Wearing straw hats

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Herb Iffrig
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Wearing straw hats

Post by Herb Iffrig » Sun Aug 18, 2019 1:01 pm

For you guys that want to be era correct when out driving you cars, be care full that the straw hat nazis don't see you. (Think soup nazis ala Seinfeld).

http://blitzlift.com/unacceptable-to-wear-a-straw-hat/

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DLodge
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Re: Wearing strawv hats

Post by DLodge » Sun Aug 18, 2019 1:33 pm

In the same category as ladies not wearing white shoes after Labor Day.... :D

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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by Steve Jelf » Sun Aug 18, 2019 2:42 pm

My choice of headgear depends on weather: cloth cap for cold, straw hat for hot. The calendar has no say in it. :)
The inevitable often happens.
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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by Rich Eagle » Sun Aug 18, 2019 3:53 pm

I rescued 2 straw hats from the family storage room. My Uncle threw a lot of things away that have now become valuable. I also got one when I purchased my Buick. They all are stiff and don't fit my head. Also, I am weary of them blowing off while driving an open car.
The certainly are jaunty and scream 1910's.
Fun to read about the Riot.
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Re: Wearing strawv hats

Post by DLodge » Sun Aug 18, 2019 4:53 pm

I have a straw boater and it's probably the most uncomfortable hat I own. I agree it fits with the Model T, but so does a newsboy cap and the latter is wa-a-a-ay more comfortable to wear.

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Steve Jelf
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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by Steve Jelf » Sun Aug 18, 2019 5:25 pm

Yes, a boater can provide plenty of discomfort if it isn't a perfect fit.

IMG_7389 copy.JPG
The Amish style is more comfortable and gives more shade.
The inevitable often happens.
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Re: Wearing strawv hats

Post by Erik Johnson » Sun Aug 18, 2019 6:11 pm

I occasionally run across antique straw boaters at estate sales. The problem is that, compared to today, most men in the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s had smaller heads so it is difficult to find an antique boater in my size which is 7 3/8. Same goes with antique derbies. 6 3/4 to 7 1/8 are very common but I have never found a large straw boater.

Below is a real nice antique boater that I picked up for $8 at an estate sale. Not my size but it did fit my seven year old nephew. I sold it at a swap meet to a fellow that had a medium sized head.
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Re: Wearing strawv hats

Post by Norman Kling » Sun Aug 18, 2019 6:50 pm

I live in California and wear what is comfortable for the particular day. We can have warm days in January and cool days in June. October can go either way as well as December and January.

I have a problem with the stores. I went to buy a bathing suit in the summer and all they had was sweaters and coats because they were selling early for fall and winter. Sometimes you need to buy summer clothes in March or April and it is still cold.

Anyway, I just wear clothes until they are worn out and then use for rags when I work on T's.
Grew up in the depression.
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Re: Wearing strawv hats

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Sun Aug 18, 2019 6:54 pm

I love wearing the boater style straw hats, and being a pin-head at 7 1/8, have been able to find several that fit me. 7 1/4 actually is more comfortable, and I have a couple of them. Ed Archer as I recall takes a 7 5/8, a tough time finding that size, but he does have a few that fit him well!
One must quickly learn when wearing one while driving or riding in a car, to keep head down a bit into the wind. The other thing I really like about them on hot days, is there is a hand grip on the crown of the hat that turns it into a fine personal fan! Especially nice if you are in a shady spot.

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Re: Wearing strawv hats

Post by CudaMan » Sun Aug 18, 2019 9:16 pm

I have a boater, but it's such a chore to keep it from blowing off in the slightest wind that I never wear it. How Henry Ford kept hi on while bicycling is a mystery to me. :)
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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by Jugster » Mon Aug 19, 2019 12:27 am

The straw hats manufactured today don't look right because they're all made with a too-tall crown. The only examples available for purchase that have the period-correct "short look" are genuine vintage hats, which, as previously stated, are difficult to find in larger sizes.

As for keeping a hat on your head while driving: I use a short lanyard with little alligator clips on each end. One end clips onto the back of your hat, the other clips to your collar. They're manufactured for this very purpose and are easy to find on Amazon.
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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by david_dewey » Mon Aug 19, 2019 1:04 am

Erik, I understand your frustration as I, like Ed, am a 7-5/8 (how many guys even know their hat size?). Hard to find specialty hats in that size--my Top Hat was a chance find at a swap meet.
Mark, why does your profile pic look like Red Green???
:)
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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by david_dewey » Mon Aug 19, 2019 1:21 am

Erik, I understand your frustration as I, like Ed, am a 7-5/8 (how many guys even know their hat size?). Hard to find specialty hats in that size--my Top Hat was a chance find at a swap meet.
Mark, why does your profile pic look like Red Green???
:)
T'ake care,
David Dewey

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CudaMan
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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by CudaMan » Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:40 am

My profile pic looks like Red Green because I like Red Green! :)
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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by MichaelPawelek » Mon Aug 19, 2019 11:58 am

LOL, As If any of the members on the site worry about what they wear and what others think. Pictures over the years show many of us live in greasy shirts and hole filled pants. Any straw hat would be a improvement! :)


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Herb Iffrig
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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by Herb Iffrig » Mon Aug 19, 2019 12:24 pm

I expected this discussion to evolve into political correctness given the story in the link. Thanks for not letting it become OT.

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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by George House » Mon Aug 19, 2019 2:23 pm

Well, I am surprised....I’ve Never heard Straw Katys call “Boaters”....Anyone else know ‘em as straw katys ?
I don’t know why I turned out this way. My parents were decent people 🤪

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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by CudaMan » Mon Aug 19, 2019 2:59 pm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boater

I've also seen them called "skimmers". :)
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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by Bobbbenner » Tue Aug 20, 2019 8:42 am

I generally wear an Amish style light straw hat in the sun and while driving my TT. I will be getting some of those clips as I increase my speeds. (Rocky mountain brakes will be added soon).

My favorite straw hats were hand made by an Amish lady named Emmy Lapp in Myersville Pa. She measured my head by having me try on a few of her hats, then found a couple of rosewood sticks for the front to back and side to side measurements, tied them with a piece of string and set them aside. Wouldn’t take any money till I got back to pick up the hat. Ten bucks for the first one, twelve a few years later. Parade hats now and for special occasions.

My wife found my current light weight one on line to replace one I bought at a re-enactment in Florida. Everyone I know wanted me to retire that hat that I had been sewing together for years. It has a great patina and has a deep dark dirty oily brown color. Perfect!

The new one is not near as comfortable yet!
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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by CudaMan » Mon Sep 23, 2019 2:42 pm

More than you ever wanted to know about straw hats:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxbVTozEoa0
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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by kelly mt » Mon Sep 23, 2019 3:29 pm

Don't forget the speedster bunch.
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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by DHort » Mon Sep 23, 2019 4:04 pm

Norm, you can always swim in your birthday suit. It is available all year round and it is free. :)


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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by Erik Johnson » Mon Sep 23, 2019 10:25 pm

Found yet another really nice antique boater/skimmer for a very reasonable price at an estate sale last week.

Same old story - size 7 1/4 - too small for me. Tried it on anyway just it case it did fit. No such luck.


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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by Fozz71 » Tue Sep 24, 2019 10:50 am

It is absurd to think that all straw hats across the whole US instantly died out after that small bit of idiocy- that is a limited criminal incident in NY. So, wearing a straw hat after that is perfectly acceptable and was probably still common in most of the US for some time. Unlike today's instant news, word and fashion spread far slower and crept across the US.

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Re: Wearing straw hats

Post by Mark Gregush » Tue Sep 24, 2019 12:08 pm

For some reason I get an couple of images (well really more then a couple) when I think of a straw boater; Ricky Ricardo preforming at the Tropicana or someone from the 50's on a tour wearing striped coat looking like they stepped out of a Barber Shop Quartet. :lol:
I took a look at my 1908 Sears catalog, what people are calling a Newsboy, was called a Golf Cap(that's what I call them), the the closest thing to the Greek Fisherman cap was a Tourist Cap. No straw boaters shown that I could find.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

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