold western hats I’d advise my customers that they shouldn’t leave their kids, pets, or hats in a hot car.
@@williamolliges2622 I actually did buy a hat stretcher to keep in the car with it. Certainly helped, but I didn't find it kept the original shape very well.
I feel the same way about glasses. I prefer to bring a trusted person to give honest feedback, because I don't see them (except in the mirror), so I'd like to make sure I'm on point.
I started thinking about hats when genetic male pattern baldness hair thinning started. I don't play baseball, I don't drive a truck, and I don't have a horse (or even cowboy boots)! Then I remember my great uncle wearing a fedora with overalls and realized you could probably wear a fedora with anything. They are available at cheap to luxury quality and prices to match the occasion or situations. For the tropical climates and southwestern summers, a panama is just a straw fedora.
An interesting phenomenon I noticed last week whilst my wife and I were trying out new eyeglass frames was that neither of us posed naturally. This to me is a factor. Unless you can relax, the modelling feels artificial and "the thing" is less likely to feel part of you, both for yourself and your assistant. You get judged upon your immediate unnaturality (is that a word?) rather than time-absorbed suitability. Not sure how to solve this unless one is intimately conscious of your outward appearance (actors, camera familiar, etc) beyond being cognisant of the fact.
I wear a bullhide hilltop leather hat. Always wore a camo ball cap, but now I have long hair and and my new hat keeps it mostly out of my face. Also I live in Florida, while not the most ideal location for a leather hat it works for me. Tilt brim down a bit, instant sunshade. Same to either side. Raining? Sunglasses stay dry. Windy? Pull the chin strap down from the back of the brim and hat stays on. I like my hat and if you don't, don't wear it. :D
As someone that has always embraced the hat I have to say that in my life I have had many hats thrust upon me. Once you accept the hat as part of your look, from that point forward you can pull off the hat. Of all the hats I've worn my daily driver is still the simple ball cap but it's not my favorite. I do love to rock the Irish Flat Cap, I'll break out the skull/watch cap (beanie) on a cold day, a couple of days a year I don my 8 point to honor my brothers but by far my all time favorite hat is the range pith, I haven't rocked one in years but I feel it's time to bring that back into my life. Stupidest hat I ever wore was a pisscutter but I have to say I made that hats day. You give the hat it's purpose so wear every one of them with pride.
I didn't wear a hat for years; post-military experiences kept me from wearing one. I started wearing a baseball cap, but need that hat to look extremely worn, even to the point that I will take a brand new one and make it look like it is decades old.
It takes a few months before you and a brim hat get comfortable with each other. One lament about few people wearing fitted hats is that there are few 'off the shelf' hats for different head shapes. I now have a couple of custom made hats that I wear constantly.
I’ve worn hats for years to the point where people will describe me as ‘the guy in the hat’. And, yes, I’ve had a number of compliments on my hats (and only the hats). It’s funny how one article of clothing can define you.
I wear a custom replica Indiana Jones fedora from Peters Bros (Dallas, TX) daily into work. It fits, it keeps the rain and sun off, and it feels good. I think I look a bit silly in it - as a Raiders hat, it's deliberately a bit too tall - but I love wearing it. And yes, when I don't wear it into the office, I spend the whole day panicking, feeling like I forgot to wear pants.
Hi Adam. You always looked great in that fedora and I would say to my family “Hey Adam is wearing that great hat!” I have a Stetson that belonged to my Grandfather which would make it from back in the 1930’s. I’m 4’10” and look like a mushroom in it, but at 74 I’m going to throw caution to the winds and wear it. I’ll put a bit of scarf around the crown so I’m not mistaken for a little old man. Now I have to gush a little and tell you how much we enjoy you on You Tube and we were also devotees of “Myth Busters”. My grand daughters were little then and thought your name was Adam Sandwich. I bet they were not the first. You are a talented man of great humanity. Bless you.
This video burst open my many thoughts about hats. First, I have more hats than I “need.” The brands I have are Stetson, Akubra and Borsalino. I always wear hats to shade my head and face for skin safety. I have no partner to help determine which “one” is best. That’s all up to me. Just like Adam’s several Indy hats, the best ones, to me, and in my collection, depend on which ones match his and my coloring. Style is also a determination. I wear my some of my other fedora styles more often than my Open Roads and wider brim hats. I have no baseball hats I wear backwards. But I’m 72, not 35.
I have an absolutely ridiculous panda bear hat that I bought at a thrift store a decade ago. Wear it a ton, people love it and strangers in public compliment it all the time.
Of all the things I agree with Adam Savage about I think hats is the most personal. I've been wearing hats since I was a kid, I had my High School senior photo taken in an Indiana Jones licensed Stetson back in 1985 (which I still have). I have more hats than my wife has shoes, and I too feel almost panicked when I go outside and forget a hat. I hate what has happened to the fedora over the last decade or so, it's so undeserving. This video was full of great advice, thanks Adam for spreading the joy of hats!
7:49 That’s an Indy hat. And remember how Indy yoinked his hat from under the stone door? That’s both how you feel about a hat and how a hat makes you feel. It’s a part of you, an extension. Living in the UK as I do, I spent a fair amount of time in the early-mid 2010s wearing a rather dashing selection of trilbys and regularly being mocked for it. But by the mid-late era there were a great many men and women dressing in a similar fashion. I loved my hats and still wear them when occasion dictates.
I'd like to add some practical reasons for hat wearing. They can keep the sun out of your eyes, which is extra useful with winter's low sun positions. They will keep the sun off your ears, which baseball caps totally don;'t do.. (From someone who's had surgery for skin cancer on my ears! Wish I'd known about this a long time ago.) And they are great for dealing with rain. You'll hear it tapping on your hat brim before you otherwise realize it's starting to rain, allowing you to beat a quick retreat. And if it has a reasonable brim width, you can skip the raincoat for quick trips from your car to the market and back. And yes, don't go cheap. I bought an $80 Tilley and I live in it now.
As a woman, I've worn hats at costumed events like TeslaCon, and as soon as I'm dressed up, it just feels unnatural to go out with a bare head! I really would like to find some hats I could wear in everyday life, but nothing really goes with scrub tops or jeans and a T-shirt, so there aren't very many chances to wear nice hats. I may have to upgrade my casual wardrobe just so I can wear nice hats more than a few days a year!
there are plenty of more casual hats that go with a lot of casual outfits! short brim felt/straw hats, bucket hats, baseball caps of course. for myself i really like fisherman cap style hats, they bridge the gap for me for when i'm in a flannel top, jeans + tee, etc. but also fit when I'm doing something a little more dressy!
Might I suggest to those purchasing their first hat (as opposed to a cap) that they learn proper hat etiquette. Yes, it can be inconvenient to remove your hat indoors, but it can also make an impression on those around you - and help separate you from at least some of the posers. Hat of choice: slouch, with side snaps and a sun skirt. Warm when it's cold outside, cool when it's hot outside, and way more convenient than sunscreen.
About 12 years ago I was at a hat store in Seaport Village with a girl I was seeing. I was trying on some Indy hats and she had me try this Australian style western hat, that had some fedora looks to it (some people have even thought it was Indy's hat). I liked the look of it right away and the cute giggle she made when I tipped the hat towards here sold the deal. It is my go to hat, especially when I am traveling and hiking... or even walking around Comic-Con.
I've become a hat person in recent years and it's definitely about confidence and wearing it. I've always been a fashion forward person but hats weren't a common site where I grew up so it didn't make it into my wardrobe. Now people see it as a completely normal part of my wear. I started with an affordable wool outback style and eventually after staring at pictures long enough online got myself a Stetson open road in silverbelly and absolutely love it. Now I've added a custom straw hat for summer and I don't think there's a better hat for the outdoors on a hot summer day! I often get genuine compliments from people and I think it's because a lot of people would like to wear a hat but feel they can't, and part of me hopes that seeing someone wear one out changes their mind on that. 🤠
Enjoyed this. I think a lot of us fellas can feel intimidated trying out anything to do with fashion. Hats in particular feel like a tricky thing cause they're so prominent and visible. More dudes should talk about this kinda stuff and try to boost each other up to try things out, have the confidence to give it a go. I've tried a few full brims in recent years. Never really gone for that kinda thing prior. Wore a Panama style one to a semi-casual wedding last Summer. Eventually, quite a few of the other guys were thinking I had the right idea, considering the outdoor setting and it being a warm day/evening (Australia, so...)
I will ALWAYS love Greek fisherman caps. My first and favorite was a Dorfman-Pacific, beautiful dark emerald green corduroy... wore it til it was absolutelu ratty. Problem is I've never found another, not in my size and in a color other than blue or black. Gotta be green. Or maybe burnt sienna! The green goes with my orange turtleneck sweater though.
I have Adam's problem- light skin. I have precursors of skin cancer, so my doctor said to wear a hat. Walmart, sporting goods dept., Realtree brand cloth fedora- $14. I never wore hats, and everybody who sees it loves it.
I have an ever growing collection of hats, primarily flat-caps/newsboys. People always say “I wish I could pull those off” and I always say “Try it on, you totally can!” It’s all about confidence.
As most of us I've dabbled in hats through the years and it isn't until recently that I committed to wearing one for sun protection as I have started walking more. I've found myself not really caring about matching it to my outfit or anything like that, It's a hat I like so I wear it. (It's an olive boonie hat)
Great topic! My only other question is the best way to clean hats. My flat cap is quite dirty and a bit water stained, but there are so many warnings on the tag for how to *not* clean it.
![Cowboy Hat Etiquette [when and where to wear your hat]](/img/n.gif)
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A Sears catalogue from 1950 lists Pilgrim hats ranging in price from around $3.00 to $8.00 which in today's dollars is around 40.00 to $100.00.
Hats were not a cheap item. Most working class men owned only one at any one time and took care of it because $50 bucks is a lot of money to drop on a fashion accessory.
I Like Crowns What's Your Opinion On Wearing A Crown In Public?
You See I Like To Feel Like I'm Royalty Even Tho I'm Not... My Persona Is A King Of Demons:D
As A Furry Tho I Still Like The Natural Feeling Of Furred Fabric Like A Furry/Fluffy Hat Or Say A Feathered Fedora:P
💯 confidence is key!
I feel like we need a series all about Adam's favorite hats
@@ThatHiFiShowMeh, why not?
70% of anything fashion related is confidence. The other thirty percent is what actually looks good on you and what you “should” wear.
i have a couple custom hats so they fit me as much as i fit them since the fit, shape, color, and small details are all made to compliment my features and sensibilities. I live in NYS and wear a pure beaver outback style cowboy hat which isn’t common for us yanks but nobody really sees it as super outlandish because it seems like i’ve been wearing my hats all my life even if they’re new
As someone who designs clothes I like and then make (with invaluable help from my seamstress mother) I can't stress this enough. The biggest reason you can't find any boots for men higher than the ankle (and god forbid if it's fluffy and warm!) is because few dare to wear them. But that makes nobody make them. So even if you try to find one, you can't, so it's difficult to start wearing some things you want to.
But at least with many things, if there's a will there's a way, so making your own clothes is a good skill. Unfortunately, leather boots are a bit difficult for me.
I got a Stanzo fedora with Safari flaps in the back. The guy at the shop said I'm the only guy he's seen pull off the look!
@@SwagzLifethis is why i wear women’s FRYE combat boots, the only nice combat boot i had found that went up to 11 inches
@@SwagzLife that's when i shuffle off to the milsurp stores and try to find a half-decent pair of jump boots or something lol
What have found, as a lifelong hat wearer, is that “hat people” find each other in a crowd. There may be a conversation about hats or just a nod of mutual recognition / respect, but we find each other.
A quality hat sets you apart. And can often be a conversation starter.
As someone who hasn't left home without a hat for more or less my entire adult life, I get this. They keep the sun out of my eyes and the rain off my head. My current everyday wearer is a heavy wide-brimmed brown leather hat that I actually made myself earlier this spring. I had always wanted one like it, but could never find anything commercially made with that size of brim and material weight, and having one made custom by a hatmaker was outside of my budget, but buying the materials, tools, and a template off of Etsy to do it myself was not.
I spent the better part of a month working on it in the evenings after work and had to redo the crown once because I messed up the symmetry on the vent grommets. One side of the crown is still slightly mushed, and the wire in the brim never sits flat, but I think it gives the hat its own character that it wouldn't have if I had found it on a shelf or had it made to perfection. I regularly get comments on it, and I always grin a little when people go "Really?" when I tell them I made it myself.
I agree with your hat character statement. I live close to the Hatco hat factory in Garland TX and go to their outlet store for mine. None are perfect and they all have a unique character to them. My best is a 30X Stetson in Natural for $150. The felt isn’t a smooth color, there is one patch that is a little gray.
As a milliner for womens hats I love helping a customer find their hat style. All of my hats are indiviually hand made on my collection of vintage wooden hat blocks mostly from the 1930s and 1940s. A fun challenge is always to have someone say 'I cannot wear hats' and then have them leave with their new favorite accessory that is just the perfect finishing touch to their outfit or style. The process is what I enjoy most. Making hats personal is such fun...matching colours or fabrics to specific outfits or recycling a favorite family broach or scarf as part of the new creation. So much to experiment with that every customer is a new adventure. I love making hats.
Last year I bought a Stetson kind of as a joke but mostly because I was tired of getting sunburned on a certain part of my head. Since then I get random comments from strangers saying how they like my hat. I also find that I stand a little differently and am just a little more polite.
A good hat will have more effect than you realize.
Adam, what a great video. My wife is milliner, and something we hear SO much is "I don't look good in hats." This is the biggest fallacy. It's like saying "I don't look good in shirts." You have to try on different kinds of hats, and you WILL find one that suits you. It just takes some trial and error. A good hat store/milliner will help you find a hat that not only suits your face and style, but also suits what you want to do with it. Do you want to wear it out in the town? Do you want to wear it when you go for long walks? The "why" of a hat is just as important as the "what kind".
I could listen to this for hours. Always wanted to be a hat person but cringed whenever I tried one on, then I decided to bite the bullet and buy a relatively expensive Akubra for a cowgirl halloween costume. Within a week I was absorbing all the hat knowledge I could get, completely reshaping it to my preferences and I'm so in love with it. I've also bought a couple of old ruined hats (crushed, oil-stained, hole-ridden) to restore and they come up amazing with just a few hours effort. I do also find fedoras hard to enjoy now, but there are so many other styles to choose from!
Also an Akubra fan.
I love my Akubras, but I also have a couple of Stetson and Resistols that I really like.
Seratelli & Stetson fan here.
Mr. Savage... As an avid hat wearing citizen. This video has made me smile and giddy with my utmost respect for you. I have been a massive fan of Aegean Greek fisherman caps for more than a decade and will never go back. Just the thought process of picking a hat that imbodies your soul is very important to me, and more people who are afraid of the hat concept really need to watch this video. Thank you for everything you and the tested team do, and keep up the great work. (I am in no way affiliated with the Aegean hat company)
I’ve had kind of an opposite thing to what types are presented. I’ve had a wide hat for backpacking that I’ve used for years and loved, but I’ve never liked baseball caps. Recently though, I found one with a design that I loved, and got it despite my distain. After a few months of wearing it I can now say I love it, I really like how it feels and I look.
Oh and PS you totally do rock the fedora better than anyone else
I was never a fan of baseball caps, but when I started welding I was turned onto welders caps, and that became my go-to for daily wear. They're comfortable, you can get them in virtually any color/pattern/etc as long as it's cotton, they're fairly inexpensive, and you can throw them in the wash with your regular laundry.
As you discussed the reactions you get from wearing a hat for the first few weeks, I was reminded of the very similar comments thrown my way when I began wearing a beard. Especially from family. "You've got dirt on your face." "I wish you'd get rid of that thing." "You don't look like you anymore." Eventually, they warmed up to it. I am aiming for the Gandalf look, but I have to put up with all the Santa comparisons for a few more years. 😅
You need pipe then. Santa doesn't smoke a pipe but wizards do
I didn't like my beard at first, but it grew on me. :P Thirteen years ago a young lady I was sweet on said she liked beards, now she's my wife and I've only shaved it off once, and hated the naked face it revealed.
I’m not sure about face hair, they all just want to be among ‘the crowd’!
@@astragreen welcome to the hyper social animal that is the human. ;)
I go through stages every year with facial hair. Most of the summer months I'll sport short stubble just cause I don't like being completely clean shaven because it's practical/ keeps me cooler and because it's higher maintenance then if I were to shave every single day. During the cooler months I'll usually grow a beard out for a few months. Currently rocking a huge "Dali" inspired moustache at the moment though. I often find if I'm getting compliments on certain facial hair styles I'll stick with them for a bit longer, more often then not I'll get bored and change it up.
I would add, you can change how a hat looks on you by how you wear it, tilt it up or to the side, etc. the look changes a lot depending on how much forehead you show.
Love your Indy hats. I started wearing a hat at the recommendation of my dermatologist. My favorite is an Akubra as I love the Aussie style. Good fun.
I never thought I would ever watch a video about hats and actually enjoy it
After watching this series for a few years, THIS video is the one that made me subscribe and hit the like button.
I can relate to what Adam says 100%. I am so lost without a cover, I even have to wear a men's ascot cap to funerals and weddings in churches. (yes they are appropriate)
Two things I want to ad about newcomers to the hat game.
1, the brim or bill that gives you shade for your eyes and/or rain diversion for your eyes and glasses should you wear them, also gives a blind spot above your line of sight in tight quarters. So you will bump your head from time to time as you missed that object that the brim/bill hides from your peripheral.
2, if you still have hair, remember it will grow back. Don't be afraid to cut and/or style your hair to accommodate your new choice for head gear. Often newcomers to the world of wearing a hat/cap will quit or change to a different style that they do not prefer simply because the hair style does not work with it. Don't be afraid to experiment.
I'm 61 years old. I have old color slides of me wearing a hat at 3 years old and have never been able to go anywhere without one. I simply can not function outside my house without a cover that has a bill or brim over my eyes.
So thank you Adam for this most awesome video and advice to a new comer to the awesome world of wearing head gear.
I have a habit that works well for me.
I go for substance over style and then let substance become a style all its own. My selection process for most garments goes like this.
1. WHat do I need the garment to accomplish?
2. What options do I have that will nominally accomplish this within my budget and my sensibilities?
3. Which of those options is quirkier than the others? How so? What message does that send?
4. Which of those more eccentric options fits my needs best?
5. Which of those more eccentric options do I like the best?
Then I pull the trigger on that. I stick to it for a while and I have functionality as an excuse to cover up any initial shortcomings or perception thereof.
I kept getting badly sunburnt on top of my head after I started to bald. So I needed something to protect my scalp and nominally my head, neck, and face from the sun as I started spending more time outdoors.
There were options, but the kind that worked best for me was going to be something with a wide brim. I wasn't feeling the traditional cattleman or fedora look, and I live in the midwest where it gets pretty hot in the summer. So I selected an inexpensive mass-produced Stetson wool blend crushable gambler with a telescope crown.
I got the fit perfect somehow, without trying it on. I got lucky. YOu should try it on before buying it.
At first, I got a few crooked smiles, but after a year, any time I didn't have the hat, someone would ask, "WHere's your hat? I like that hat."
I love that you called it a lid. Only word I use for it
I've had my Indy/4th Doctor hat for about a decade, yet I never wear it because it always feels like I'm underdressed for such a nice hat.
Add in a 21 foot long scarf to complete the look!
the 7th doctor had a really really nice panama, could be a monti cristi. probably the most expensive hat the doctors ever worn
@@crunchysalmons I have a panama that I wear a lot in the summer, but my brown felt fedora is just a bit more classy than how I normally dress.
Never.
If Adam can pull it off in a dirty black t-shirt, I'm sure you can too. You're just overthinking it.
I have been wearing Akubra hats for 30 years.
The reason people don’t wear hats today is that society is not set up for them. The hats worked when people walked and there were hat racks and button shirts. Now we drive and fly and have t-shirts and it is hard to wear them. I did just get a new hat that fits like a glove. I’ll be wearing hats for a long time to come.
I found a Stetson Indiana Jones fedora at a local flea market and I’ve since fallen in love. There’s something so enchanting about vintage style hats.
Oh, I have a big problem with a size of ready to wear hats - usually they're too small for my head (same thing about safety helmets and so on). And recently, in the clothing shop there was a nice black classic hat, that I tried, it was just the right size. I was not sure for some reason and put it back on the shelf and immediately some person took it and started to try in front of the mirror. That was the moment I realized -- I need this hat. I was standing there, crossing my fingers waiting for the guy to put it back. I am so happy now :)
My daily hat is an Australian oilskin canvas hat. It pairs well with my duster. Both of which are essential this time of year in the PNW. I have had alot of people call me The Undertaker but thats cool by me.
Seems like a compliment to me, just means you have style! :)
i have a 100% beaver outback and an oilskin riding duster, wore both on halloween to deliver pizzas and got called the undertaker several times
I regularly wear a leather Jacaru hat with the croc teeth when I'm working, and it's usually paired with a Utilikilt loaded down with tools. I wanted a full-brim hat for work, being primarily a cap person before this, and I didn't feel like an American-style cowboy hat suited me at all, but since I was born in Australia (but only lived there for 6 months), I had an easy built-in defense if someone got weird about it. I regularly get compliments on that outfit, too
I'm a ball cap wearer also I had a easy transition to a hats in the belfry porkpie. The low top and small brem was a good stepping off point to something bigger.
So wait... can you provide a link? I'm interested in learning more about your approach
You know you've pulled it off when someone tells you "You can pull that off." just out of the blue.
This might be my favourite Adam Savage video ever. It really resonated with me, as a person who has always, for as long as I can remember, *wanted* to wear hats but always felt too self-conscious to. Hats are complicated! The semiotics of the different styles, what any particular hat might be saying about you - and yes, the fear of negative comments. I guess it's because they're now a rare accessory, outside of baseball caps or beanies. If you wear an older style, you're going to stand out! And I lost the nerve somewhere along the way. Then I finally got old enough to become one of the elder invisibles (and moved to a city where no-one cares what you wear), and decided to just get over it. Still working on it! Now I just make sure the hat knows who's boss and to hell with anyone who thinks it's funny-lookin'!
Reading an article that explicitly says "Everyone stop doing this, except specifically you, _____ ____" and calls to you by name must be such a surreal experience. It must feel you're in the Truman Show or something.
My grandfather lived all through the great hat era of the 20th century, the 20s through to the early 60s, and could never wear a hat. No matter what hat he tried on, it always made him look ridiculous. So, he never wore one. His father, my great grandfather, was the sheriff of their small town and he wore a pith helmet everywhere he went. He was known for that pith helmet.
Mad respect to pith helmet sheriff.
It's a pithy your grandfather couldn't wear hats. Heh.
Sorry, it was hanging out there.
🙂@@tetedur377
I hope he wasn't too pithed off about it. @@tetedur377
It took me going through a handful of makers before I found an Indy hat that fit me and had the look I wanted. So for those struggling to find one, don’t give up!
I even have multiple hats from the same maker, and they each have their own uniqueness.
my hatter worked on last crusade, he did a few of the mobster hats from the start but he apprenticed under the hatter who made the indie hats, so my hatter makes indie replicas and got 10 orders for indie hats when the dial of destiny trailer dopped
@@crunchysalmonsHave any of you guys tried Herbert Johnson Hatters?
I was in Devon in the West Country of England and visited a clothes/ department shop that had been a family business for over 120 years. I was lucky enough to meet the grandson of the first owner of the company who was now an older man. We talked about hats as he was a hat maker/ seller for decades. Truly fascinating to talk to him. I purchased a fedora (not a very expensive one) and it’s still my favourite hat to wear but as Adam says here I don’t think I’ve truly allowed it to be absorbed into my character but I love wearing it. Here’s hoping more people wear classic hats like this :)
One thing people always underestimate with hats, is that it actually takes courage to wear it. You're going to stick out in a crowd, people are going to point out the fact that you're wearing a hat, and they're going to ask questions about it.
Just remember that hats come in different sizes. So just like with cloth, a great looking hat can still look bad on you if the fit is wrong.
If you choose to wear a hat, be confident about it! Imagine that people are thinking something positive when they look at you, because they most likely are.
Wearing a hat is a lot like wearing a leather jacket, it gets an identity of its own and becomes a part of you. Hats are great conversations starters, and they give you more identity. Just make sure to buy one that fits your head and your style.
A few months back I was asked, "Are you dressed like Freddy Krueger?"
I responded, with my big black fedora and Black & White shirt, "I think it's the Hamburgler." 🤣
I am no hat aficionado, but I do wear a variety of different hats at various times. One of the things I like most about wearing a good hat, besides as Adam mentions regarding how it makes you feel, is that hats have a special affordance few other wearables posses... we can gesture with them! A hat allows for so many extra and sometimes exceedingly subtle gestures and expressions that we can't really accomplish without them. No one ever mentions this when talking about enjoying wearing hats but it seems to me like a major feature. Cheers (and tip of the hat to you).
It started when i totally burned my face while traveling years ago and had to get shade. Thought i looked silly. Two weeks later i got used to the feeling and now going outdoors without hat is like going out naked. Most are from South African brand Rogue, leather in winter, canvas in fall and a leather/mesh. breezy in summer.
Im not from America but had the chance to experience Line Dancing at a bar my coworkers took me too. Everyone was rocking cowboy gear and hats and I was then introduced to the deep rabbit hole that are cowboy hats! I’ve yet to pick one up but I gained a new appreciation for them outside of just movies.
A good company to buy is Akubra hats - they are basically the Australian Stetson and make from rabbit fur. I have one and I love it, they are great quality and they have a variety of styles from fedora to more western cowboy style. I was looking for a hat but not finding one I liked, then I found their Territory one in green - bought it on the spot and love it. And yes, people will make comments - just remember that if it is a snide comment, it is because they can't pull off wearing the hat themselves.
I had a bow!er that I absolutely adored. Wore the hell out of it until my stupid butt accidentally shrank it. I had no idea about felt hat care, and it got SOAKED in a down pour. I also loved my bell cloche that mysteriously disappeared at an event.
I now mostly exclusively wear ball caps and beanies. My authentic redheaded self burns, and hates being cold.
I rarely wear hats these days, Usually just a rainy day ball cap, but I had some when I was younger. My all time favorite was a brown corduroy pork pie style, much like golfers wear. One that immediately looked and felt right was marked as a "Greek Fisherman's Hat". Unfortunately, I didn't have the money to buy it that day.
I started wearing my hat (a scala crushable outback) and just not giving a damn what anyone else thought about it. People responded to it positively. I also have a wide brim Panama I use during the summer months that's a similar shape
Years and years ago I bought a canvas Aussie slouch hat at the San Diego Zoo. Loved it. Wore it everywhere. Mostly outside, but also when traveling. It was looking pretty worn. One weekend I was working at my Rocky Mountain cabin and left the hat sitting on the big propane tank. The next weekend it was gone. About a month later I learned the neighbor's dog, who adored me, found the hat, took it home, and slept on it outside. It'd shrunk past usability.
Then I bought a cheap cowboy hat at the Colorado State Fair. Not as cool as an Aussie slouch hat, and I mostly wore it outside to protect my head from the weather. Hiking up the west face of Pikes Peak at midnight (on the night of the full moon), when I got lost in the woods. Found myself at treeline on the northwest corner of Son of Sentinel (broad peak directly north of Sentinel Point). My legs were wobbly and scrambling through a boulder field I lost my balance and fell backwards, the hat landing on my face. I tossed it aside (temporarily), found my second trekking pole which had gone flying, and continued on my way. About the time I reached the summit of Son of Sentinel, I realized I didn't have my hat. Well screw it. I was too tired to descend into the boulder field to look for a cheap hat.
I wanted another Aussie slouch hat, so I did a bit of research. Discovered that Akubra is one of the official suppliers of slouch hats to the Australian Army. David Morgan is the US importer for Akubra and so I did a little shopping. Akubra also supplied the Crocodile Dundee hat for the movies, which they stopped making years ago. But if you like that look you can start with a Snowy River model in black, rebash it to take out the pinch in front, then get a crocodile hatband & teeth from David Morgan (it is remarkably hard to transport certain animal products across international borders, so these bands came from farmed US crocodiles). Turns out the slouch hat is just a bit over the size limit for cheap shipping, and it comes unbashed (each Army Unit creates their own bash). Since I wasn't 100% sure of size, not sure of my ability to bash a hat (or where to get it done), I went with the Cattlemen model which I love!
Still have that hat, but my girlfriend is getting me a Territory model for Christmas. Huzzah!
Someday I'll get a slouch hat.
One type of hat I can highly recommend is a panama hat for the summer time, or if you are living in a warmer climate. Very versatile & can be worn with almost anything, but will of course look best with a cotton or linen suit or at least some lighter coloured slacks and a dress shirt. Also, because it is a straw hat it doesn't get the usual childish scorn that traditional hats normally receive these days.
You're a lovely person Adam. Thanks for taking the question seriously.
I find that when people talk down on fedora wearers (and "fedora beards"), they are almost always thinking of trilbies. And particularly narrow-brimmed trilbies, at that. As someone who often wears true fedoras, and other similar wide-brimmed hats, I don't feel like I typically suffer from the same judgments.
I am a big fan. Worked in them for decades. Wear them daily when I leave the house. So many reasons to make it a daily routine. Keeps the sun & rain off your head. It helps to keep the glasses clean.
I gabbed a brown felt Bailey at a hat store in Oklahoma City, it is a cowboy hat, slightly upturned brim, as soon as the fall arrived I began wearing it again, love it, keeps the sun out of my eyes at sunrise and sunset, and during fall winter weather it also, and most importantly keeps my head warm outdoors. Recently it was blown off my head, across a farm field, and it was nothing to put on a dirty hat that had acquired class in action.
Completely get it, especially the sharp point forming on the fedora. I have a leather fedora, bought it some 40 yrs ago. The front has narrowed from grabbing my hat my the front every time. Now, my go to hat is a Tilley. It was the last Christmas gift from my dad, bought at s tire on Pier 39.
If you've never worn hats before and all of a sudden you start wearing one, particularly one of the vintage variety, you WILL get the crooked looks from your friends and family. DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED!! It will take them time to accept your new look and before you know it, your hat will become a part of your normal personality and appearance. Stick to it!!!!!
That was actually really encouraging. Thank you
My go-to hat for hiking, rail-fanning, thresherman's meets, etc. is a Filson "Tin Cloth Packer Hat", it's waxwear, so it's water resistant if it rains, and sturdy as all get out.
And many years ago, when staffing at model railroad trade shows, I had my Conductor's Hat, customized with the brass nametag for my own fictional railroad. Made folks remember who you were!
My go to is a Montana Peak (park ranger or Canadian Mountie). My first one was essentially a costume supply shop and my current one is a custom hand made and hand steamed one. The first few months were rough but I stuck it through. Now when I don't wear it I get asked where the hat is. Just have to find the style that fits you best. 100% agree on having someone providing feedback too.
Adam, great post. You're exactly right...just start wearing it. I'm in my late 60's but didn't start wearing hats until a few years ago. I've always liked them and have fond memories of my grandfathers, mother, and a few uncles wearing them when I was a kid. Living in Texas and being exposed to brutal sunlight, my dermatologist lectures me about keeping my head covered. So now I own about a dozen different types from fedoras, cowboy, Akubras, Stetson Stratoliner, Panama, and flat caps. I like them all and wear the one that fits the weather and how I'm dressed. I get compliments from people who I never thought would notice. You've got to wear your hat with confidence and that'll grow the longer you wear it.
I have a nice Fedora that I wear. It's my third from the same company (13 or so years now). It was pretty much a "yeah, that's exactly what I want" and it fit great.
I then bought a porkpie (for wearing with my suits). It was a cheaper hat... looked nice, but didn't last long.
I wanted a nice bowler, so my family bought me one for Christmas a few years ago... I hated it (but wouldn't say anything). It fit horribly... I tried to wear it to break it in or adjust to it. Nope.
I watched one of Adams videos on hat care... went and bought a stretcher and brush set. It took about a month of being on the stretcher... and now that bowler fits great and I wear it often (typically with suits).
The Mythbusters hat is legendary, +50 charisma. For a long time I wondered if Adam had ever swapped out the hat because I thought maybe it could've been damaged but knowing now that he's always had it makes it iconic. I feel like something is off balance whenever he wears a different hat (not that they don't look good I just always expect _that_ one to be on his head.)
Also worth mentioning: Tilley hats (no affiliation). More utilitarian, and easier to start with because they look less like a fashion choice and more a practical one (i.e. keep off the sun or the rain)...
I have always been a hat person! There's no longer an occasion (At least in my life) where custom demands a hat, so I wear different styles depending on how I'm feeling. I totally agree with Adam's advice, but one thing to add. If you're buying a traditional blocked hat like a cowboy or Indy hat go the extra mile and get one made of fur felt, not wool felt which will shrink as soon as it gets rained on. Fur felt shrinks too, but you can stretch it back and reshape it and it will last decades
As an American of Scottish descent who frequently wears a kilt, casually and formally, it's mostly about just having the confidence to wear it. I get tons of compliments on it, it's a conversation starter, I like how it gives me better posture if not a wee bit of swagger, and it connects me to my homeland.
Got 5 Indy hats lol as you said, they're all very different even tho the same. Most expensive doesn't always mean best for you. Always ask yourself "Where am I wearing this?" as in temperature and climate and weather. That will tell you what material to focus on. I say everyone should bash at least one hat for themselves. You can get your exact feel for it, it will be unique to you.
My friend says hats are hat shaped not head shaped and there should be at least two points of contract on the head
Streaming hats can make them softer and mailable that's when you shape it to your head
That (snicker) moment at 3:30 has a good example .. Caddyshack the, opening scene between Rodney and Ted Knight in the pro shop.
I’ve started wearing an Akubra, absolutely love it. I’m British so it’s extremely niche to wear Australian style hats. I can’t explain how exiting it was when someone recognised the brand
Years ago a”gentleman” never went out without a hat. I’ve always liked the “Indiana” style hat. They always looked so dressy. When Dad drove in the early years of his trucking career, he wore what was referred to as a “double clutcher” hat. This was also required by regulation, there wore “chauffeur” pins that they wore over the left ear. It’s too bad this custom has died away.
This was an unexpected turn from our regular, but it was soooo enjoyable. Reminded me why I started my dive into hats. Thank you!
My favorite hat is my original Outback Hat in traditional material. I also have a very nice Henchel, panama sort of style, that I wear when it is warm.
For me it's absolutely my long coats. My style has been sumed up as "Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor."
I prefer to go with 'Blade extra', which I think is a step up from the 'Matrix extra' look I had through my 20s. At least for winter, anyway. It's too hot for thick leather coats in summer, so that changes my look to 'metalhead'.
I've also been likened to a vampire slayer, which I think is pretty neat. I'll probably lean into that a bit more when I've lost a little weight.
I've always loved hats! As a kid, I wanted to wear cute hats for school pictures; just like Blossom! But now, my head always gets so hot and sweaty!
I just recently started wearing a hat. We were at a leather shop, and I was looking for a jacket. However, I saw this hat on a rack. It's $150, way more than I ever had considered spending on anything other than shoes or a jacket. But damn, it looked good and fit perfectly. I had to grab it, and I love it. I'm not 100% sure everyone else thinks it looks as good on me as I feel in it, but I've gotten some good comments from some folks as work.
My problem is that I have a brown leather bomber jacket that I've had since high school that's well broken in, comfortable and my go to medium weight jacket. But _also,_ and completely independently of that, I have a brown fedora that I got without thinking of the jacket which I love and frequently would like to wear out in similar weather. _But_ I don't want to look like I'm cosplaying as Indy, with all of the comments that would come with that, just because I happened to grab two of my favorite pieces of apparel that day.
It's like unintentionally putting on multiple pieces of the same sports team themed clothing and looking like your on your way to cheer in the stands.
Well, if they are your favorite items, don't fear comments. The "Indy" look isn't "original" anyway, I believe it is based on many types of adventurer/explorers characters, real or fictive.
I bought my Stetson cavalry hat in 2008, just around when the fourth IJ movie came out in Denmark. I turned 40 that year, and I guess that had something to do with the desire for changes in my life. At that time I often wore a black version of the classic leather bomber jacket, and I wear the hat without insignia and a leather band instead of the golden cord. So sure, some of my colleagues may have thought there was a relation to the movie, when we went to the movie opening viewing. Pure coincidence. I even had a car or two passing me in the street saluting me with a toot of the horn (had to be, there was nothing else that could have caused it), so I was definitely getting attention. As a shy person, that definitely took some getting used to. I also had a few people giggle (I think mostly teenagers, as they get scared of anything unusual, probably because they don't dare such things themselves), which I simply ignored. But I also received _many_ spontaneous and sincere compliments for wearing a great looking hat! I never had anybody compliment me on the way I looked before! (I look kind of like a fatter version of Adam, but with more hair... in recent years I have added a ponytail to the look. My hair is still red, except for my beard, which is bright white.)
As Adam said, it takes some time if you haven't worn a hat regularly, before you get used to it and stop being conscious about it. I don't remember how long it took for me, probably a month or two. Now I am more likely to go out naked, except for the hat, than to go without it! I have worn it almost daily for 15 years now. (And it could probably do with a bit of refurbishing...)
Put on your jacket and your hat and just make it _your own_ look! (As long as you don't also add a bullwhip to the outfit - that would probably be pushing it. ;-) )
Different color hat band maybe? Well, unfortunately at this point it's mostly those of us of a certain age that will immediately make that connection.
@@lhpl Funny enough, I do have a bullwhip but haven't picket it up in decades. Don't know where it is now.
I've also been thinking about getting a messenger bag and only just now realized that it would further add to the theme.
Oh, well. You're right, I should just not worry about it.
Best advice I ever got about hat wearing is this; Wear the hat, don't let the hat wear you. In other words, don't think about the hat while you have it on, don't adjust your behavior while wearing it. If your mind is on it, the hat will be an affectation, which is what people associate with the whole neckbeard/bad fedora thing (even if they don't know how articulate it). At that point, the hat dominates, and you're just engaged in a performance. Remember, a hat is the cherry on top of a sundae, not the ice cream.
I have been wearing my Indy fedora for 19 years. Its been through a lot, well worn and fits me well, and the wife likes it. It was a cheap hat but it fits my head. Wouldn't travel without it.
I stumbled into a hat maker and had a hand made cowboy hat styled in an early 1900s fashion. At the time it was 400 bucks. It is a pure bever felt 100x hat. I have worn it in all types of weather and adventures. Has been fitted to my head has never blown off ,has never failed. Has been worn almost daily for 20 plus years.
Love this. Bald man here, and I have to wear a hat as I work outside. Some are for form and others just function, and I don't give a hoot what anyone else thinks about them anymore as that seems like too much work. ;-)
ahhh....but the lovely ladies my good man. you must think of their needs and desires. they need all the love's they can get. I started buying hats for a year or so. its a game changer with the smooth legs.
Love my Tilley hat when I'm out camping/hiking and my Watch cap for winter but my favourite hat is probably my straw 'lifeguard' hat, it's the absolute best for hot weather keeping the sun off your head while keeping your head cool.
One of the biggest things no one really thinks about with hats is the little daily driver things that crop up and you won't know about it until it happens to you. I favor plantation style hats with stiff brims, which requires a leather and rather stiff headband. I also like to keep my hats in my vehicle, because...well I only use it when I'm outside and I take my vehicle to go outside places, so I never forget it. The only problem with this is that the headband shrinks over time due to the constant heating and cooling, so after a year or so the relatively expensive hat I bought doesn't really fit anymore. That's totally my fault, it's what I end up paying for the convenience of not having to keep track of my hat...but these are the little things that come up you usually don't know about beforehand.
if the hat is of remotely half-decent quality, a good hat shop can remove the old leather sweatband and replace with a new one that'll fit like it did originally, as long as the felt itself hasn't shrunk. I've had a cloth sweat replaced with leather on a straw had and a leather replaced with leather on a fur felt hat. Both fit better than new afterwards. Only cost about $30/ea to do at my local hat shop.
Get a tea kettle and a hat stretcher. Prop open the lid on the kettle and bring to a boil. Steam the inside of the hat. Stretch the hat out till it fits again. Never leave the hat in the vehicle unless the stretcher is in the hat to keep the size right. Heat is especially bad on hats. When I sold western hats I’d advise my customers that they shouldn’t leave their kids, pets, or hats in a hot car.
@@williamolliges2622 I actually did buy a hat stretcher to keep in the car with it. Certainly helped, but I didn't find it kept the original shape very well.
@@Gunthrek Didnt comprehend your entire messsage. You also need a campaign hat brim protector. Easy to make with half an ounce of wood working skill.
I feel the same way about glasses. I prefer to bring a trusted person to give honest feedback, because I don't see them (except in the mirror), so I'd like to make sure I'm on point.
I started thinking about hats when genetic male pattern baldness hair thinning started. I don't play baseball, I don't drive a truck, and I don't have a horse (or even cowboy boots)! Then I remember my great uncle wearing a fedora with overalls and realized you could probably wear a fedora with anything.
They are available at cheap to luxury quality and prices to match the occasion or situations. For the tropical climates and southwestern summers, a panama is just a straw fedora.
Adam savage truly is one of a lucky few who pulls off a fedora well. The same can be said with Jamie and his beret
Totally agree
An interesting phenomenon I noticed last week whilst my wife and I were trying out new eyeglass frames was that neither of us posed naturally. This to me is a factor. Unless you can relax, the modelling feels artificial and "the thing" is less likely to feel part of you, both for yourself and your assistant. You get judged upon your immediate unnaturality (is that a word?) rather than time-absorbed suitability. Not sure how to solve this unless one is intimately conscious of your outward appearance (actors, camera familiar, etc) beyond being cognisant of the fact.
I wear a bullhide hilltop leather hat. Always wore a camo ball cap, but now I have long hair and and my new hat keeps it mostly out of my face. Also I live in Florida, while not the most ideal location for a leather hat it works for me. Tilt brim down a bit, instant sunshade. Same to either side. Raining? Sunglasses stay dry. Windy? Pull the chin strap down from the back of the brim and hat stays on. I like my hat and if you don't, don't wear it. :D
As someone that has always embraced the hat I have to say that in my life I have had many hats thrust upon me. Once you accept the hat as part of your look, from that point forward you can pull off the hat. Of all the hats I've worn my daily driver is still the simple ball cap but it's not my favorite. I do love to rock the Irish Flat Cap, I'll break out the skull/watch cap (beanie) on a cold day, a couple of days a year I don my 8 point to honor my brothers but by far my all time favorite hat is the range pith, I haven't rocked one in years but I feel it's time to bring that back into my life. Stupidest hat I ever wore was a pisscutter but I have to say I made that hats day. You give the hat it's purpose so wear every one of them with pride.
I didn't wear a hat for years; post-military experiences kept me from wearing one. I started wearing a baseball cap, but need that hat to look extremely worn, even to the point that I will take a brand new one and make it look like it is decades old.
It takes a few months before you and a brim hat get comfortable with each other. One lament about few people wearing fitted hats is that there are few 'off the shelf' hats for different head shapes. I now have a couple of custom made hats that I wear constantly.
I’ve worn hats for years to the point where people will describe me as ‘the guy in the hat’. And, yes, I’ve had a number of compliments on my hats (and only the hats). It’s funny how one article of clothing can define you.
I wear a custom replica Indiana Jones fedora from Peters Bros (Dallas, TX) daily into work. It fits, it keeps the rain and sun off, and it feels good. I think I look a bit silly in it - as a Raiders hat, it's deliberately a bit too tall - but I love wearing it.
And yes, when I don't wear it into the office, I spend the whole day panicking, feeling like I forgot to wear pants.
A few years ago I got a leather hat from Barmah Hats from Australia. Made from kangaroo leather and has a 3" brim. I love it!
Hi Adam. You always looked great in that fedora and I would say to my family “Hey Adam is wearing that great hat!” I have a Stetson that belonged to my Grandfather which would make it from back in the 1930’s. I’m 4’10” and look like a mushroom in it, but at 74 I’m going to throw caution to the winds and wear it. I’ll put a bit of scarf around the crown so I’m not mistaken for a little old man. Now I have to gush a little and tell you how much we enjoy you on You Tube and we were also devotees of “Myth Busters”. My grand daughters were little then and thought your name was Adam Sandwich. I bet they were not the first. You are a talented man of great humanity. Bless you.
I have a full leather Austrailian Walker hat. You shape it yourself....and I LOVE that thing.
This video burst open my many thoughts about hats. First, I have more hats than I “need.” The brands I have are Stetson, Akubra and Borsalino. I always wear hats to shade my head and face for skin safety. I have no partner to help determine which “one” is best. That’s all up to me. Just like Adam’s several Indy hats, the best ones, to me, and in my collection, depend on which ones match his and my coloring. Style is also a determination. I wear my some of my other fedora styles more often than my Open Roads and wider brim hats. I have no baseball hats I wear backwards. But I’m 72, not 35.
I have an absolutely ridiculous panda bear hat that I bought at a thrift store a decade ago. Wear it a ton, people love it and strangers in public compliment it all the time.
Of all the things I agree with Adam Savage about I think hats is the most personal. I've been wearing hats since I was a kid, I had my High School senior photo taken in an Indiana Jones licensed Stetson back in 1985 (which I still have). I have more hats than my wife has shoes, and I too feel almost panicked when I go outside and forget a hat. I hate what has happened to the fedora over the last decade or so, it's so undeserving. This video was full of great advice, thanks Adam for spreading the joy of hats!
7:49 That’s an Indy hat. And remember how Indy yoinked his hat from under the stone door? That’s both how you feel about a hat and how a hat makes you feel. It’s a part of you, an extension. Living in the UK as I do, I spent a fair amount of time in the early-mid 2010s wearing a rather dashing selection of trilbys and regularly being mocked for it. But by the mid-late era there were a great many men and women dressing in a similar fashion. I loved my hats and still wear them when occasion dictates.
I'd like to add some practical reasons for hat wearing. They can keep the sun out of your eyes, which is extra useful with winter's low sun positions. They will keep the sun off your ears, which baseball caps totally don;'t do.. (From someone who's had surgery for skin cancer on my ears! Wish I'd known about this a long time ago.) And they are great for dealing with rain. You'll hear it tapping on your hat brim before you otherwise realize it's starting to rain, allowing you to beat a quick retreat. And if it has a reasonable brim width, you can skip the raincoat for quick trips from your car to the market and back.
And yes, don't go cheap. I bought an $80 Tilley and I live in it now.
As a woman, I've worn hats at costumed events like TeslaCon, and as soon as I'm dressed up, it just feels unnatural to go out with a bare head! I really would like to find some hats I could wear in everyday life, but nothing really goes with scrub tops or jeans and a T-shirt, so there aren't very many chances to wear nice hats. I may have to upgrade my casual wardrobe just so I can wear nice hats more than a few days a year!
there are plenty of more casual hats that go with a lot of casual outfits! short brim felt/straw hats, bucket hats, baseball caps of course. for myself i really like fisherman cap style hats, they bridge the gap for me for when i'm in a flannel top, jeans + tee, etc. but also fit when I'm doing something a little more dressy!
Might I suggest to those purchasing their first hat (as opposed to a cap) that they learn proper hat etiquette. Yes, it can be inconvenient to remove your hat indoors, but it can also make an impression on those around you - and help separate you from at least some of the posers.
Hat of choice: slouch, with side snaps and a sun skirt. Warm when it's cold outside, cool when it's hot outside, and way more convenient than sunscreen.
About 12 years ago I was at a hat store in Seaport Village with a girl I was seeing. I was trying on some Indy hats and she had me try this Australian style western hat, that had some fedora looks to it (some people have even thought it was Indy's hat). I liked the look of it right away and the cute giggle she made when I tipped the hat towards here sold the deal. It is my go to hat, especially when I am traveling and hiking... or even walking around Comic-Con.
I've become a hat person in recent years and it's definitely about confidence and wearing it. I've always been a fashion forward person but hats weren't a common site where I grew up so it didn't make it into my wardrobe. Now people see it as a completely normal part of my wear. I started with an affordable wool outback style and eventually after staring at pictures long enough online got myself a Stetson open road in silverbelly and absolutely love it. Now I've added a custom straw hat for summer and I don't think there's a better hat for the outdoors on a hot summer day! I often get genuine compliments from people and I think it's because a lot of people would like to wear a hat but feel they can't, and part of me hopes that seeing someone wear one out changes their mind on that. 🤠
Enjoyed this. I think a lot of us fellas can feel intimidated trying out anything to do with fashion. Hats in particular feel like a tricky thing cause they're so prominent and visible. More dudes should talk about this kinda stuff and try to boost each other up to try things out, have the confidence to give it a go.
I've tried a few full brims in recent years. Never really gone for that kinda thing prior. Wore a Panama style one to a semi-casual wedding last Summer. Eventually, quite a few of the other guys were thinking I had the right idea, considering the outdoor setting and it being a warm day/evening (Australia, so...)
I will ALWAYS love Greek fisherman caps. My first and favorite was a Dorfman-Pacific, beautiful dark emerald green corduroy... wore it til it was absolutelu ratty. Problem is I've never found another, not in my size and in a color other than blue or black. Gotta be green. Or maybe burnt sienna! The green goes with my orange turtleneck sweater though.
As someone who has been wearing an Indian Jones style hat since the sixth grade (I’m in college), hats are very important and unique.
I have Adam's problem- light skin. I have precursors of skin cancer, so my doctor said to wear a hat. Walmart, sporting goods dept., Realtree brand cloth fedora- $14. I never wore hats, and everybody who sees it loves it.
I have an ever growing collection of hats, primarily flat-caps/newsboys. People always say “I wish I could pull those off” and I always say “Try it on, you totally can!” It’s all about confidence.
As most of us I've dabbled in hats through the years and it isn't until recently that I committed to wearing one for sun protection as I have started walking more. I've found myself not really caring about matching it to my outfit or anything like that, It's a hat I like so I wear it. (It's an olive boonie hat)
Great topic! My only other question is the best way to clean hats. My flat cap is quite dirty and a bit water stained, but there are so many warnings on the tag for how to *not* clean it.