Boater faction!

[Mr E Train]

It looks good either way, but I think tilted back suits you better.

 

[Cane Rod Maker]

Pera,
Nice job !!
Glad the Grosgrain worked out for you. Once you change out the other hats, lets see them.
Regards,
CRM

I bought this modern boater recently from Skyvue. It's a great quality hat, and a joy to wear!

I don't really like the navy and red ribbon look, so after getting some 2" black ribbon from CaneRodMaker I thought I'd take a shot at making a replacement. I'm a lot happier with how it looks now...

 

[Mr E Train]

No Olney Boater for Mr E Train

OK, it turns out that I'm not getting the Olney after all, through no fault of the seller. On March 23 I mailed back to Wales the size 62 that was too large in exchange for a size 61. I emailed the seller (Tails & the Unexpected) last night to ask if they had received it yet, and they said it hadn't and that they usually allow up to 25 days for packages to arrive from the US.

By that point I was already having second thoughts about the Olney. I liked the looks of it, and it seemed to be of good quality with a very nice sweatband, but it also seemed a little bit on the flimsy side, like the brim, which is very thin, unlike the thick double and triple layer brims you see on many boaters. Plus, it seems Olney's sizing might be inconsistent, and I didn't want to wait weeks for a smaller size and then find out that the new one's too small or still too large. So, I emailed him (Mark) back and asked him to just give me a refund when he received the return instead of an exchange. A little while later I received the refund on my PayPal account, and a message from Mark that he had received my return since he had last emailed me. :eusa_doh:

My experience with Tails & the Unexpected was a good one, though, and anybody that wants to give an Olney a try, I wouldn't hesitate to order one from them. In hindsight, I'm certain that Mark would have been more than willing to take out a tape measure and do a few measurements to ensure that I was getting a hat that would fit me if I had asked him to. He seemed a pleasant and patient guy to do business with. :eusa_clap

The more I looked at them, the more I liked the sturdier-looking imported Italian boaters (made by Tesi, I believe) sold by Bencraft and Hats-Plus and others, usually for around $120 or so. I did find this, though, and from the picture it looks to be the same hat. The website is none too impressive, but the price was right, their shopping cart was secure, and a Google search suggested that other people who ordered from them received the stuff they ordered, so I gave them a try. Which is the other reason I asked for a refund on the Olney--I had already ordered this one. And I also still have my vintage Battersby of London boater from eBay coming, and I couldn't justify having three boaters. I'm not even sure I can justify two, but that's how many I want! lol

 

[Big_e]

FYI, Mr E Train, I got my hat from an ebay store, Old Mill Mercantile . It was cheaper that most of the hats on this thread but then it isn't lined and the sweatband is cotton not leather like most are. It seems like 61 is the biggest size they offer. I still mean to add another nicer one to my collection.
Ernest

 

[skyvue]

I did find this, though, and from the picture it looks to be the same hat.

Please let us know what you think (and show us some pics, perhaps?) when that one arrives. The price is certainly right.

 

[David Conwill]

I dunno about that hugestore.com "boater", it looks like the crown tapers and appears to be somewhat thin.

I hope it turns out to be the real deal, for you, though.

-Dave

 

[Mr E Train]

I dunno about that hugestore.com "boater", it looks like the crown tapers and appears to be somewhat thin.

I hope it turns out to be the real deal, for you, though.

-Dave

I see what you're saying, but take another look. It looks to me like the image is just low res and was badly cut out, making it look as if the crown is tapered. See what I mean?

It looks essentially identical to the Tesi boater sold by Bencraft:

In fact, I'm not convinced that these aren't both the same image, just low res, badly processed and badly cut out in the first case.

It seems most of the new boaters you see for sale are either these or the less expensive Scala ones. I've also seen ones by Capas, and I can't detect any appreciable difference between those and the ones that are sold under the name Tesi. Capas also makes a Panama straw boater, as does Scala, and those look virtually identical to each other too, but I wasn't too impressed with those.

Hopefully it'll work out for me. I'll let you fellows know how it turns out, of course.

 

[Big_e]

It should be okay. It's just the way the straw is woven. The weave on my hat kinda runs up like that but the hat is squared properly. It has, what looks like a double layer weave at the brim so it should be the standard thickness.
Ernest

PS: That'll be at the back of the hat so it won't be so visible as you face people.

 

[SpeedRcrX]

In 2007, the town I work for organized a "Banquet Republicain", theme was the 50s and everyone wore a boater given by the town.

Nearly 3000 people attended, this year the mayor will organize the event again and hope to have 5000 people.

The boater was not of quality but it was a nice touch.

 

[Mikey P]

In 2007, the town I work for organized a "Banquet Republicain", theme was the 50s and everyone wore a boater given by the town.

Nearly 3000 people attended, this year the mayor will organize the event again and hope to have 5000 people.

The boater was not of quality but it was a nice touch.

What a cool idea.

 

[dhermann1]

So as not to confuse some Americans, the "Republicain" refers to La Republique, not to any particular US political party, correct?
At least the hats are real straw, and not cheesy styrofoam, like you'd see here.

 

[SpeedRcrX]

So as not to confuse some Americans, the "Republicain" refers to La Republique, not to any particular US political party, correct?
At least the hats are real straw, and not cheesy styrofoam, like you'd see here.

Yes Républicain as in "la République Française".

Sorry I forgot to mention that

 

[buler]

Resistol Continental

Picked up this Resistol Continental yesterday. Minty fresh.

B

 

[Cane Rod Maker]

Nice Ribbon

That Ribbon looks fanastic, nice hat......:eusa_clap

Picked up this Resistol Continental yesterday. Minty fresh.

B

 

[dhermann1]

"Harold"

I'll bet you 20 pounds of cookies that boater was used in a production of "The Music Man". I'm positive that "Harold" refers to Harold Hill, the lead character. It's just the kind of marking a costume person would put in a theatrical costume garment.

 

[bolthead]

It looks good either way, but I think tilted back suits you better.

I have to agree.

 

[bolthead]

This is a great looking ribbon B,

 

[Big_e]

Great hat Mr Buler! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap
Ernest

Picked up this Resistol Continental yesterday. Minty fresh.

B

 

[Al Niente]

I have my eye on getting a boater. This is style. Glad to see there are other brave souls leading the way!:eusa_clap

 

[David Conwill]

I have my eye on getting a boater. This is style. Glad to see there are other brave souls leading the way!:eusa_clap

Henry the Hatter, on Broadway (and in Southfield), carries the Italian jobs. I fondled one last fall when they were on clearance and would have purchased, but they were out of 7 1/2.

-Dave