Just got my first Indy fedora, and boy do I look dopey! PICS

[TheSavoryTrim]

Both of those hats more than justify the price, though. In my opinion.

[steerpike]

I'm in agreement with others here. It's not you, it's the hat. You have a large enough head to pull off a proper Indy hat. This one isn't cutting it, IMO. The crown shape seems wrong. Too tall, too tapered. Can you send it back? Try a Fed IV, as it's only a bit more expensive. Obviously an AB or Penman would be a huge step up, but costs more.

I agree with everything. It's the tapering at most.. a reblocking seem to be a better solution.

[Ken]

Steve is definitely right - afterall he is THE hat guru. I had an AB that had been put through some serious punishment and became quite severely tapered. I sent it off to John Pennman to get reblocked and it came back looking brand new, even with some reverse taper going on - I couldn't have been happier.

And for the record my hat is a very tight fit - its probably a size smaller than it should be, but this is my preference as I dont want it blowing off my head on the top of a mountain (been there, chased it.... for miles...)

Ken

[Long John Tinfoil]

You heard it from Steve (Fedora). You now have the true word ex cathedra.

LJ

[Forrest For the Trees]

...But, he shouldn't have to send it off for a re-block just after purchasing it.

[jnicktem]

He does if the block shape does not suit him. A different block can be used to give him a better look.

[DanielJones]

Again, I would be interested in seeing some pics from the front while you are sort of looking down. It will gibe a better straight on shot of the crown and then we can better assess the degree of taper to the crown. Lifting the chin kind of gets an under shot of the hat and makes the whole crown look super tapered because you are looking at it via the pinch and it all sort of collects there. If that makes any sense.

Try using the pics I posted earlier as reference and try the pictures again. Also, if you can, try them outdoors under natural lighting, it will help improve the color contrast as well.

This is another pose that I am talking about. Try to get it like this so we are seeing more of the top of the brim and the distinctive camel humps.


Cheers!

Dan

[IndianaJames]

Niiice....

[Indiana Bugs]

Regarding this particular hat, this first gen Downtowner, the crowns on these are known for being way the heck up there. As Michaelson mentioned, the crown needs work.

I wouldn't abandon this hat yet. The 1st gen DTs are very stiff. I would wet it down good, let it soften a bit, and push that center dent way down. Then place it on your head, and while looking in a mirror, start squashing in the side dents/front pinch. Use a three way mirror if you have one. Take the hat off to examine it and fine tune what you did to it while it was on your head.

Bringing the crown down should widen it out a bit, or at least give that appearance because t won't be as tall anymore in comparison to the brim width.

Don't be afraid to mess with it, and a few times if you don't get it at least close to what you want the first time. A hat with that much crown should be workable into something you'll be pleased with.

[Flyderf]

I owned a downtowner as my first Indy hat....................(not counting the Dorfman). I found the downtowner way to tall for my noggin. It is my personal opinion it was way to tall of a crown. It is what it is. Since then I have traded it for Christy's, which has a much lower crown.

Since that trade I've been fortunate to own hats from the "masters" here. I have stepped up the ladder here as one would say. I own a rabbit Adventurebuilt from Steve, and few Penmans. When I put those hats on, they just look right.

[darkhelmet]

I finally was able to show my wife my Downtowner and the first thing she said was "Wow...it's really, really tall"... I told her the movie hat was just as tall and then she crushed me by saying "It doesn't look good on you" (wives are so honest )

Not a fault of Todd, it's just I have a really long face.

[nicktheguy]

I finally was able to show my wife my Downtowner and the first thing she said was "Wow...it's really, really tall"... I told her the movie hat was just as tall and then she crushed me by saying "It doesn't look good on you" (wives are so honest )

Not a fault of Todd, it's just I have a really long face.

...not to mention it's probably longer after your wife's comment

wives have a way of knocking us down with the most pleasant of intentions - though I prefer the brutal honesty of my spouse.

[JC1972]

I was thinking of getting a Downtowner as well. My head measures 23 1/4" or 59cm so I had John make me a Raiders beaver, but it just never fit me right or looked right (dopey?). It was too snug (people would tell me that it would fit different than a ballcap as it was my 1st fedora) and always gave me a headache if I wore it too long, which wasn't long at all. I also would have a red mark on my head from wearing it. So I sold it (I also needed the funds). If I was to get the Downtowner, I was thinking of getting a 60cm; I also have a long oval head. These are pics of the Penman Raiders.

[indyclone]

here is my downtowner (version one) with higher crown , which i think you have also. but people say my hat looks good in my pictures , depending on the way i tilt my head to the camera , my wife hated the crown on the version one.the version one sold when it was 99.95.


and this is my downtowner (version two) which has a lower crown , and i think its fits better and my wife likes the way it looks . it's the one todd is selling for 79.95. so look into that .

[gwyddion]

Just being curious, but could you measure the height of the front of the hat as shown by the red line in this pic?


I think your hat has a too tall crown. Also, I think you might have measured around your head too high up your forehead resulting in a hat that is too small and has to be worn tilted back. A neat trick someone told me (forgot who it was ) about where to measure is to wear a baseball cap backwards, look in the mirror and remember where it sits, take it off and measure right there.

Regards, Geert

[BendingOak]

I was thinking of getting a Downtowner as well. My head measures 23 1/4" or 59cm so I had John make me a Raiders beaver, but it just never fit me right or looked right (dopey?). It was too snug (people would tell me that it would fit different than a ballcap as it was my 1st fedora) and always gave me a headache if I wore it too long, which wasn't long at all. I also would have a red mark on my head from wearing it. So I sold it (I also needed the funds). If I was to get the Downtowner, I was thinking of getting a 60cm; I also have a long oval head. These are pics of the Penman Raiders.

I wish you had said something to me. I would suggest before ordering another hat. Have someone watch my video of how to measure your head. Then have that person measure your head a few times. Have them measure you where you want to wear the hat. Don't measure yourself. You won't get a accurate measurement.

[lantzn]

Ok all,

On the size issue. Just re-measured my head using a hat tape. The measurement is 22 5/8 inches or a hat size of 7 1/4 (or 58 for the metric folks).

The above hat is a little snug, honestly, and it is a 58.

The experts opine that I should order a bigger size.

My question is, how much bigger? a 59? a 60?

Please advise?

(If a 60, there are a couple nice hats available on the Board - an Akubra Fed IV and a Henry - both a 60....)

Thanks!
Sean

My head is also 22-5/8" and I could never find a hat that felt good on me. They would be snug in the front and back but loose on the sides. I went to Penman Hats in Portland and John found out my head was a long oval. He made me a Gray KotCS hat and it fits like a glove. I work with attorneys and have received numerous compliments on my hat, which I wear daily, even with its very tall crown. My wife said the hat was too tall at first but is now use to it.
Your hat looks to small to me as many have pointed out.

Here's my Penman as well as in my avatar to the left. Same size head as yours and see how tall AND boxy it is? This gray goes well with all my colors of suits as well as my CS Nowak and just about anything I wear. The train hat has a more formal brim.

[BendingOak]

Lantzn

Thanks for the kind words but more important s reposting obi sean kenobi post. I missed it. Very important post. 22 5/8 is not 58cm. 58cm = 22.82 inches. This doesn't make a lot of sense because if accurate measurements was used your hat should fit loose.

Very important bit of advise for everyone. Have someone else measure your head a few times to get your true measurement. Then, go to who ever you want to buy your hat from and let them size you you up. Each factory hat uses a different size chart. All of them are wrong but you must work within their measurement system.