I have come into possession of a lovely brimmed hat. I have three problems:
-
How do I identify what kind of hat it is? It looks like a regular men’s hat, of the type they used to wear in old movies and whatnot, except that it has no hatband and is symmetrical in two perpendicular axes.
-
How do I identify of what fabric it is made? It has no label. This will be useful for the following:
-
This hat is, sadly, forest green. Is there any easy way I can dye it black, depending on what fabric it is?
The hatband is immaterial. Does “symmetrical in two perpendicular axes” mean it’s round? Square? Is the top domed or flat? Creased or smooth? Is the brim flat or curled? Broad or narrow?
As for the other two questions, I suggest you call a good men’s store and ask for a referral to someone who can answer these questions in person - like a hatmaker.
It’s elliptical. I really meant that it doesn’t have an obvious back - formal men’s hats I’ve seen before have got a little ribbon or something on the inside back to tell front from back.
Generally, the seam of the sweatband (the band on the inside of the hat) will be at the back. Hatbands (the band on the outside of the hat) are relatively easy to find. A hat store or haberdasher should carry them. The newer hatbands are actually attached with a couple of ‘fishhooks’ (one on either end) and many people buy numerous hatbands as a simple way to change the look of the hat without having to spring for another. Also, through wear in the summer months, the hatband will stain from sweat and it is preferable to change the hatband out.
By your statement that there is no obvious back, i can’t narrow it down much. You may have a bowler; a medium brimmed hat with a round crown. These are the hats that the surrealist Magritte placed on his ‘faceless’ men and usually provoke the impression of an English businessman. Another possibility would be a ‘pork-pie’. Again, a pork-pie has a medium brim (1 1/2" to 1 3/4") with a flat top. There is also the homberg; this hat has a crease in the crown that runs front to back. A derby, which is very similar to a bowler, would also be a possibility.
Your mention that it is of the type worn in old movies evokes the image (at least in my case) of the fedora; a ‘pinch-cowned’ hat with a bit wider brim; think ‘Bogart’. A fedora, however, is only symmetrical along the long axis.
As to the identity of the fabric i’m afraid i can’t help you much. Check the sweatband for remnants of embossing or gilding as that is where this information is normally found. The lining should also carry the name and trademark of the maker. If this hat is pretty old, it would be a safe bet that it is fur felt although newer (and more affordable) hats are made of wool felt.
Finally, unless the hat is of very high quality, it may not be worth dyeing. A good quality fur felt hat can be had for $65-$100US. Wool felt hats run about half that or less.
Well, even $US35 is a great deal of money for a starving Canadian such as myself. If I could dye it, it would be good to know. It’s difficult to answer the questions regarding shape, as the hat is quite amorphous and can be bent to suit the occasion, ranging from something that looks like a woman’s rain hat to something of the approximate shape of a Panama hat. Of course I wear it in the most stylish shape I can put it into, an intermediate which I believe is the fedora, though not sure. The crown is (usually) concave and the brim is about 2 1/2 inches in width when fully unrolled.