Homburg or Coke/Bowler Hat

[alden]

I have been a client for over 15 years of one of the greatest butchers in the world. I know everyone in the store by name. One day I walked into the store to do my normal shopping and everyone (the six or seven employees of the shop) stared at me. I felt suddenly to be under a microscope. And I asked shyly, "Well, hello, why are you all looking at me? What is up?" After a moment of uncomfortable silence, one of the butchers said, "But Monsieur, nothing is wrong, but we have never seen you without a hat!" (It seems I had run out of the house in a hurry and forgotten my dearest head warmer.)

I am not at all surprised by the seeming incongruity in the photos above. A hat is an accessory. That is, it adds a note or color to an already complete, whole and well enunciated phrase. The pictures above showing "what we expect" reveal the "complete, whole and well enunciated phrase." The photos of the "reality" show merely the naked accessory without the "complete, whole and well enunciated phrase." You cannot wear a full blown Fedora in a sweat suit or other ridiculously casual attire (albeit fashionable)..the attire of most men who lionize the Fedora neglect all of the essentials, the sine qua non consistent with the doffing of one. A fedora cries for good tailored clothing, a suit and overcoat. You either must do the whole enchilada, or nothing. The hat merely compliments the splendor of the rest of the image embodied in what we call "Dressing", a forgotten art.

Once again, it is not the hat's fault, but the fault of he or she who wears it poorly.

Cheers

[davidhuh]

"But Monsieur, nothing is wrong, but we have never seen you without a hat!"(...)
A fedora cries for good tailored clothing, a suit and overcoat. You either must do the whole enchilada, or nothing. The hat merely compliments the splendor of the rest of the image embodied in what we call "Dressing", a forgotten art.

Dear Michael,

well said, thank you. I love the butcher shop story

The above is true: it is tough to look good in a fedora.
I cannot. My face doesn't work.
But the good folks at Lock steered me into something reasonable for a long, narrow face.
A low crown trilby.
I'm OK with it. The best I can do.

Uppercase has a point though. I would love to wear a Homburg or a Bowler - they don't work on my face. The classical Borsalino type Fedora however is perfect, and the same applies to a top hat or a fez with a turban (depending on the enchilada, of course).

Cheers, David

[hectorm]

A hat is an accessory. That is, it adds a note or color to an already complete, whole and well enunciated phrase... The hat merely compliments the splendor of the rest of the image embodied in what we call "Dressing", a forgotten art.

After 90 years of movies, costume and wardrobe designers in Hollywood say that even the most flattering of hats does not do anything to enhance the features of strikingly handsome (male) actors with good hair. Carrying their hat in hand (even in the middle of a blizzard) is the way to go.
But on the contrary, hats work miracles for adding (besides context) character and interest to "normal" faces, provided their owners are accordingly well dressed.

I would love to wear a Homburg or a Bowler - they don't work on my face.

David, a few days ago I saw your picture wearing a superb DB dinner suit. I didn´t want to resort to photoshop for proving my point , but I´m sure that a Homburg (with a black overcoat and a white silk scarf) would make you look even more splendid.

[davidhuh]

I would love to wear a Homburg or a Bowler - they don't work on my face.

David, a few days ago I saw your picture wearing a superb DB dinner suit. I didn´t want to resort to photoshop for proving my point , but I´m sure that a Homburg (with a black overcoat and a white silk scarf) would make you look even more splendid.

Dear Hectorm,

thank you for the nice words about the dinner suit - I'm happy myself and wear it more often than I thought
About the Homburg: believe me, I tried. I spent more than one hour at Locke & Co and a whole afternoon at Optimo in Chicago trying all models in stock. There is no hope - unless I grow a big beard and pejes perhaps?

[Frederic Leighton]

Bogart's homburg, from 'Kid Galahad' (1937):
photo1
photo2
photo3
photo4
photo5
photo6

[uppercase]

Great photos FL.
And look how high the coat collar sits on Bogart's shirt collar…

But again…you've got to have the face to wear a hat like that. Or any other …

[hectorm]

Bogart's homburg, from 'Kid Galahad' (1937)

you've got to have the face to wear a hat like that.

Bogart carries his homburg tilted backwards and very high on his head (see the immense distance between the brim and his left year). Not exactly the way you should carry a homburg, but perfect for his character. He shows, despite the more dignified hat, a certain lack of refinement and that he is, after all, a gangster.

[gcg]

I have worn Homburgs since my mid twenties (I am now i my early 30s) as I have always liked and suited hats, but have always disliked the casual hats such as the Trilby's and Fedoras.

The only thing one had to remember is to buy the correct size/ shape/ brim size etc for your face. The top shops have a great choice on the matter and will advise you.

The main problem I find, along with a nice overcoat, if most places nowadays, even otherwise good restaurants have no cloakroom or hat stand and one has to either have them at ones table or risk leaving them on the communal coat pegs.

[Luca]

A little Homburg anecdote.
This past Saturday, I headed “into town” to procure a homburg. The idea was to get something that I can wear either with black tie or with a dark business suit. Bates, though very helpful, did not have anything in the size and colour I needed. By pure chance, Swayne, Adeney, etc., who own hatters Herbert Johnson had one remaining Homburg (Herbert Johnson specialise in military headgear but also produce some civvy lids). My size. Charcoal Grey. Discounted. Sometimes, fortune doth smile upon us and I snapped it up. Yesterday I began steaming pinches into the front of the crown, in addition to the top dent.
To the gents that feel a Homburg is a bit much, I would say that I understand. Until a few years ago, I wasn’t sure I could pull off even a basic Trilby. Having worn one of those for 2-3 years now, I felt ready to graduate to something less commonplace. Easy does it. The ‘crucial’ point, however, is what M. Alden points out: a good hat has to top an elegant set of clothes, otherwise it tends to look silly.

[culverwood]

My feeling is that in the UK Bowlers have reverted to their original users and are now most often seen on hotel doormen and the bouncers outside smart jewellery stores.

[Luca]

My feeling is that in the UK Bowlers have reverted to their original users and are now most often seen on hotel doormen and the bouncers outside smart jewellery stores.

I agree that thsi is broadly the case.

HOWEVER, with 'classic' hat wearing definitely on the rise, over the past two months I have seen, here in London, two bowlers worn by people who did not appear to be either doormen nor Guards chaps in mufti.

What surprises me is that Trilbys still draw some attention, given that it's something you see seveal times a day, every day.

[hectorm]

Until a few years ago, I wasn’t sure I could pull off even a basic Trilby. Having worn one of those for 2-3 years now, I felt ready to graduate to something less commonplace. Easy does it.

In my personal case, aging has done the trick. All the Panamas and Trilbys that looked kind of silly on me in my 20s and 30s, now I don without second thought. I also started with a Fedora a few years back, but I wear it just in winter and with the more elegant top coats. Maybe soon I´ll be Homburg material.

[Dangleberry]

A very interesting thread. Having thinning hair and a walk along the river to and from my train, a hat is necessary during the colder months. Tired of the ubiquitous woollen beanie hat (which looks silly topping a suit) I decided to upgrade and visited some hatters.

While I liked the look of a Fedora very much, I currently lack the courage to wear one so purchased a couple of smart, flat caps. Not nearly as smart as a hat but several steps up from the beanie. Very warm and the peak offers nice shade from bright morning sun.

At first I was quite self conscious but very quickly got over that and wearing a cap is now second nature. So much so that I think I will take the plunge and buy a proper hat. Perhaps starting with a panama in summer before moving to a fedora next winter.

Flat caps are fairly plentiful and don't really draw much attention. There has been a marked increase in trilby and fedora wearers in London, such that I see a few each morning on my train. A positive trend.

Homburgs and cokes are seldom seen; when I have seen them, they tend to be worn by older gentlemen (who somehow look right) or much younger gents (who look like they are trying too hard). Still, more power to anyone who wears a proper hat.

[hectorm]

At first I was quite self conscious but very quickly got over that and wearing a cap is now second nature. So much so that I think I will take the plunge and buy a proper hat. Perhaps starting with a panama in summer before moving to a fedora next winter.

I still find the Trilbys (medium brim, medium crown) much easier to wear on the daily winter walking commutes than the Fedoras. Of course, you´ll have to try them on and see what you like and where your level of comfort stands. A visit to, for example, Bates on Jermyn St. could be the right start. Although it´s not what it used to be, they still have a fair selection of models, colors, sizes and prices.

[gcg]

I still find the Trilbys (medium brim, medium crown) much easier to wear on the daily winter walking commutes than the Fedoras. Of course, you´ll have to try them on and see what you like and where your level of comfort stands. A visit to, for example, Bates on Jermyn St. could be the right start. Although it´s not what it used to be, they still have a fair selection of models, colors, sizes and prices.

I am really glad that I happened to visit Bates Hatters before they moved, their old shop was like walking into another century. I've not been into their new section of a shop yet. We have lost so many jewels to the altar of "progress".