The fedora gets only a mention?!? I can't think of a hat that gets more admiration than a fedora. I get a compliment even for my worn out fedora. It instills an attitude in the wearer that is hard to surpass.
I was raised on a farm, so hats have always been a part of my life, in winter to keep the head warm and in summer to protect from the sun. Then I went into the Army, so hats were again part of my daily wear. I still like hats and have many on my rack, at least twenty of different styles and colors. Having lost a lot of hair, I need the protection. Being an American, I do have a handful of Western styled hats. A big problem with wearing hats these days is that businesses don't have the hat racks like they did before. Thus, a lot of the times I wear a flat cap, because you can fold it and put it in your pocket.
Another plus to flat caps/newsboy caps is that in today’s world they stand out just the right amount. They’re classier than a ball cap, and more versatile being essentially capable of being dressed up or down as much as one would like (these days) but they don’t shout for the attention that brimmed hats might. Basically you can wear something classic while still being low key, which is a nice option sometimes.
I'm pleased to say after watching this video I have purchased my first flat cap. I can honestly say I absolutely love it. The bad news....I waited so long to seriously consider this style of hat. The good news....I look forward to wearing/enjoying the flat cap for years to come. Thanks for the great advice (once again) Ash. Cheers!
I have several hats but my most beloved are my 2 Harris tweed newsboy cap, my wool beanie which I only wear when function over form is needed, a boater and my 2 most loved Stetsons, the derby & temple fedora. I have these from different trips I took to Texas when visiting family from a store literally called “the hat store” the 2 hats has a card in the crown with my name on it from the store. I been building confidence to wear more traditional hats in public since it’s a good time for hats.
I'm a Western Canadian and the climate is quite harsh so a hat is a must in the Winter and summer months. I wear a flat cap during the spring, summer and fall and a toque during the Winter.
Hello there, Ash, my good friend! Thank you so much for visiting our fair city of Philadelphia this past summer and being the best man in Big Pretty’s and my wedding! I think you look great in the homberg my husband gave you, and you should wear it with your tuxedo. Tim’s suggestion. Also, I noticed the picture of you in the top hat, was Tim’s hat that you tried on at the reception. Tim and I agree you look great in it. You should get one for your collection! You also look very smart in the waistcoat, bow tie, and pocket square that I selected for you gentlemen for the wedding. I look forward to seeing you again, and meeting your lovely wife. Hopefully this next time in England!!
Hi Heather, that top hat will live in my memories forever. We really do look forward to welcoming you to the UK, when you make the trip across the Atlantic. I'm sure the proliferation of castles and history will be right up your street! Until then, I hope that the winter is kind to you! Ash XX
I felt like I was almost co-hosting on this one. Lol. I’m so honored to have been part of your hat journey. And that black and white Homburg will Look smashing if you are in a black and white tuxedo; trust me! Two things FYI, guys: that brown bowler I’m wearing in the pic was the one I picked for the Father’s Day hat that day, and that top hat he’s wearing in the pic is MY top hat from my wedding in which he was Best Man! Must admit, It does look quite fetching on him, don’t it?😂
Great hats! I used to wear them, I do still wear a Tilly, for yardwork or walking, mine is a $12 Walmart brand, but it gets the job done and is very sturdy. I really would like to have hats again.
I own 4 wool flat caps made by Hannah Hats in Ireland, and I love them. In Tennessee weather, I can get away with wearing them from late fall through early spring. Sometimes the winters here call for watch caps, but I’ll sometimes let my ears suffer a tad just to wear the more stylish flat cap.
I have all classic style hats even a short top hat seldom to wear. I also have country hats and other types. Last acquired is a German Elbsegler cap similar to a Breton which I am wearing in this mid season as well as my Borsalino and brim down trilby (old British 20th century style).
I'm a bit of a different opinion, I think the trilby is more excentric than the fedora. The 'stylemaster' by Akubra is a wonderful example. I also like the Akubra 'Banjo Paterson' , down in front and back. I used to feel self conscious about wearing them but I think I'm seeing more men donning nice hats lately.
I concur, but I'm also pre-damaged so to speak by the *abysmal* "fashion-Trilbies" (all sold as "Fedoras" for some *rage inducing reason...* ), you know the ones, cheap material, stupid prints, no rim to speak of... But I also have to say there is a ton more, especially flat caps, but also Fedoras and "true trilbies" worn by people today than there were when I started wearing hats. Best regards Raoul G. Kunz
A very nice array of hats there, Ash! I have about half a dozen genuine fedoras (not trilby's) by Borsalino and Optimo of Chicago as well as a Panama hat for the summer. With the advent of cooler weather, I am once again enjoying the former Monday through Friday each week. Admittedly, it is a baseball cap (worn the right way around) to shield my face and eyes when I mow and work in the garden during the summer months. Toying with the idea of adding a genuine bowler to the mix at some point. I know, I know.
Panama hat in the summer and "practicing" to ware filt fodora in the fall but still "learning" to be comfortable in it....( Borsalino a favorite). Flat cap my favorite head ware though.
I bought a newsboy hat a couple weeks ago. Wanted to be like my dad who always wore one. I don’t think I’m taking it off anytime soon. I love it. Haven’t worn a hat since my Army beret.
👍I've really grown to love them over the flatcap, can't really specify as to the why but to me they have more panache for some reason. Best regards Raoul G. Kunz
The 1st time I don't agree with Ash, IMHO the Homburg is less formal than Bowler. In order of increasing formaluty I would rate: Thrilby -> Fedora - > Homburg - > Bowler - > Tophat - > Chapeau claque. Another great hut I missed in Ash's collection is Pith helmet. Great for hot summer outdoor. French style is for my taste the most beautiful one.
Ha! excellent video. My paternal line of ancestors were quite prominent hat makers in the C17 to 19th in Manchester, hence the odd surname for a Swansea Jack. I understand some of the family lived in the sticks, near sheep farming and turned the wool into felt other branches of the family made the hats from the felt. I'm very proud that one of the family was the hatter's representative in the Chartist Movement(George Bertenshaw, google it). There is a hat maker's museum in Manchester so I'm told.. I should go as my eldest daughter is at University there! Anyway, I started proper work (I always had a job as a child) in '86. Many of the men I worked with were born in the 1920s and were from the era when hat wearing was standard. I remember flat caps, trilbies and less frequently homburgs being worn by staff not required to wear a uniform. The homburg I felt at the time was usually worn by the more show-offy type fellow. I remember a sly roster clerk who'd married well and had a big 2.8ltr (square shaped) Ford Granada and wore cashmere long overcoats and a pinky ring with quite a large diamond in it...... all stuff well beyond his pay packet. His suits were also obviously good suits and he had nice looking shirts and ties. In the 80s and 90s before privatisation, British Rail used to furnish some managers with MTM pin stripped suits and Bowler hats made by a decent British firm. We used to find them unwanted in the stores as only a few managers and senior customer facing supervisor grade staff felt they could carry it off. Some senior operational managers would pinch one as they tried to look like Churchill to intimidate those in their charge... one being so rotund he pulled the look off with frightening accuracy ! Happy days, sort of..
I was never a hat man. I wore them in the winter, but that was it...until I got a job working outdoors. I wear a hat most days now; I shave my head and I need the protection. I wear a Greek fisherman's cap most of the year. I wear Tilley hats for summer.
I really love the Bowler and it looks great on you. I can't see myself wearing a Bowler without being in a suit. But I'm so intrigued, I might have to get one just so I have one in my collection. I am like you; I like flat caps and Trilby's (Short brim Fedoras). Great video!!
As a teenager in the 70s I inherited my Grandfather's beaver Stetson fedora. I had no idea about how to care for it but I thought it was cool. I wore it regularly in all kinds of informal situations, hiking, camping, playing music, even wore in the summer. I really didn't do formal as a young man beyond a sport coat and chinos, and the old hat was just a cool looking practical piece of headgear. Naturally over a 10--15 yr period it got dirty, stained, misshapen, the leather band rotted out, and it shrunk. Over the years I've tried to find a hat repair shop to no avail. Recently thru online research I found out what to do. I removed the liner and the old faded band, soaked it in clean cold water with a drop mild detergent for half a day, then a rinse for 30 min without the soap. Surprisingly it came out looking pretty darn clean with only a bit of sweat stain under where the band goes. I made myself a homemade hat stretcher from an a pan and bowl from the kitchen, stretched the hat over it and let it dry for a couple of days. Then put on a new band from Amazon, and viola! Old Faithful is brought back to life! I was so inspired I ordered myself a new Stetson Panama for this summer.
I really enjoyed this weeks hat talk. I own three Tilley hats, One of them is a Harris tweed winter hat. I’ve also got one trilby and a couple of flat caps. I would like to own a homburg it’s just having the courage to wear it.
Do it by all means, I've been wearing dress hats in public for 20-odd years and no one ever bat an eyebrow, the "worst" was a positive comment and most people today won't be able to tell a Homburg from a Fedora to begin with, heck I even rarely wear top hats for occasions and no one is moved to a comment. It's the same as with classic menswear: wear it with confidence and no one will bat an eyebrow. You can even wet the Homburg at bit, put dents into the crown, let it dry and it looks a bit less formal and more dashing (...I feel...). Best regards Raoul G. Kunz
Ash. I have been a connoisseur of hats all my life. I have my grandfather's Stetson Fedora that he purchased in 1948 which is in need of a good cleaning and the sweat band needs to be replaced. I wore it for years and I am finding it hard to find a hatter in my area. The one we had no longer does cleaning and blocking as the owner is 92 years old and he no longer does this work. I also have a number of flat caps and new fadoras that I wear often. I too have a vintage Boler in excellent condition. In the summer I wear a panama straw made by Christie's of London. An eBay find 😊. I find it very sad that men do not wear hats as much anymore and when they do it's usually a baseball cap. And also it aggravates me that they do not remove their hat when eating in a restaurant 😢. I am doing my best to set an example by wearing my fedoras as much as possible and I always get compliments. Best regards Ron
I bought a few different kinds of hats on Amazon, cheap versions. Just to which one I prefer and then may spend some more money on. I thought I’d prefer a fedora, but like Ash I like the trilby because the smaller brim compared to the fedora.
Very Informative and delightfully entertaining. I recently acquired my first Trilby which I enjoy so much I've ordered another. A wool herringbone Newsboy has been my default winter cap for years. I own a beautiful Stetson Fedora for special occasions and when I'm feeling a bit eccentric. No Bowlers in my collection...yet :). Thanks Ash, I enjoy your video's very much.
So I absolutely love hats, rarely seen without one. Never really took to flat caps, the style never really worked for me. Although I am not what you would call an outdoors person, I agree that Tilley is very practical. Personally, I prefer the Fedora or the Homburg to the Trilby. I think these days if you are going to wear a dress hat on a daily basis, you need to accept that you will stand out from the crowd. So, being a bit of a show off is perhaps an advantage.
I read through the comments, so there is not much that I can add other then I have a lot of the same hats as well as my Stetsons in my collection and in my experience as well, Tim Crowe is definitely someone who can encourage to try new things.
In my opinion, wearing a hat is one of the simplest ways to elevate one's personal style and to stand out in a crowd of men who are either bare-headed, or even worse, sporting baseball caps. My two favourite hats are a grey rabbit's fur felt fedora in a classic 1940s style made by Stetson, and a classic Panama hat in fedora style, in cream with a black hat band, woven in Ecuador. -Neither are inexpensive, but on a cost-per-wear basis, both wind up being quite economical in the long run. In the fall and spring I also wear a classic Harris tweed flat cap, and a tweed Irish motoring cap -which looks much like a flat cap but has ear coverings that are normally fixed on top of the cap. I also wear wool and cashmere berets in hunter green, black, and camel, which are incredibly versatile, and can be worn with anything from a waxed jacket or a trench coat, to a tweed sport coat or an overcoat. On the coldest days of a Canadian winter I wear a Russian lambswool Papakha -think Omar Sharif or Alex Guinness in Dr. Zhivago. With a navy overcoat, or grey herringbone tweed overcoat, this hat will not only keep your head and ears incredibly warm, but you'll definitely make a sartorial statement.
You're talking me into getting a Bowler .... currently, I have two Homburgs, one very old fedora, two fedoras in better nick - one takes some chutzpah to wear, because it's a South American variety, seriously high on the head and with a wide brim, and a flat black cap, which looks like a beret when worn but is waterproof and extremely practical for a walk in the country or going to the shops in the rain. AND - I have a black Ushanka - excellent for really cold weather, faux-fur, claims to be ex-Chinese military, but I think it's really a knock-off product; doesn't matter, it's warm, it works, and of all my hats it gets the most positive comments. No Trilby, no Bowler - we must rectify this: that'll be my New Year's Resolution.
Great video. I do not own a baseball cap. I do have a Tilley and wear it for outdoors stuff. My hat of choice is the flat cap. I have a homburg, a bowler, and 2 top hats (white and black). I am thinking about a fedora. And yes, the biggest problem is the car and its low roof. But a flat cap works well.
I'm wearing a trilby while driving with no problem and I drive a small city car. . A fedora is difficult not because of the hight but the large brim at the back which touches the seat.
Nice to see you wear a trilby in Maastricht, easily the best dressed city in the Netherlands. It must be that southern joie de vivre, that makes the people there put a little extra effort in. You seem right at home there.
Good morning Ash, Chaps Hats. Thousands of 'em. It was verging on hat weather earlier on my run 🍂🍁🥶. I too retain many berets from years past, still wearing one in anger. Though I have bowlers, fedoras, flat caps, Tilleys etc, I seldom wear them during warmer months. I do not possess any Baseball caps! I do have a leather Australian outback hat (inherited from my late Father-in-law) which I keep, as I own a Land Rover and it is a requirement of ownership (it seems) 🤠. A question though, is there a place for the humble "Bobble" hat? (I have a Union Flag one) 🫡
Awesome collection of hats!! I too am a hat person. I have a healthy collection but not quite up to yours. Summer i tend to wear more of western style. Although i have a few fedoras one that is a good wool i tend to wear in the winter. As well a tip back to my grandpa i have a few flat caps. I too have a Tilley style hat for mountaineering in summer as well as a couple oil-treated outback hats for working outdoors in the extreme western Canadian mountain weather. I do my best to promote wearing hats especially other than baseball caps. 😉
That's cool! (90s kid here...) I mean the Western style hats - I feel I can't wear them because I a) mostly wear dress hats with suits and combinations and b) it would feel a lot like cultural appropriation as a central European to wear such a distinctly American (and I mean the continent, not the US) hat, but if you *can* pull it off I'm certain it looks both ruggedly stunning and useful! Best regards Raoul G. Kunz
@@RaoulKunz1 honestly i dont believe in the whole culture appropriation thing. 70's kid nothing really bothers us 🤣 i was always told imitation is a form of flattery. If you are wearing something or doing something because you admire / like it. Then there is nothing wrong with doing so. In fact it is more of a compliment then anything else. I understand your hesitance with wearing a western style hat with a suit. Especially being in Europe vrs over this way. Definitely a cultural difference. I wear western style boots even when dressed up. Just make sure i have an extra good polish on them. 😉 To be honest especially in dressing up. Where i live in Alberta Canada, even though are roots are deep "western style" its not that popular anymore. 😑 oddly as with most things here in the "americas" people dont seem to hold on to traditions / heritage. 😓 but thats another subject. The trick to wearing a western hat and / or boots while dressed up is mainly Condition, must be in proper condition. Work hats for work and dress is for dress and hopefully the two shall not meet 🤭 I guess what i am saying is if you want to incorporate a little "western/country" style. Please feel free and do so. Wear what you would like and be confident & proud!! Best regards Greg A Haskey 🤠
Why don't you wear one of my favourites, the DEERSTALKER (the "Sherlock Holmes hat")? It's practical, it's warm, it protects against wind and rain and even the ear flaps can be taken down and fastened round your chin (though I have never seen people do this). Above all, it really looks good. And I'm sure it would look good on you too.
Got one recently as a present for my father in law (and got one myself) since he really loves detective mysteries and the deerstalker is culturally tied strongly to Holmes... though really *ever* only worn in "the Hound of Baskerville"... was it an iconic adaption? Anyhow, I tend to combine it occasionality in winter with a Inverness coat for the fully blown late Victorian feel when I, er, feel like it.^^ My father in law wears it with the same horror he always wears since he's a pensioner: the red or blue or white Adidas training suit...🤨😭. Best regards Raoul G. Kunz
flat caps are awesome. unfortunately I don't have the occasions to wear a bowler. baseball caps, beanies and bucket hats are the most common these days but a flat cap is my personal favourite. Just straddles the smart-casual look so well which is the look I strive for... never have the occasions to go super-formal. I wrongly thought I would look eccentric but not at all. I actually see quite a few guys of various ages wearing flat caps. people say shows like peaky blinders have helped bring them back into fashion
Didn't know your hat collection was that extensive. Would like to see you bring one (or more) of them out more often and talk about how they can compliment an outfit.
Let's see, five fedoras (Borsalino, Stetson, a couple others) in beaver felt, one stitched fedora in a light canvas, two Homburgs in grey and black, two flat caps in wool, a Tilley hat (replacing the original, simply worn out over decades), a bowler I need to replace, two campaign hats, two pith helmets (Wolseley and Zulu Wars styles), four different Panamas in different styles in natural and white, and about another half dozen hats in various styles. Oh, and two Fezzes of different types.
I am very much a hat man, and I do not leave the house without wearing one. I wear one every day to the office, out to dinner with my wife, while running errands…pretty much any time I’ll be outside for any period of time. I wear mostly fedora styles, either felt or Panama, but also have several flat caps. I’m somewhat known as “the hat guy”, a label I wear proudly. I get many compliments on them, especially from the ladies, and men often say they like them, but are unsure if they can “pull it off”. I tell them that’s nonsense. If you want to wear a hat, wear a hat, you no more have to “pull off” wearing a hat than you do wearing shoes. The key is to first and foremost wear it practically. Its function is to provide protection to your head, so if it’s cold out, wear one that will keep you warm. If it’s sunny, wear one that will provide shade and keep your head cool. Of course they can be stylish, but they are above all functional accessories. They are also a good conversation starter when I meet another gentleman wearing one. Hats for every man, I say!
In the most iconic photos he is seen wearing a light coloured Homburg, both with a contrasting ribbon and with a tone in tone one (somewhat dented in the crown though...). I feel it's why the Homburg suddenly became popular in the "Gansta-Rapper" scene in the 90s. Best regards Raoul G. Kunz
Among the possible reasons why the fedora went out of fashion: 1) The wider brim makes it appropriate for wear with a double breasted suit, a la Humphrey Bogart, but when the two-button narrow-lapel jacket came in during the Kennedy era the trilby was more in line with the time. 2) During the 50s, youthful “rebel” types started looking like James Dean and Elvis, and wearing pompadours! 3) As someone recently pointed out, men usually drive to work in the modern era, and they don’t need head protection dashing from a parking lot to the front door of an office building.
Hello Ash Can you comment on the Dockers cap a Polish company by the name of Stewoski makes a summer version and a tweed and wool version i was wondering what your take on that would be?
@@adrianwalker2833 Sterkowski makes some awesome caps and hats, I personally own one of their stunning interbellum style newsboy caps as well as a grey Fedora. Never considered a dockers cap in general, it's too much off my style but judging from the quality of their offerings I own I can safely state that they are offering high quality and excellent fit. Best regards Raoul G. Kunz
It is an interesting style of hat, a bit like a kepi with no peak. It is certainly distinctive, but I fear that it lacks the features required of a truly enigmatic dress hat. That said, it's much better than a baseball cap.
Love the video Ash! I love my hats, and own everything from berets and flatcaps to fedoras, bowlers, homburgs and top hats. However I have a problem that I’m hoping a fellow chap can help me with : what to do with your hat when visiting a cafe or restaurant. Obviously I remove my hat upon entering the building, as per etiquette- but most restaurants don’t have a hatstand anymore, or even a cloak room. So where do you put the hat when sitting at the table? Not on the table obviously, or the floor, so where? Sometimes Ive been able to use an empty chair next to me, but that’s not always an option. Any suggestions?
I have also found such a problem. In better establishments you can entrust your titfer to the maitre de, but in less salubrious venues I have often been forced to place my hat under the seat.
I just put away all of my panamas 4 summer..i enjoy baseball caps as the bridge between late summer and the month of November when i will be wearing fedoras..berets..newsboy caps...gentlemen enjoy wearing your hats..peace
Ready to feel old? 50 years ago was 1984. The new wave kids did like to wear hats. Not so much with the punks and heavy metal kids. The mullet was going strong though.
Awesome video! Of course I'm a hat "fan", well, you could reasonably say I'm a hat collector I suppose... I started out with a black Fedora (A Stetson "Temple" given to me as a present by my Mother 20-odd years ago) and it went on from there... by now I have.. oh, I'm guestimating here ( *that* bad by now...)=> (I think) Six different coloured and styled Bowlers. Again Six different coloured and styled Fedoras, at least two bordering on the Trilby. Three Homburgs, a steel gray one *bought from a Bad Homburg hatter* (it's "around the corner" from me; it's also *easily* the most abysmally expensive hat I own), a black one and a less formal brown one, all with self-added "Fedora style" dents in a early 20th century antebellum style. Two Boater straw hats from different straw and with different bands. Four (again as always) differently styled and coloured (though all in "straw coloured" shades) Panama style straw hats. Two "French style" pith helmets, one canvas covered cork the other stiffened straw. (Worn when the heat reaches 35+° Celsius... and it does more often than I'd like by now here.) A single flat cap which I didn't really like in a black and grey houndstooth. Four newsboy caps, one in an early 20th century interbellum style again in grey and black houndstooth tweed (think "Peaky Blinders"), one in a light brown and... dark brown houndstooth tweed, one from canvas for the summer in khaki and a recent one (it was discounted to I felt obliged...) in a navy corduroy. And of course a Wegener light grey top hat, the one in my profile picture here and a less than impressive black top hat though made from wool felt which is really inappropriate - it was a test run... ... and assorted hats of different styles I can't think of at the drop of a hat (haha...🙄 one € into the "groaner tin"...) Addendum; ... *of course* ...a deerstalker in beige/brown/red houndstooth... Addendum II: Two Ushankas, black and grey, the grey one inherited from an uncle who stole from the NVA (Nationale Volks Armee, the GDR military) when his duty concluded along with the state itself in '90. Best regards Raoul G. Kunz
The fedora gets only a mention?!? I can't think of a hat that gets more admiration than a fedora. I get a compliment even for my worn out fedora. It instills an attitude in the wearer that is hard to surpass.
I was raised on a farm, so hats have always been a part of my life, in winter to keep the head warm and in summer to protect from the sun. Then I went into the Army, so hats were again part of my daily wear. I still like hats and have many on my rack, at least twenty of different styles and colors. Having lost a lot of hair, I need the protection. Being an American, I do have a handful of Western styled hats.
A big problem with wearing hats these days is that businesses don't have the hat racks like they did before. Thus, a lot of the times I wear a flat cap, because you can fold it and put it in your pocket.
Another plus to flat caps/newsboy caps is that in today’s world they stand out just the right amount. They’re classier than a ball cap, and more versatile being essentially capable of being dressed up or down as much as one would like (these days) but they don’t shout for the attention that brimmed hats might. Basically you can wear something classic while still being low key, which is a nice option sometimes.
"died by the wayside" that'll be this week's top phrase, thankyou sir!
Great show! I love hats!
I'm pleased to say after watching this video I have purchased my first flat cap. I can honestly say I absolutely love it. The bad news....I waited so long to seriously consider this style of hat. The good news....I look forward to wearing/enjoying the flat cap for years to come. Thanks for the great advice (once again) Ash. Cheers!
Great to hear!
I have several hats but my most beloved are my 2 Harris tweed newsboy cap, my wool beanie which I only wear when function over form is needed, a boater and my 2 most loved Stetsons, the derby & temple fedora. I have these from different trips I took to Texas when visiting family from a store literally called “the hat store” the 2 hats has a card in the crown with my name on it from the store. I been building confidence to wear more traditional hats in public since it’s a good time for hats.
I'm a Western Canadian and the climate is quite harsh so a hat is a must in the Winter and summer months. I wear a flat cap during the spring, summer and fall and a toque during the Winter.
Very enjoyable to watch, many thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it
I have always been a visor guy. When fall comes around, I plan to be a fedora guy to up my sartorial elegance. 😊
Hello there, Ash, my good friend! Thank you so much for visiting our fair city of Philadelphia this past summer and being the best man in Big Pretty’s and my wedding!
I think you look great in the homberg my husband gave you, and you should wear it with your tuxedo. Tim’s suggestion.
Also, I noticed the picture of you in the top hat, was Tim’s hat that you tried on at the reception. Tim and I agree you look great in it. You should get one for your collection! You also look very smart in the waistcoat, bow tie, and pocket square that I selected for you gentlemen for the wedding. I look forward to seeing you again, and meeting your lovely wife. Hopefully this next time in England!!
Hi Heather, that top hat will live in my memories forever. We really do look forward to welcoming you to the UK, when you make the trip across the Atlantic. I'm sure the proliferation of castles and history will be right up your street!
Until then, I hope that the winter is kind to you! Ash XX
Hats off to the Chap's Guide
Wow. Am watching this episode for the second time.
I felt like I was almost co-hosting on this one. Lol. I’m so honored to have been part of your hat journey. And that black and white Homburg will
Look smashing if you are in a black and white tuxedo; trust me! Two things FYI, guys: that brown bowler I’m wearing in the pic was the one I picked for the Father’s Day hat that day, and that top hat he’s wearing in the pic is MY top hat from my wedding in which he was Best Man! Must admit, It does look quite fetching on him, don’t it?😂
You are the hat guru buddy! I’m thinking the homburgs may get some exposure this winter - I’m really feeling them now!
That brown bowler is something. Love it Tim. Actually all your hats are great. Myself I have no more space to store all my hats. Hat aficionado I am.
I live just outside of Philly, what’s the name of the hat shop you mentioned?
@@jeffanco9367 Newsboy Hats, 620 South St Philadelphia, PA 19147
Great hats! I used to wear them, I do still wear a Tilly, for yardwork or walking, mine is a $12 Walmart brand, but it gets the job done and is very sturdy. I really would like to have hats again.
I own 4 wool flat caps made by Hannah Hats in Ireland, and I love them. In Tennessee weather, I can get away with wearing them from late fall through early spring. Sometimes the winters here call for watch caps, but I’ll sometimes let my ears suffer a tad just to wear the more stylish flat cap.
I enjoy my deerstalker hat during the winter. Big Sherlock Holmes fan.
I've got 3 tilly hats. I plan to get me some flat caps. Baseball caps look and feel peasant-like to me now.
I have all classic style hats even a short top hat seldom to wear. I also have country hats and other types. Last acquired is a German Elbsegler cap similar to a Breton which I am wearing in this mid season as well as my Borsalino and brim down trilby (old British 20th century style).
I'm a bit of a different opinion, I think the trilby is more excentric than the fedora. The 'stylemaster' by Akubra is a wonderful example. I also like the Akubra 'Banjo Paterson' , down in front and back. I used to feel self conscious about wearing them but I think I'm seeing more men donning nice hats lately.
I concur, but I'm also pre-damaged so to speak by the *abysmal* "fashion-Trilbies" (all sold as "Fedoras" for some *rage inducing reason...* ), you know the ones, cheap material, stupid prints, no rim to speak of...
But I also have to say there is a ton more, especially flat caps, but also Fedoras and "true trilbies" worn by people today than there were when I started wearing hats.
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
A very nice array of hats there, Ash! I have about half a dozen genuine fedoras (not trilby's) by Borsalino and Optimo of Chicago as well as a Panama hat for the summer. With the advent of cooler weather, I am once again enjoying the former Monday through Friday each week. Admittedly, it is a baseball cap (worn the right way around) to shield my face and eyes when I mow and work in the garden during the summer months. Toying with the idea of adding a genuine bowler to the mix at some point. I know, I know.
Panama hat in the summer and "practicing" to ware filt fodora in the fall but still "learning" to be comfortable in it....( Borsalino a favorite). Flat cap my favorite head ware though.
I bought a newsboy hat a couple weeks ago. Wanted to be like my dad who always wore one. I don’t think I’m taking it off anytime soon. I love it. Haven’t worn a hat since my Army beret.
👍I've really grown to love them over the flatcap, can't really specify as to the why but to me they have more panache for some reason.
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
The 1st time I don't agree with Ash, IMHO the Homburg is less formal than Bowler. In order of increasing formaluty I would rate: Thrilby -> Fedora - > Homburg - > Bowler - > Tophat - > Chapeau claque.
Another great hut I missed in Ash's collection is Pith helmet. Great for hot summer outdoor. French style is for my taste the most beautiful one.
Ha! excellent video. My paternal line of ancestors were quite prominent hat makers in the C17 to 19th in Manchester, hence the odd surname for a Swansea Jack. I understand some of the family lived in the sticks, near sheep farming and turned the wool into felt other branches of the family made the hats from the felt. I'm very proud that one of the family was the hatter's representative in the Chartist Movement(George Bertenshaw, google it). There is a hat maker's museum in Manchester so I'm told.. I should go as my eldest daughter is at University there! Anyway, I started proper work (I always had a job as a child) in '86. Many of the men I worked with were born in the 1920s and were from the era when hat wearing was standard. I remember flat caps, trilbies and less frequently homburgs being worn by staff not required to wear a uniform. The homburg I felt at the time was usually worn by the more show-offy type fellow. I remember a sly roster clerk who'd married well and had a big 2.8ltr (square shaped) Ford Granada and wore cashmere long overcoats and a pinky ring with quite a large diamond in it...... all stuff well beyond his pay packet. His suits were also obviously good suits and he had nice looking shirts and ties. In the 80s and 90s before privatisation, British Rail used to furnish some managers with MTM pin stripped suits and Bowler hats made by a decent British firm. We used to find them unwanted in the stores as only a few managers and senior customer facing supervisor grade staff felt they could carry it off. Some senior operational managers would pinch one as they tried to look like Churchill to intimidate those in their charge... one being so rotund he pulled the look off with frightening accuracy ! Happy days, sort of..
I was never a hat man. I wore them in the winter, but that was it...until I got a job working outdoors. I wear a hat most days now; I shave my head and I need the protection. I wear a Greek fisherman's cap most of the year. I wear Tilley hats for summer.
I really love the Bowler and it looks great on you. I can't see myself wearing a Bowler without being in a suit. But I'm so intrigued, I might have to get one just so I have one in my collection. I am like you; I like flat caps and Trilby's (Short brim Fedoras). Great video!!
Perhaps visit a hat shop and discuss the Panama and Fedora? Thanks.
As a teenager in the 70s I inherited my Grandfather's beaver Stetson fedora. I had no idea about how to care for it but I thought it was cool. I wore it regularly in all kinds of informal situations, hiking, camping, playing music, even wore in the summer. I really didn't do formal as a young man beyond a sport coat and chinos, and the old hat was just a cool looking practical piece of headgear. Naturally over a 10--15 yr period it got dirty, stained, misshapen, the leather band rotted out, and it shrunk. Over the years I've tried to find a hat repair shop to no avail. Recently thru online research I found out what to do. I removed the liner and the old faded band, soaked it in clean cold water with a drop mild detergent for half a day, then a rinse for 30 min without the soap. Surprisingly it came out looking pretty darn clean with only a bit of sweat stain under where the band goes. I made myself a homemade hat stretcher from an a pan and bowl from the kitchen, stretched the hat over it and let it dry for a couple of days. Then put on a new band from Amazon, and viola! Old Faithful is brought back to life! I was so inspired I ordered myself a new Stetson Panama for this summer.
They make great linen and cotton flat caps for spring/summer too!
I really enjoyed this weeks hat talk. I own three Tilley hats, One of them is a Harris tweed winter hat. I’ve also got one trilby and a couple of flat caps. I would like to own a homburg it’s just having the courage to wear it.
Do it by all means, I've been wearing dress hats in public for 20-odd years and no one ever bat an eyebrow, the "worst" was a positive comment and most people today won't be able to tell a Homburg from a Fedora to begin with, heck I even rarely wear top hats for occasions and no one is moved to a comment.
It's the same as with classic menswear: wear it with confidence and no one will bat an eyebrow.
You can even wet the Homburg at bit, put dents into the crown, let it dry and it looks a bit less formal and more dashing (...I feel...).
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
Ash. I have been a connoisseur of hats all my life. I have my grandfather's Stetson Fedora that he purchased in 1948 which is in need of a good cleaning and the sweat band needs to be replaced. I wore it for years and I am finding it hard to find a hatter in my area. The one we had no longer does cleaning and blocking as the owner is 92 years old and he no longer does this work. I also have a number of flat caps and new fadoras that I wear often. I too have a vintage Boler in excellent condition. In the summer I wear a panama straw made by Christie's of London. An eBay find 😊. I find it very sad that men do not wear hats as much anymore and when they do it's usually a baseball cap. And also it aggravates me that they do not remove their hat when eating in a restaurant 😢. I am doing my best to set an example by wearing my fedoras as much as possible and I always get compliments. Best regards Ron
I bought a few different kinds of hats on Amazon, cheap versions. Just to which one I prefer and then may spend some more money on. I thought I’d prefer a fedora, but like Ash I like the trilby because the smaller brim compared to the fedora.
Very Informative and delightfully entertaining. I recently acquired my first Trilby which I enjoy so much I've ordered another. A wool herringbone Newsboy has been my default winter cap for years. I own a beautiful Stetson Fedora for special occasions and when I'm feeling a bit eccentric. No Bowlers in my collection...yet :). Thanks Ash, I enjoy your video's very much.
So I absolutely love hats, rarely seen without one.
Never really took to flat caps, the style never really worked for me.
Although I am not what you would call an outdoors person, I agree that Tilley is very practical.
Personally, I prefer the Fedora or the Homburg to the Trilby.
I think these days if you are going to wear a dress hat on a daily basis, you need to accept that you will stand out from the crowd. So, being a bit of a show off is perhaps an advantage.
I read through the comments, so there is not much that I can add other then I have a lot of the same hats as well as my Stetsons in my collection and in my experience as well, Tim Crowe is definitely someone who can encourage to try new things.
Another great video
Glad you enjoyed it
In my opinion, wearing a hat is one of the simplest ways to elevate one's personal style and to stand out in a crowd of men who are either bare-headed, or even worse, sporting baseball caps.
My two favourite hats are a grey rabbit's fur felt fedora in a classic 1940s style made by Stetson, and a classic Panama hat in fedora style, in cream with a black hat band, woven in Ecuador. -Neither are inexpensive, but on a cost-per-wear basis, both wind up being quite economical in the long run.
In the fall and spring I also wear a classic Harris tweed flat cap, and a tweed Irish motoring cap -which looks much like a flat cap but has ear coverings that are normally fixed on top of the cap.
I also wear wool and cashmere berets in hunter green, black, and camel, which are incredibly versatile, and can be worn with anything from a waxed jacket or a trench coat, to a tweed sport coat or an overcoat.
On the coldest days of a Canadian winter I wear a Russian lambswool Papakha -think Omar Sharif or Alex Guinness in Dr. Zhivago. With a navy overcoat, or grey herringbone tweed overcoat, this hat will not only keep your head and ears incredibly warm, but you'll definitely make a sartorial statement.
How about a Rex Harrison styled houndstooth? Informal, but still classy and dressy. Nice in the fall.
You're talking me into getting a Bowler .... currently, I have two Homburgs, one very old fedora, two fedoras in better nick - one takes some chutzpah to wear, because it's a South American variety, seriously high on the head and with a wide brim, and a flat black cap, which looks like a beret when worn but is waterproof and extremely practical for a walk in the country or going to the shops in the rain. AND - I have a black Ushanka - excellent for really cold weather, faux-fur, claims to be ex-Chinese military, but I think it's really a knock-off product; doesn't matter, it's warm, it works, and of all my hats it gets the most positive comments.
No Trilby, no Bowler - we must rectify this: that'll be my New Year's Resolution.
A Bowler will change your life…… for the better!
Great video. I do not own a baseball cap. I do have a Tilley and wear it for outdoors stuff. My hat of choice is the flat cap. I have a homburg, a bowler, and 2 top hats (white and black). I am thinking about a fedora. And yes, the biggest problem is the car and its low roof. But a flat cap works well.
I'm wearing a trilby while driving with no problem and I drive a small city car. . A fedora is difficult not because of the hight but the large brim at the back which touches the seat.
Please try a pith helmet. They are the best headgear ever for the blazing sun. I feel we should revive their use.
In particular as some are astonishingly light-weight. And they are not prone to getting crumpled.
Try the "French style" one if you do (I know, as an Englishman this might hurt...) it offers more cover^^.
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
my love of hats, has had a direct coloration with my loss of hair hehe
Nice to see you wear a trilby in Maastricht, easily the best dressed city in the Netherlands. It must be that southern joie de vivre, that makes the people there put a little extra effort in.
You seem right at home there.
I love it there. My favourite European city.
Good morning Ash, Chaps
Hats. Thousands of 'em.
It was verging on hat weather earlier on my run 🍂🍁🥶.
I too retain many berets from years past, still wearing one in anger.
Though I have bowlers, fedoras, flat caps, Tilleys etc, I seldom wear them during warmer months. I do not possess any Baseball caps!
I do have a leather Australian outback hat (inherited from my late Father-in-law) which I keep, as I own a Land Rover and it is a requirement of ownership (it seems) 🤠.
A question though, is there a place for the humble "Bobble" hat? (I have a Union Flag one)
🫡
Yes. As a functional item I think a bobble hat has its place. My only caveat would be - just make sure it is real wool and not synthetic junk.
I really enjoyed this overview of hat styles, thanks Mr. Jones. I further second the comments endorsing the Akubra.
Glad you like them!
Awesome collection of hats!!
I too am a hat person. I have a healthy collection but not quite up to yours.
Summer i tend to wear more of western style. Although i have a few fedoras one that is a good wool i tend to wear in the winter. As well a tip back to my grandpa i have a few flat caps.
I too have a Tilley style hat for mountaineering in summer as well as a couple oil-treated outback hats for working outdoors in the extreme western Canadian mountain weather.
I do my best to promote wearing hats especially other than baseball caps. 😉
That's cool! (90s kid here...)
I mean the Western style hats - I feel I can't wear them because I a) mostly wear dress hats with suits and combinations and b) it would feel a lot like cultural appropriation as a central European to wear such a distinctly American (and I mean the continent, not the US) hat, but if you *can* pull it off I'm certain it looks both ruggedly stunning and useful!
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
@@RaoulKunz1 honestly i dont believe in the whole culture appropriation thing. 70's kid nothing really bothers us 🤣 i was always told imitation is a form of flattery.
If you are wearing something or doing something because you admire / like it. Then there is nothing wrong with doing so. In fact it is more of a compliment then anything else.
I understand your hesitance with wearing a western style hat with a suit. Especially being in Europe vrs over this way. Definitely a cultural difference.
I wear western style boots even when dressed up. Just make sure i have an extra good polish on them. 😉
To be honest especially in dressing up. Where i live in Alberta Canada, even though are roots are deep "western style" its not that popular anymore. 😑 oddly as with most things here in the "americas" people dont seem to hold on to traditions / heritage. 😓 but thats another subject.
The trick to wearing a western hat and / or boots while dressed up is mainly Condition, must be in proper condition.
Work hats for work and dress is for dress and hopefully the two shall not meet 🤭
I guess what i am saying is if you want to incorporate a little "western/country" style. Please feel free and do so. Wear what you would like and be confident & proud!!
Best regards
Greg A Haskey 🤠
Why don't you wear one of my favourites, the DEERSTALKER (the "Sherlock Holmes hat")? It's practical, it's warm, it protects against wind and rain and even the ear flaps can be taken down and fastened round your chin (though I have never seen people do this). Above all, it really looks good.
And I'm sure it would look good on you too.
Got one recently as a present for my father in law (and got one myself) since he really loves detective mysteries and the deerstalker is culturally tied strongly to Holmes... though really *ever* only worn in "the Hound of Baskerville"... was it an iconic adaption?
Anyhow, I tend to combine it occasionality in winter with a Inverness coat for the fully blown late Victorian feel when I, er, feel like it.^^
My father in law wears it with the same horror he always wears since he's a pensioner: the red or blue or white Adidas training suit...🤨😭.
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
flat caps are awesome. unfortunately I don't have the occasions to wear a bowler. baseball caps, beanies and bucket hats are the most common these days but a flat cap is my personal favourite. Just straddles the smart-casual look so well which is the look I strive for... never have the occasions to go super-formal. I wrongly thought I would look eccentric but not at all. I actually see quite a few guys of various ages wearing flat caps. people say shows like peaky blinders have helped bring them back into fashion
Didn't know your hat collection was that extensive. Would like to see you bring one (or more) of them out more often and talk about how they can compliment an outfit.
Flat caps, trilby, and Tilley sare my hats of choice
Let's see, five fedoras (Borsalino, Stetson, a couple others) in beaver felt, one stitched fedora in a light canvas, two Homburgs in grey and black, two flat caps in wool, a Tilley hat (replacing the original, simply worn out over decades), a bowler I need to replace, two campaign hats, two pith helmets (Wolseley and Zulu Wars styles), four different Panamas in different styles in natural and white, and about another half dozen hats in various styles.
Oh, and two Fezzes of different types.
I am very much a hat man, and I do not leave the house without wearing one. I wear one every day to the office, out to dinner with my wife, while running errands…pretty much any time I’ll be outside for any period of time. I wear mostly fedora styles, either felt or Panama, but also have several flat caps. I’m somewhat known as “the hat guy”, a label I wear proudly. I get many compliments on them, especially from the ladies, and men often say they like them, but are unsure if they can “pull it off”. I tell them that’s nonsense. If you want to wear a hat, wear a hat, you no more have to “pull off” wearing a hat than you do wearing shoes. The key is to first and foremost wear it practically. Its function is to provide protection to your head, so if it’s cold out, wear one that will keep you warm. If it’s sunny, wear one that will provide shade and keep your head cool. Of course they can be stylish, but they are above all functional accessories. They are also a good conversation starter when I meet another gentleman wearing one. Hats for every man, I say!
Sound advice indeed
I completely concur from experience as fellow hat bloke!
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
Do you know which hat Al Capone wore it may have been a trilby or a homburg. ?
In the most iconic photos he is seen wearing a light coloured Homburg, both with a contrasting ribbon and with a tone in tone one (somewhat dented in the crown though...).
I feel it's why the Homburg suddenly became popular in the "Gansta-Rapper" scene in the 90s.
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
I have many hats and never leave the door without wearing one
Me too!!!!!
Oh yes, men after my own heart here!
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
I have over 14 hats now
@@raymondphaff2739 Bravo!!!!!!
Among the possible reasons why the fedora went out of fashion: 1) The wider brim makes it appropriate for wear with a double breasted suit, a la Humphrey Bogart, but when the two-button narrow-lapel jacket came in during the Kennedy era the trilby was more in line with the time. 2) During the 50s, youthful “rebel” types started looking like James Dean and Elvis, and wearing pompadours! 3) As someone recently pointed out, men usually drive to work in the modern era, and they don’t need head protection dashing from a parking lot to the front door of an office building.
I have a large collection of hats, about 68 pieces but no baseball caps. I wear a hat every day!
Man after my own heart! I'm only at 30+ and already loosing count😆.
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
A stetson can be quite nice with a Blazer dress code
Ash, you need to lift your game. Get an Akubra Traveller.
Hello Ash
Can you comment on the Dockers cap a Polish company by the name of Stewoski makes a summer version and a tweed and wool version i was wondering what your take on that would be?
I think the name is Sterkowski.
@@adrianwalker2833 Sterkowski makes some awesome caps and hats, I personally own one of their stunning interbellum style newsboy caps as well as a grey Fedora.
Never considered a dockers cap in general, it's too much off my style but judging from the quality of their offerings I own I can safely state that they are offering high quality and excellent fit.
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
It is an interesting style of hat, a bit like a kepi with no peak. It is certainly distinctive, but I fear that it lacks the features required of a truly enigmatic dress hat. That said, it's much better than a baseball cap.
Love the video Ash! I love my hats, and own everything from berets and flatcaps to fedoras, bowlers, homburgs and top hats. However I have a problem that I’m hoping a fellow chap can help me with : what to do with your hat when visiting a cafe or restaurant. Obviously I remove my hat upon entering the building, as per etiquette- but most restaurants don’t have a hatstand anymore, or even a cloak room. So where do you put the hat when sitting at the table? Not on the table obviously, or the floor, so where? Sometimes Ive been able to use an empty chair next to me, but that’s not always an option. Any suggestions?
I have also found such a problem. In better establishments you can entrust your titfer to the maitre de, but in less salubrious venues I have often been forced to place my hat under the seat.
@@TheChapsGuide Thankyou sir, I shall try that one next time. Salute.
How do you store them? I have a good collection myself, but I've never found a storage solution I'm happy with.
Mine live on my hallway hatstand. Not ideal, but practical.
I just put away all of my panamas 4 summer..i enjoy baseball caps as the bridge between late summer and the month of November when i will be wearing fedoras..berets..newsboy caps...gentlemen enjoy wearing your hats..peace
Are the Indy Jones fedoras popular in the U.K.?
No sir. Fedoras are very rarely ever seen.
What color Tilley hats do you show in this video?
Khaki, olive green and brown.
Hey Ash, no rain hat?
They all keep the rain off.
Ready to feel old? 50 years ago was 1984. The new wave kids did like to wear hats. Not so much with the punks and heavy metal kids. The mullet was going strong though.
You were a policeman, right? One of the few jobs that has retained its signature hat.
Awesome video!
Of course I'm a hat "fan", well, you could reasonably say I'm a hat collector I suppose...
I started out with a black Fedora (A Stetson "Temple" given to me as a present by my Mother 20-odd years ago) and it went on from there... by now I have.. oh, I'm guestimating here ( *that* bad by now...)=>
(I think) Six different coloured and styled Bowlers.
Again Six different coloured and styled Fedoras, at least two bordering on the Trilby.
Three Homburgs, a steel gray one *bought from a Bad Homburg hatter* (it's "around the corner" from me; it's also *easily* the most abysmally expensive hat I own), a black one and a less formal brown one, all with self-added "Fedora style" dents in a early 20th century antebellum style.
Two Boater straw hats from different straw and with different bands.
Four (again as always) differently styled and coloured (though all in "straw coloured" shades) Panama style straw hats.
Two "French style" pith helmets, one canvas covered cork the other stiffened straw. (Worn when the heat reaches 35+° Celsius... and it does more often than I'd like by now here.)
A single flat cap which I didn't really like in a black and grey houndstooth.
Four newsboy caps, one in an early 20th century interbellum style again in grey and black houndstooth tweed (think "Peaky Blinders"), one in a light brown and... dark brown houndstooth tweed, one from canvas for the summer in khaki and a recent one (it was discounted to I felt obliged...) in a navy corduroy.
And of course a Wegener light grey top hat, the one in my profile picture here and a less than impressive black top hat though made from wool felt which is really inappropriate - it was a test run...
... and assorted hats of different styles I can't think of at the drop of a hat (haha...🙄 one € into the "groaner tin"...)
Addendum;
... *of course* ...a deerstalker in beige/brown/red houndstooth...
Addendum II:
Two Ushankas, black and grey, the grey one inherited from an uncle who stole from the NVA (Nationale Volks Armee, the GDR military) when his duty concluded along with the state itself in '90.
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
Amazing collection (as I expected from you sir)