Club Obi Wan

I was at the hospital earlier for my baby's vaccination and monthly check-up... when we were on the elevator (I was just holding my hat to my chest - I wasn't wearing it.), as we were getting off, a doctor (around his late 40's or mid-50's) turned to me and said, "Nice hat!" I put on my hat and thanked him and went on my way.

After the trip to the hospital, we stopped by a local mall. While walking, a guy approached me and said (it was in Filipino so I'll translate), "Your hat looks great! Where did you buy it? Isn't that an Indiana Jones hat?" (most fedoras being sold here are the ones with stingy brims or cowboy hats) I told him I bought it online... the guy looked disappointed so I told him that there was an Indy fedora being sold at another mall for 5000php (that's roughly more than a $100... and it was just a crushable wool Dorfman). I think he was kinda shocked at the price since most of the hats being sold around the mall are only around $20 (those were the cowboy hats which had a really thick felt material - twice as thick as my Christy's!) He thanked me and headed off his way.

Anyway, those two compliments really made my day.

We have access to things, but sometimes we forget it is not like that in other parts of the world. The net really puts things at your finger tips. Looks like you are starting to get noticed, Marco. Best wishes.

Yes, here in the Philippines, choices for hats are slim since we aren't exactly a hat-wearing country. I was actually surprised to see any hats for sale at local malls. The fedoras (stingy brims) are just fashion hats, mostly worn by the younger generation of kids (teens to early 20's) who are trying to get that MTV-ish look.

The only felt hats I see are the cowboy hats. All the cowboy hats I've seen are VERY thick... double (or more) the thickness of my Christy's. People here hardly wear any full-brimmed hat like the cowboy hats or Indy fedoras. I'm sure when I was at the mall, I was the only one wearing a full-brimmed hat. That's how rare it is to see anyone sport an Indy hat (or any full-brimmed hat for that matter) here in Manila. I think in other parts of the Philippines; like Baguio - a summer vacation spot for horseback-riding where the weather is perfect for wearing a leather jacket - people do wear real hats.