All about HATS

[randr21]

I love hats, including baseball caps. Wish I could wear them everyday.

Would love to see everyone's HOTD, new purchases and/or collections. Share tips on maintaining hats, sizing, deals.

 

[Straight-Laced]

I'm a hat person too, both summer and winter, for practical purposes (sun protection) and style.
Not collecting anymore but my most recent acquisitions over the last few years are from Maison Michel (mostly Virginie style), Filu Hats and Nick Fouquet.
My head is smaller than average (54cm) which is a pain! I used to get hats made by a local milliner but she retired so it's back to off the rack. Often I resort to using my longish hair tucked up under the hat to keep a too big hat on my head.
My seasons are opposite to most here, currently wearing my everyday Maison Michel Virginie in navy felt with black trim. Pictures to follow.

 

[randr21]

I'm a hat person too, both summer and winter, for practical purposes (sun protection) and style.
Not collecting anymore but my most recent acquisitions over the last few years are from Maison Michel (mostly Virginie style), Filu Hats and Nick Fouquet.
My head is smaller than average (54cm) which is a pain! I used to get hats made by a local milliner but she retired so it's back to off the rack. Often I resort to using my longish hair tucked up under the hat to keep a too big hat on my head.
My seasons are opposite to most here, currently wearing my everyday Maison Michel Virginie in navy felt with black trim. Pictures to follow.

Girl after my own heart. I have a small head too. Lucky to have anything custom made! I have 3 Maison Michel hats coming to me via Farfetch extra 30% off sale. It's just too expensive at full price for me. Their size small fits me well and the Virginie is a fave of mine too. I used to buy Rag & Bone hats too, they make some nice ones awhile back, but I feel like their quality has gone down a bit within the last couple of years. Where do you recommend checking out Filu and Nick Fouquet hats?

 

[Straight-Laced]

Girl after my own heart. I have a small head too. Lucky to have anything custom made! I have 3 Maison Michel hats coming to me via Farfetch extra 30% off sale. It's just too expensive at full price for me. Their size small fits me well and the Virginie is a fave of mine too. I used to buy Rag & Bone hats too, they make some nice ones awhile back, but I feel like their quality has gone down a bit within the last couple of years. Where do you recommend checking out Filu and Nick Fouquet hats?

Yay for new hats on the way! Hope they fit.
Filu hats are at Matches : https://www.matchesfashion.com/au/womens/designers/filu-hats
The sizes can vary between hats of the same size (hand made) so sometimes measurements at Matches are out but the hats are lovely and great for smaller heads.
Nick Fouquet is at Farfetch. Prices are outrageous now. I won't pay that much for any hat, but I did buy a couple of fabulous Nick Fouquet hats a year or so ago before prices were so high with taxes etc. I'll take some photos and add them.

 

[Straight-Laced]

Stock photo of one of my Nick Fouquet hats, which I couldn't resist! His signature flourish is a packet of green tipped matches in the hat band.

 

[randr21]

Yay for new hats on the way! Hope they fit.
Filu hats are at Matches : https://www.matchesfashion.com/au/womens/designers/filu-hats
The sizes can vary between hats of the same size (hand made) so sometimes measurements at Matches are out but the hats are lovely and great for smaller heads.
Nick Fouquet is at Farfetch. Prices are outrageous now. I won't pay that much for any hat, but I did buy a couple of fabulous Nick Fouquet hats a year or so ago before prices were so high with taxes etc. I'll take some photos and add them.

Wow, NF hats are $$$$ though I'm always glad to learn about new designers. The green match is so whimsical and his hats are quite debonair. I added a Filu hat to my wishlist, will definitely keep an eye out on this designer too. Thanks SL!

What do you use to keep your wool or felt hats clean?

 

[Straight-Laced]

Wow, NF hats are $$$$ though I'm always glad to learn about new designers. The green match is so whimsical and his hats are quite debonair. I added a Filu hat to my wishlist, will definitely keep an eye out on this designer too. Thanks SL!

What do you use to keep your wool or felt hats clean?

NF felt hat prices are insane. My two NF hats aren't felt, they're woven like above, and they weren't that expensive a couple of years ago. I always used personal discount codes on hats when offered because I'll always wear hats and they don't go out of style. Glad I'm done collecting for the time being though, even MM in Australian dollars with new taxes are too much for me. And I so wanted a red felt Virginie!!!!
If my hats aren't in rotation I store them in a cabinet or in individual fabric hat boxes to keep them clean. Filu hats provides fabric boxes with purchase, perfect for travel or storage. Will take a pic. Felt hats get steamed at home every so often and I use a hat brush and a couple of other things if they're looking dusty or 'linty'.
Have you tried Henrietta style to compare with Virginie? I never got around to trying them because I liked Virginie so much but I've always wondered about the difference. I've tried Charles and Thadee styles. They don't suit me.

 

[papertiger]

I have hats from all over including vintage 1960s Pierre Cardin (pre licence days) as well as new from Hermes, Gucci, MM and Borsalino. Lots of trad. hats too like silk collapsable toppers, padded riding bowlers and tweed caps.

I missed out on a Philip Treacy years ago. What I consider entirely reasonable now was way too much then. Regrettably, I sold a mohair and grommet encrusted, python banded Dior hat when I though corral didn't suit me (stupid).

The prettiest are from:
http://www.piersatkinson.com/shop Genius

 

[randr21]

NF felt hat prices are insane. My two NF hats aren't felt, they're woven like above, and they weren't that expensive a couple of years ago. I always used personal discount codes on hats when offered because I'll always wear hats and they don't go out of style. Glad I'm done collecting for the time being though, even MM in Australian dollars with new taxes are too much for me. And I so wanted a red felt Virginie!!!!
If my hats aren't in rotation I store them in a cabinet or in individual fabric hat boxes to keep them clean. Filu hats provides fabric boxes with purchase, perfect for travel or storage. Will take a pic. Felt hats get steamed at home every so often and I use a hat brush and a couple of other things if they're looking dusty or 'linty'.
Have you tried Henrietta style to compare with Virginie? I never got around to trying them because I liked Virginie so much but I've always wondered about the difference. I've tried Charles and Thadee styles. They don't suit me.

Will keep an eye out on red Virginies for you. Like handbags, I feel hats always fit me, and they're practical and pretty timeless. I don't have the space to display any of my hats (or bags) so it's a shame that they're usually in boxes until I feel like I want to wear one and then I have to hunt for it.

Btw, should I splurge for a MM brush or can a good one be found on Amazon?

One of my hats came and coincidentally it's a Henrietta (my first). Will have to take pics over the weekend. My MM collection comprises of Virginies and Andres. I also have Thadee & Nat straw ones coming...report to come. Am curious about their packable one, or packable in general. Are they worth it?

Speaking of sales, I love how online sites list a hat, but there is only one size and you don't know which, and there are no measurements, of course.

 

[randr21]

I have hats from all over including vintage 1960s Pierre Cardin (pre licence days) as well as new from Hermes, Gucci, MM and Borsalino. Lots of trad. hats too like silk collapsable toppers, padded riding bowlers and tweed caps.

I missed out on a Philip Treacy years ago. What I consider entirely reasonable now was way too much then. Regrettably, I sold a mohair and grommet encrusted, python banded Dior hat when I though corral didn't suit me (stupid).

The prettiest are from: http://www.piersatkinson.com/shop Genius

Sounds like you have an impressive collection @papertiger. Do you frequently wear your hats out? Btw, those are some beautiful and statement hats from Piers Atkinson. Don't think I'd ever forget someone that wore that to an event. I'm glad your vintage hats are still in rotation, especially since I plan on wearing mine forever.

Collapsable toppers, are they the straw or felt type? I'm very curious...are they structurally less stable than regular ones?

 

[Straight-Laced]

I have hats from all over including vintage 1960s Pierre Cardin (pre licence days) as well as new from Hermes, Gucci, MM and Borsalino. Lots of trad. hats too like silk collapsable toppers, padded riding bowlers and tweed caps.

I missed out on a Philip Treacy years ago. What I consider entirely reasonable now was way too much then. Regrettably, I sold a mohair and grommet encrusted, python banded Dior hat when I though corral didn't suit me (stupid).

The prettiest are from:
http://www.piersatkinson.com/shop Genius

Sounds truly fabulous papertiger! I still have some of my mother's hats from the 1950s and 60s in storage. They were all made for her and are from a different world.
Sorry about the Dior. I feel for you and have done similar (ouch).
The Piers Atkinson hats are charming - fresh, wearable and whimsical.
British hat culture is something very special While some on tpf have Hermes or Chanel HG dreams mine is to have a Philip Treacy hat made to measure in his London studio. A girl can dream! One of my very early tpf avatars was an iconic image of Grace Jones wearing a Philip Treacy hat. Magnificent!

 

[Straight-Laced]

Will keep an eye out on red Virginies for you. Like handbags, I feel hats always fit me, and they're practical and pretty timeless. I don't have the space to display any of my hats (or bags) so it's a shame that they're usually in boxes until I feel like I want to wear one and then I have to hunt for it.

Btw, should I splurge for a MM brush or can a good one be found on Amazon?

One of my hats came and coincidentally it's a Henrietta (my first). Will have to take pics over the weekend. My MM collection comprises of Virginies and Andres. I also have Thadee & Nat straw ones coming...report to come. Am curious about their packable one, or packable in general. Are they worth it?

Speaking of sales, I love how online sites list a hat, but there is only one size and you don't know which, and there are no measurements, of course.

I hope you like your Henrietta - I'm intrigued!
My hat brush is made by Akubra. It's the right shape, made from soft horse hair especially for fur felt hats and much cheaper than MM I'm sure.


I think my MM Charles straw hat was described as packable. If so it's because the material and weave allows it to spring back into shape (more or less) because it's soft and resilient rather than stiff and fragile.

 

[Straight-Laced]

HOTD : MM Virginie in navy felt with black band. I can get very lazy with this one because it's fits me so nicely.

 

[papertiger]

Sounds like you have an impressive collection @papertiger. Do you frequently wear your hats out? Btw, those are some beautiful and statement hats from Piers Atkinson. Don't think I'd ever forget someone that wore that to an event. I'm glad your vintage hats are still in rotation, especially since I plan on wearing mine forever.

Collapsable toppers, are they the straw or felt type? I'm very curious...are they structurally less stable than regular ones?

I wear hats about 50% of the time. The only ones I haven't kept are the very wide brimmed, they (and their boxes) are just too big to store for the limited use they have. My Hermes tweed Funk hat is probably the most used but I really love them all and try to wear them whenever I can. This year I bought an Hermes Paris hat in bright blue but I haven't had a chance to wear it yet. Most hats fall into classic categories that fall into and out of fashion, right now I think anything goes so long as it's a proper hat.

Collapsable toppers are usually made of silk. They were reserved for evening.

This red is from Gucci. I first bought it to attend a wedding. I also bought a dark green in the same style that someone actually had fly back from the States with because it wasn't a colour available in Europe.

 

[papertiger]

Sounds truly fabulous papertiger! I still have some of my mother's hats from the 1950s and 60s in storage. They were all made for her and are from a different world.
Sorry about the Dior. I feel for you and have done similar (ouch).
The Piers Atkinson hats are charming - fresh, wearable and whimsical.
British hat culture is something very special While some on tpf have Hermes or Chanel HG dreams mine is to have a Philip Treacy hat made to measure in his London studio. A girl can dream! One of my very early tpf avatars was an iconic image of Grace Jones wearing a Philip Treacy hat. Magnificent!

Absolutely. I still dream of the hat I missed out on. It was wide, triangular and black suede

I had a Stephen Jones fedora-type in light aqua blue straw but I sold that too. I could really smack myself sometimes.