If there is such a thing as "Bright brown", this is it! A very vivid rust color. Well, instead of sending it back, I thought "well, maybe it's the light and it isn't that bad...". I can't leave anything alone so I bashed it and trimmed the sides of the brim (2 3/4" front and back, 2 1/2" sides). Well, it's mine now. The shape of the hat is actually quite nice and looks good. That color though... One thing about the color is the ribbon. It's not black, it's not brown, it's dark GRAY. A strange, colorless gray. That really makes the brown of the hat look wierd....probably makes it look worse than it actually is.The felt itself feels fine, but has a real velvety surface. If I try to pick up the hat by the pinch (I know, you're not supposed to do that), I can't, because my fingers can't get a purchase on the felt!
The hat is a bit too large too. I'm going to stop ordering the size I'm "supposed" to have. My head measures 23". I can pull tight and get 22 3/4". When I order a 7 3/8 (or 59), it's too big. I need to just order 7 1/4.... I put some strips of elkhide leather under each side of the headband (three layers thick). It fit fine front and back. Now it fits well. It was not quite as oversize as the Akubra was.
Anyway, here's what I think I'm gonna do. I'm going to "distress" this hat. "Age" it and let it look well used and then make it my work hat. The band's coming off, of course, and I'm going to dye it black (or find a suitable black or dark brown band to put on later). Then, I'm going to take out the liner and put the hat out into the rain. I'll rig up a block to help the hat hold it's shape. Let the rain wash it out. I'll leave 'er in the sun too. Maybe that'll tone down the screaming brown color. Do I sound like I'm on the right track or not? Any suggestions?
