Tuesday 4 October 2016

It must... exist


Auntumn has arrived, and as sure as Cro begins to fret about what to do with all that quince, I resume my search for the perfect hat, as worn by Basil above.

Now before you ask - no, it is not easy to find this hat. I have literally scoured the world for it, and I even tried to have it made for me by a hatter, but I did not have the heart to tell her that it wasn't quite right and I never wear it.

The hat she made fulfills all the criteria if you name them out loud: Tall crown; wide, rolling brim; heavy, tweed-like material, etc. but it just lacks the overall feel of generosity and relaxed confidence that the original had. It would better suit Robin Hood for wearing in Nottingham town, not forest.

Sometime this Summer (I always keep half an eye out for it all year round) I spotted a hat which was close to perfect in a vintage clothes shop. It was about 3 sizes too small, which - unless I was a midget - would have completely destroyed the feeling of generosity which is so essential. It perched on top of my head, rather than wrapping it up with a bit to spare.

For a few weeks afterwards, I went back to the shop and looked at it again, toying with it wistfully but never putting it on my head. I triple-checked that it could not be expanded magically in some way or let-out like a beloved pair of trousers, and the girl who works there expressed her sympathy.

Although I believe that I have reached the age to be able to get away with wearing a hat like this, I am well aware that it is all too easy to look like a complete twat in anything other than the right one. I am not obsessed with self-image, but if I do stand out in a crowd, I want it to be for the right reasons. I will give a generous cash prize to anyone who finds the right hat for me, but I warn you, you may not be as fine-tuned to it as I am.

Having spent around 10 years looking for it, I am beginning to think that I will just have to make it myself. I seem to be the only person who knows what I want.

The first thing to do is find the right fabric. It must be heavy enough to hold itself up without interfacing, but not hard and stiff. It must be the right colour. It must have no discernable check-pattern. It must...

41 comments:

  1. You are "not obsessed with self image". You could have fooled me. I have seen many a quest for perfection (Cro's truly shambolic bargain jeans being the exception). You are taking it to a pinnacle. If you were a woman she'd have worn you out by now.

    I know a man (LSF - longest standing friend) who wears a hat at all times. always has. For all I know he wears them in the shower. Where the two of you differ, and take note, Tom: He makes his hats look effortless, you make just the one sound like a pain.

    U

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    1. Ah, spreading your positivity as usual, Ursula.

      Are you sure that LSF doesn't stand for 'Long Suffering Friend'?

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    2. How could an innocent post about a hat have gone so wrong?!

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    3. I know. I should have been more specific.

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  2. In winter you need a hat that'll will protect your head from the cold blast of the nor'easter. But you need to be able to screw it up and slip it into your trousers pocket when you arrive at the pub door. That way you can't forget when you go home. For your purpose there's nothing better than a peaked cap from the 'Buff' range. Soft, light, warm, and a friend for life.

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    1. You really don't understand, do you?

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    2. I do. I was just kidding. I think Zucchero's would be just the job.

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  3. Strange... strange, because I recall that you had commissioned a hat to be made for you a couple of years ago. What has happened to it ?

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    1. Not as strange as you. If you had taken the trouble to read this post before leaving a comment, you would have not asked the question.

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  4. Give-up, and wear a beret. I think one might suit you!

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    1. I have no aspirations toward France, its past art or its headgear.

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  5. Good luck to you, Tom, in eventually finding The Hat. Seeing that photo of Mr Rathbone encouraged me to do a google search for more images of him wearing that particular style of hat. I found many, as I be you already have done.

    Now I want to see some of those old films. Last weekend I watched Hitchcock's The 39 Steps on tv, for possibly the 39th time. Lots of interestings styles on display there, too.

    Best wishes.

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    1. In those days, you never saw a man without a hat - ever.

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  6. Ithink you would look rather fetching in it Tom - so keep searching. (that's if you want to look attractive to the over seventies).

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    1. It seems that with or without a hat, this would be impossible.

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  7. I hope you find the right hat--and before winter arrives. I wish men wore more hats, such as the picture above, because they take on a certain amount of mystery and charm. Then I can lie to myself and say, look at that mysterious, charming man, even though I know he'll lie and ruin my life eventually, har har.

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    1. Not talking about you. Men in general.

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    2. I have left it too late to ruin your life, and you have left it too late to let me.

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  8. Thanks a hell of lot Tom. Now you've made me miss my father dead over 25 years, who always wore a hat to work or out to dinner. I kept one after he flew the coop. It's out of shape and not handsome but neither was he. I loved them both.

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    1. I am glad that this post meant something meaningful to someone, then. It was not in vain.

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  9. I understand your obsessions. About seven years ago I broke my alarm clock by accidentally dropping it. I have been looking for an exact replacement ever since. I will disown anybody who will try to tell me that I will never find it because it went out of production. I am deaf to it. I will find the exact clock again one day, damn it! It has to be gold-tone, it has to be oval, it has to have three ball-shaped legs, it has to ....

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    1. I have three leg-shaped balls if that's any use?

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  10. I am very good at research and usually find most things but I fear that you have exhausted all Basil hat avenues.... I really want you to find one ... I think that you would look the bees knees. XXXX

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  11. Well, I'll keep an eye out for you as vintage attire is all the rage in the US. I have an old Stetson hat in its original box that my ex son-in-law wanted, so I called him today to wish him happy birthday and told him to come pick up the hat. Hope it fits him.

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    1. I had an old Stetson once - not a 10-Gallon, but a city-dweller's.

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  12. A hat must fit - otherwise it looks ridiculous. I have many, many hats - and one possibility to find your dream hat might be to make a deal with a costume designer (for film better than theatre) - in Munich I knew a wonderful film-hat-maker, and she had also a little famous shop - but she retired, and the new one is not half as good. You might contact BBC?

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    1. A very good idea! The only trouble is that most costumes for the stage are thrown together and just tacked-up to stay in one piece for the production - or at least that's how it used to be.

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  13. Why don't you be useful and give us a head measurement then?

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    1. PS for some inexplicable reason, my city is home to one of the best hatters in the world. I would diagnose this hat as a NY Homburg in style. It's worth a potter around anyway. http://www.hillshats.co.nz/collections/fur-felt-new-yorker-homburg

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    2. That is very useful, MrsC. Thank you. I have forgotten my head size, but I will look up the hatters.

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    3. Just looked - they have some great hats, but not what I want. Very interesting, though.

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    4. Just stick a tape measure around your head, most people are around 56-59cm. I was hoping you might fall for a coffee sack homburg in lieu of the tweed job. ;-)

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  14. As a hat wearer 365 days a year I understand exactly what you are saying. A good hat is never hard or stiff, and the fit is paramount as Britta says. I know the moment I try a hat on if it is right for me before even looking in the mirror. I hope you find the hat one day; it will be like coming home. Sorry I did not comment yesterday but my lunchtime comment was interrupted and I moved to the otherside of the pub.

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    1. Ah, you do understand. I am thinking that if I cannot get this hat, I will just wear a big, baggy and obviously woman's hat instead. Then I will really prove that I am not obsessed with self-image.

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  15. You should have purchased the "almost perfect" hat from the vintage shop, handed it over to your hat maker and said; "Just like this - only three sizes bigger!"

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    1. I did think about it, but she failed the first test and the hat wasn't perfect anyway. I will make one, I think. Also, the hat in the shop was about £100 - too much to throw away.

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