Club Obi Wan

Okay you history buffs, I've been wondering when and where did the dimensional cut start to be done on hats? fedora posted a while back that Akubra has been doing them for a long time. I've had a lot of vintage fedora's and none of them had a factory dimensional cut. It seems like I remember some western hats having them but I can't be sure. Any info on this would be very interesting to know.

fedoralover

I've heard in some other post that the dimensional cut was more common in Australia than America where it was not as popular. I'm no expert on headgear history, so don't expect to hear anymore then what I just said.

Yes, that was some info that I got from Ron at Hatsdirect. He said that Akubra had always featured the dimensional cut on some hats. I am curious if it was common here in the States back in the 30's. The dimensional cut brim was new to me when I discovered the specs on Indy's fedora. That includes cowboy hats too, although some may have them. I have a friend who owns a western apparel store complete with over a hundred cowboy hats. Not one of these hats has a dimensional cut. I know, because this came up several years ago when I was after an Indy hat, and this was my first stop in locating one. (He ordered me a Temple, and then a couple of Nostalgias). Anyway, this dimensional cut came up, and he said his factory cowboy hats were not cut in this manner. But, he had used the technique on a few western hats at the request of a few customers who wanted a specific hat that some country star was wearing at the time. I have watched my share of old movies, and I don't recall ever seeing a fedora that had an obvious cut on the brim. All seem to be equal all the way around. Anybody know an old hatter that can be asked? This sort of info is hard to come by unless you can talk to an old time hatter. Probably not many of them left. It has been 70 years ago. regards, Fedora

I'm no expert on this topic, but I'd guess it evolved in the US later on, like the 40's/50's. That's about the time fedoras seemed to be come more "streamline" with lower crowns and such. I guess they better complimented a "business" look that way. Perhaps the sleek, dimensional brim was needed to make the low crown look better. Fedoras of those days were kinda small in stature and maybe a small brim all around wasn't very good at blocking the sun from your eyes, so just the side were cut down. Also, maybe this type of brim was a logical departure from the "cowboy" look of before. If "cowboy" doesn't work for you, try my wife's nickname for my fedora; the "bucket head"

I have wondered about this before. ArdethBey, sounds like you have a link or a line to the fashion industry. Very cool info.

There's a photo of Charles Lindbergh landing "The Spirit of St. Louis" in England a few days after his historic trans-Atlantic flight. In the crowd there are many fedoras, some of them obviously dimensionally cut. That was 1927. Perhaps the British preferred that cut over American hatters, I dunno. Be interesting to find out, though.

I dropped by the Public Library today. Not one book on the history of hats. In fact, there was nothing there on hats, or hatmaking at all. Has anyone else tried this approach? Our Public Library is pretty much a joke anyway. But what can you expect from a small town? Fedora

Good point, Fedora, although I guess if it weren't for the largesse of Andrew Carnegie, many small towns in America wouldn't have any public library at all.

I always assumed the dimensional cut was an invention of the costuming people around the time of Raiders. So I was surprised to learn that the Aussies were doing dimensional cuts years ago. I guess on cowboy hats and outback hats a raw edged-brim and dimensional cut look right, but on dress fedoras? I just don't think it was done. I've seen and handled a number of old fedoras, and they've all had three things in common -- a teardrop crown, ribbon around the edge of the brim, and no dimensional cut. I've always thought, and still think, that the Raiders fedora was an imaginative hybrid of dress fedora and cowboy / adventure hat rather than a strictly accurate period fedora.

Regarding the lower crown. Rumor has it that the crowns were lowered to accomodate the lower roofs on automobiles in the 50's. Sounds logical. Fedora

Only three of my (lost count) fedoras have non dimensional brims. Everything else is chopped on the sides. Our public library has nothing on hats, nothing on watches, Indiana Jones, WW2 history (now that's sad). Regards. Dan

Are you guys checking at your main libraries or just the local branch ones? I haven't checked my main library (which is huge and pretty new), but I'm pretty sure they must have something.

I'm not sure, but I believe Michael Jackson's fedora in the Smooth Criminal video has a dimensional cut, and a semi-tall taperless crown. That music video is obviously supposed to be set in the '20s despite the fact that he turns into a concept car and a huge robot and spaceship. His fedora is actually pretty cool in that video despite being white color (he also wears a black one in the full video), and is much better then his usual black one.

Dan, if your local library has not books on World War II, that is truly sad!

All you Texas folks, try the Austin Public Library, I know they have information there from people I've talked to on IRC, and incidentally have a huge library of Audio CD's.