Club Obi Wan

What's the difference between a woman's fedora and a men's fedora that are the same shape, pinch and bash other than the side the ribbon's bow is on?

Umm.... the wearer?

From what I understand, not much. The Winchester Hat Co. (now only a felter by the same name, but still located in the same building in Winchester, TN) made both until they closed hat production in the 50's, and sometimes used the same blocks for building hats. I've seen hat blocks for sale all over this part of Tennessee in antique stores that will be marked with both a mans AND woman's style and size, so a single block was used for both. They'd then just add the ribbons and the like to make it one or the other, and there you were.

I've seen a LOT more women's felt hats than mens in these same antique stores, but then the women tended to wear their hats more for show, and put them back in the boxes. I've seen a LOT that, with just a change of liner and ribbon, you'd have a GREAT man's fedora. Problem I've found has been that the hat sizes were SO much smaller than what I wear....so I haven't been able to try to have one changed over.

I may find one yet....

Regards! Michaelson

I picked up a brand new Akubra at a truck stop last night for $26 Canadian (works out to be what? $12 American?). The ribbon is on the right side. This is why I ask. It looks like a pretty sharp fedora to me.

I removed the ribbon and found the bow is held together with Scotch tape! Shocking.

Sounds like you have the perfect platform to make it into anything you want, my friend!

Regards! Michaelson

Much appreciated, good sirs.

As it is, the hat came with a centre dent bash and a loose front pinch. It's got the Indy 'camel humps' in it already, and a nice wide brim.

Is it normal for hat ribbon bows to be held together with cellophane tape though?

Not that I've ever seen. Regards! Michaelson

Actually, I recently took off a vintage ribbob from an old beater hat of mine, only to find the back of the ribbon had tape on it!

bink

You're not the Lone Ranger there, Bink. I found the same thing on the back of the bow of that Borsalino you found for me in Ft. Wayne. Guess it was a shortcut for production line hat making.

Regards! Michaelson

Akubra uses cellophane tape on the back of the ribbons of the Squatter and the Bushman (the wider ribbon).

Bushman

Michaelson wrote:You're not the Lone Ranger there, Bink. I found the same thing on the back of the bow of that Borsalino you found for me in Ft. Wayne. Guess it was a shortcut for production line hat making.

Regards! Michaelson

Well, if you don't like the hat, you can always send it back. Peeling back the top of the bow of a hat I just picked up yesterday, I can see that they used a black fabric tape on the back of it. At least it's not masking tape! I'm sure it probably was something done during production to get the bows made faster.

bink

Sounds like my DP is getting more and more accurate all the time...

...no, not really.

binkmeisterRick wrote: Well, if you don't like the hat, you can always send it back. bink

Uh, let me think about that for a second... .... ...uh.....NO!

Regards! Michaelson