Are Indy hats "formal" or "casual"?
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- Barcelona Jones
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Are Indy hats "formal" or "casual"?
Hi,
This question I put in a forum where the average member wears or collects hats, and some of these happen to be Indy fans, too. I thought it would be interesting to do the same here, where the reverse is true: here we have plenty of Infy fans, some of them being also hat aficionadoes in general (and many of them participate in both sites).
I have just an Indy hat, an excellent Penman. I find it hard to see it as a formal hat - I use it as a casual hat, and couple it with more casual clothing than I do with other fedoras. It is just that I do not see this hat working, for me, with more dressy clothing - not even sport suit jackets and ties, which is my more usual wardrobe.
Not that is is a problem - I have plenty of hats that I can wear with more formal clothing, is just I find odd this reaction of mine.
I have a couple of brown fedoras which are not that different to this one; similar height, similar brim. My Indy hat has the Raiders style, but, apart from the tight front pinch, it has a centerdent crease which is a very common crease. It has the "turn", but even this is not that far apart from what happens when you put your hat on off center. After all, the Indy hat is a fedora. I mean, it is not the same as, say, a cowboy or a safari hat.
May it be the dimensional cut? This is the only hat I have with this feature. Or that I inconciously fail to dissociate this hat from the adventurer image? It is simply some synaptic disfunction I have?
Any opinions? How do you consider your Indy hat? Formal? Casual? Both?
P.S. I do not mean "formal" in the sense of tuxedos and the like; I am referring to the range between what nowadays tends to be considered formal (or "more formal casual", so to say it), like, say, button-down shirt, tie and sports jacket, and up to, at most, 3-piece suits.
This question I put in a forum where the average member wears or collects hats, and some of these happen to be Indy fans, too. I thought it would be interesting to do the same here, where the reverse is true: here we have plenty of Infy fans, some of them being also hat aficionadoes in general (and many of them participate in both sites).
I have just an Indy hat, an excellent Penman. I find it hard to see it as a formal hat - I use it as a casual hat, and couple it with more casual clothing than I do with other fedoras. It is just that I do not see this hat working, for me, with more dressy clothing - not even sport suit jackets and ties, which is my more usual wardrobe.
Not that is is a problem - I have plenty of hats that I can wear with more formal clothing, is just I find odd this reaction of mine.
I have a couple of brown fedoras which are not that different to this one; similar height, similar brim. My Indy hat has the Raiders style, but, apart from the tight front pinch, it has a centerdent crease which is a very common crease. It has the "turn", but even this is not that far apart from what happens when you put your hat on off center. After all, the Indy hat is a fedora. I mean, it is not the same as, say, a cowboy or a safari hat.
May it be the dimensional cut? This is the only hat I have with this feature. Or that I inconciously fail to dissociate this hat from the adventurer image? It is simply some synaptic disfunction I have?
Any opinions? How do you consider your Indy hat? Formal? Casual? Both?
P.S. I do not mean "formal" in the sense of tuxedos and the like; I am referring to the range between what nowadays tends to be considered formal (or "more formal casual", so to say it), like, say, button-down shirt, tie and sports jacket, and up to, at most, 3-piece suits.
- Michaelson
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- binkmeisterRick
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I agree completely. I also try to color coodinate. For instance, I'll wear my brown fedora with khakis and a sport coat, and my carbon gray with a gray or blue suit.Michaelson wrote: I just make sure my hat is completely brushed and clean for formal wear. I also make sure the ribbon looks it's best. If stained or faded, it's regulated to casual duty until that is changed out at next rebuild/reblock, then it can return to 'both' again.
- Michaelson
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Quite correct! I think like Mr. M. here as long as it is brushed out and clean, it works for dress as well as adventure. If it looks dirty, it is not for dress. That simple and that easy to understand. W>Michaelson wrote:Thing is, back in the day, grey fedora were also considered correct for brown suits and coats.
Regards! Michaelson
- basilbakerst
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I can envision an Indy-style fedora as a formal hat with the right suit combination. I tend to think of the grey and black fedoras as being more formal. I wager that's why they had Indiana Jones wearing a different hat on the sea plane and the train. However, if the hat is well kept, which Indy's were not for the most part, it would look swell. I'm using that kind of logic to talk my wife into me getting another brown fedora -- one for play and one for dress.
basilbakerst
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My first AB is so dirty and beat up ( and it looks so Indy right now) ,is my daily hat. I have another 2 AB ( 1 brown and 1 grey) that I use for suit. Both of those hats are turned. I keep both of them clean and brushed , where my daily I do not.
To answer your question, I'm with Michealson on this one. Scary we are thinking alike , again.
To answer your question, I'm with Michealson on this one. Scary we are thinking alike , again.
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- Dr. Nebraska S.
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Also, you might want to check out this somewhat related thread:
viewtopic.php?p=536205#536205 It's not the same topic (i.e. doesn't have much on the dressier side), but has some discussion about the more casual examples.
best wishes,
Nebraska Schulte
viewtopic.php?p=536205#536205 It's not the same topic (i.e. doesn't have much on the dressier side), but has some discussion about the more casual examples.
best wishes,
Nebraska Schulte
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I may look at things differently but I find that the bash also plays a part in a hat being dress or casual.
Such as my Crystal Skull Keppler, it oftentimes feels a bit dressy for casual situations. So I usually wear it with more rugged/worn looking clothing to keep it casual since I hardly ever have need for a dressier hat.
With the exception of the seaplane hat, I find the Raiders hats to be more casual looking overall.
That's just me.
Randy
Such as my Crystal Skull Keppler, it oftentimes feels a bit dressy for casual situations. So I usually wear it with more rugged/worn looking clothing to keep it casual since I hardly ever have need for a dressier hat.
With the exception of the seaplane hat, I find the Raiders hats to be more casual looking overall.
That's just me.
Randy
Formal lids
Personally any fedora can be formal, and just making sure it "fits" with whatever you decide to wear. Generally, i make sure the tie and hat look presentable with each other and then the suit. The suit colors don't vary much, hats can. I personally prefer dark hats with most suits, however the moonstone lids has begun to change my attitude, that contrasting ribbon looks cool with my dark blue or black suits. All my hats are kept cleaned and brushed (except for the PB) because they're used for work. THe PB is "run it over with a tank" tough and great when doing firewood or working.
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Re: Formal lids
You don't hear much about PB's. I take it you own the helmet stiff version?Indy35 wrote: THe PB is "run it over with a tank" tough and great when doing firewood or working.
Randy
- DoubleOhSeven
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Since I've moved to a job where I have to wear a suit and tie to work, a few of my fedoras have seen more wear than I ever thought it would.
Lately, we've had some weather that has been cold and rainy. I found the brown of my Legend matches well with my khaki overcoat, and just works wonders for keeping the wind/rain out of my head. At first some of the guys at work ribbed me a bit for being Indy, or Columbo, or whomever, but within a few days a few of them were wearing hats with their overcoats and rain coats, too.
They definitely work with a suit, and the look is nostalgic to say the least. Many, many people refer to it a being "sharply dressed". I had one judge tell me he liked my "gentleman's hat".
Lately, we've had some weather that has been cold and rainy. I found the brown of my Legend matches well with my khaki overcoat, and just works wonders for keeping the wind/rain out of my head. At first some of the guys at work ribbed me a bit for being Indy, or Columbo, or whomever, but within a few days a few of them were wearing hats with their overcoats and rain coats, too.
They definitely work with a suit, and the look is nostalgic to say the least. Many, many people refer to it a being "sharply dressed". I had one judge tell me he liked my "gentleman's hat".
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- Barcelona Jones
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It was interesting to read so many interventions. And it is remarcable, as Chewie noticed, that in general the balance of opinions is similar to that expressed at The Fedora Lounge. Common interests result in like answers, I would guess...
Well, today I took one step up and wore my Penman Raiders with a slightly more dressier outfit... one step at a time...
It seems to work!
Regards!
Well, today I took one step up and wore my Penman Raiders with a slightly more dressier outfit... one step at a time...
It seems to work!
Regards!
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- Mark Brody
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I'd say it's casual. Brown hats to not lend themselves to be worn with formal suits, which are usually black, grey, or blue. Also, the centerdent is more casual than a teardrop. That's not to say that you couldn't pick up a brown suit and make it more formal, but most earth tone suits are on the casual side, too.
- binkmeisterRick
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I disagree. They make brown suits, too, remember? ;-) I've seen brown hats worn successfully with blue suits. It can be done. Doing a quick search, I came across this on the miller hats website:Mark Brody wrote:I'd say it's casual. Brown hats to not lend themselves to be worn with formal suits, which are usually black, grey, or blue.
Also keep in mind that color trends were different before WWII than they are now. Where grey is now considered the neutral, beige was often the neutral color back then.Clothing: Brown Hats are best worn with brown or green suits and coats. Dark Brown hats are acceptable with dark gray and dark blue suits. In medium and lighter tones, brown-blue, and brown-gray combinations should be avoided.