Stephen Tempkin of Leon Drexler sent along a few photos of the felt planter's hat he is making for sunny spring and fall Califonia days in the country. Though the actual hat will be made from the cream-colored silverbelly felt to the right of the photo, the mockup to the left is from a rejected piece of felt that happens to be black. It looks great - my only concern is that the planter's hat is meant to shade the head and the brim on the mock-up hat looks too narrow but we will get that addressed.
Stephen is binding the brim by hand the way it used to be done for bowlers, top hats and other curled brim hats (but which almost nobody does anymore). It is laborious, but it gives the hat a well-tailored look that can't be equalled by a brim binding machine. We originally discussed binding the edge with the same ribbon that would be used for the crown, but I am currently leaning towards a black ribbon around the crown and the cream on the brim. What do you think?
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11 comments:
I see a light hat like that having a darker ribbon, but not on the brim. Maybe a light brown or darker cream on both crown and brim will enable better uniformity?
Black might be too stark. I can see the cream around the brim though.
I think the black around the band would look good.
Your article just reminded me that Stephen has a hat ready for me to pick-up. Its been so hectic the last few weeks that I forgot. The hat that is waiting for me has been designed to be worn with as many outfits as possible and should make a wonderful addition to my hat wardrobe.
Will:
Different colored bands are great in theory. In reality, it looks silly. If you were a fop maybe but not for a gentleman. Keep up the good work.
Yes, I agree - black ribbon around the crown. Nice contrast.
Will--
"... black ribbon around the crown and the cream on the brim."
I think you got that right. Certainly would not like black contrast on brim. Far too ghetto for my taste. Personally, I'd prefer Very dark brown to black on the crown.
--JC
Agree with your leaning, Will.
That's a very nice hat shape, and a nice color for the one you're getting made.
Since you asked for our 2¢, I like the idea of cream on the brim, but I think black on the crown might be too stark, and might look too much like a Panama hat. How about brown, maybe in the chocolate to espresso range?
I'm not a hat person-- therefor fully qualified to express my ignorance.
Would a favorite rep tie cut into a band be inappropriate?
--John
I have to be honest and say you have more chutzpah than me Will if you're going to wear that hat. It's very attractive but way too Ramon Novarro for my taste.
Joe,
Everyone looks good in a fedora; other shapes are not necessarily as flattering. It seems that Will thinks the porkpie flattering to him; I have no reason to disagree (incidentally, it was Astaire's favored shape).
I have a porkpie-shaped coconut straw, and can't wait to get a felt porkpie to balance my fedora-heavy hat wardrobe.
I am also very much looking forward to seeing Will's completed hat.
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