Happy in Hats: Caps, Trilbies, Homburgs, Fedoras, Panamas

I've only recently begun to wear a hat regularly. By a hat I mean a trilby, panama or cap. I'd previously worn woolly hats in cold weather, but nothing more stylish. Given that my search for style is nearly six years old, this seems a delayed discovery and I thought I'd share with you some of the hats I've tried, most of which are made here in the UK. Links are at the end of the feature.

Caps

I used to shy away from caps, seeing them as old man's wear. Now, of course, I am an old man so it doesn't matter any more and, in any event (sadly), most older men seem to have turned to the less-stylish baseball cap. The cap I wear here is a parkin corduroy cap from Kempadoo Millar, made in Yorkshire. Try a linen cap for warmer conditions and a tweed for chiller days.

Kempadoo Millar's Parkin corduroy cap, made in Yorkshire

Fedoras homburgs and trilbys

The fedora and trilby are similar, with pinched crowns, but the trilby has a narrower brim. The homburg as a stiffer, upturned brim. In general, the broader you are, the wider brim you should choose so that the hat stays in proportion to what's underneath it (you). Here I wear a selection of hats from Tom Smarte, Laird Hatters and Christys'. The latter manufacture for themselves and others in Oxfordshire and have been making hats since 1773 through eight generations. 

Tom Smarte Hats are now sourcing more of their hats in the UK

Laird Hatters support British manufacture

Christys' Hatters have a factory in Oxfordshire

I'd intended to include a hat from Lock & Co but sadly they wouldn't lend one as I'm not a journalist. Don't let this stop you exploring the oldest hat shop in the country where the sales staff are delightful and very helpful (link below).

Panamas

The best are made in South America and this one is from Pachacuti, a brand worth supporting, for reasons I give below. The Hampton hat I wear here is made in Ecuador and the bespoke jacquard silk band is made in Devon.

Pachacuti Hats are sustainably and ethically made in Ecuador

Here's how they describe themselves of their website:

"Pachacuti was founded in 1992 by Carry Somers [ed. who was inspired to act after the Rana Plaza factory disaster], with a clear vision to preserve traditional artisanal skills in the Andes through combining high quality, environmentally-friendly materials with Fair Trade working practices. Our mission is to source ethically and locally throughout the supply chain to the benefit of communities and the preservation of traditional craftsmanship.

We work to empower rural women in Ecuador who are socially, economically and geographically marginalised, yet our products are sold in some of the foremost luxury stores around the world. It is our aim to provide an example within the fashion industry that a brand can create beautiful collections whilst still adhering to the highest social and environmental standards".

Conclusion and Links

If you don't wear a hat, why not give one a go? Try several and ask advice from the hatter on the best style for your build and face shape. There's a hat to wear in all weather conditions and I've enjoyed exploring headwear for this feature.

Kempadoo Millar (caps)

Tom Smarte (all types)

Lairds Hatters (all types)

Christys (all types)
Pachacuti (panamas)

Lock & Co (all types)

Other hatters to try (although I have no experience of them) are Bates Hatters and Patey hats (mainly equestrian and formal). Marks & Spencer sell a good selection of panama hats and (a little birdie tells me) they will be stocking British-made hats soon.

If you have a favourite hatter,  or are a hatter that I've missed out, please add a comment below.

Note: The images of Laird Hatters hats were taken during a photoshoot for The Chap magazine and are used with permission. Please note that this feature is unsponsored. Several of the brands provided hats for me to wear. All views expressed are mine alone. 

Happy in Hats: Caps, Trilbies, Homburgs, Fedoras, Panamas

I've only recently begun to wear a hat regularly. By a hat I mean a trilby, panama or cap. I'd previously worn woolly hats in cold weather, but nothing more stylish. Given that my search for style is nearly six years old, this seems a delayed discovery and I thought I'd share with you some of the hats I've tried, most of which are made here in the UK. Links are at the end of the feature.

Caps

I used to shy away from caps, seeing them as old man's wear. Now, of course, I am an old man so it doesn't matter any more and, in any event (sadly), most older men seem to have turned to the less-stylish baseball cap. The cap I wear here is a parkin corduroy cap from Kempadoo Millar, made in Yorkshire. Try a linen cap for warmer conditions and a tweed for chiller days.

Kempadoo Millar's Parkin corduroy cap, made in Yorkshire

Fedoras homburgs and trilbys

The fedora and trilby are similar, with pinched crowns, but the trilby has a narrower brim. The homburg as a stiffer, upturned brim. In general, the broader you are, the wider brim you should choose so that the hat stays in proportion to what's underneath it (you). Here I wear a selection of hats from Tom Smarte, Laird Hatters and Christys'. The latter manufacture for themselves and others in Oxfordshire and have been making hats since 1773 through eight generations. 

Tom Smarte Hats are now sourcing more of their hats in the UK

Laird Hatters support British manufacture

Christys' Hatters have a factory in Oxfordshire

I'd intended to include a hat from Lock & Co but they wouldn't lend one. This was disappointing, as they were happy to be involved in my collaboration with Investec on this link where, in the top video, you can see me wearing a selection of their hats, including the lovely brown fedora which I'd hoped to show you more closely here. Don't let this stop you exploring the oldest hat shop in the country where the sales staff are delightful and very helpful (link below).

Panamas

The best are made in South America and this one is from Pachacuti, a brand worth supporting, for reasons I give below. The Hampton hat I wear here is made in Ecuador and the bespoke jacquard silk band is made in Devon.

Pachacuti Hats are sustainably and ethically made in Ecuador

Here's how they describe themselves of their website:

"Pachacuti was founded in 1992 by Carry Somers [ed. who was inspired to act after the Rana Plaza factory disaster], with a clear vision to preserve traditional artisanal skills in the Andes through combining high quality, environmentally-friendly materials with Fair Trade working practices. Our mission is to source ethically and locally throughout the supply chain to the benefit of communities and the preservation of traditional craftsmanship.

We work to empower rural women in Ecuador who are socially, economically and geographically marginalised, yet our products are sold in some of the foremost luxury stores around the world. It is our aim to provide an example within the fashion industry that a brand can create beautiful collections whilst still adhering to the highest social and environmental standards".

Conclusion and Links

If you don't wear a hat, why not give one a go? Try several and ask advice from the hatter on the best style for your build and face shape. There's a hat to wear in all weather conditions and I've enjoyed exploring headwear for this feature.

Kempadoo Millar (caps)

Tom Smarte (all types)

Lairds Hatters (all types)

Christys (all types)
Pachacuti (panamas)

Lock & Co (all types)

Other hatters to try (although I have no experience of them) are Bates Hatters and Patey hats (mainly equestrian and formal). Marks & Spencer sell a good selection of panama hats and (a little birdie tells me) they will be stocking British-made hats soon.

If you have a favourite hatter,  or are a hatter that I've missed out, please add a comment below.

Note: The images of Laird Hatters hats were taken during a photoshoot for The Chap magazine and are used with permission. Please note that this feature is unsponsored. Several of the brands provided hats for me to wear. All views expressed are mine alone. 

Top Hats: Vintage & Modern from Oliver Brown

With less than two weeks to The Investec Derby, or maybe a wedding coming up, you may be in need of a top hat. The top hat is worn at many of the prestigious racing events around the UK and is obligatory at The Investec Derby if you are a guest in the Queen's Stand. It's also worn at weddings and various ceremonial occasions. 

Getting ready for The Investec Derby

In my capacity as a style consultant for the Investec Derby I've been looking into the story of the top hat with the help of one of London's largest suppliers, Oliver Brown, whose well-stocked shop is in Chelsea and online here.

Modern top hats are made of rabbit fur felt and, while this makes a beautiful hat, it can lack the deep black, highly polished finish of a silk top hat. And here the story gets interesting, so I'll let Oliver Brown take up the tale:

"During the nineteenth century, the top hat [was] made with a unique fabric called ‘silk plush’ which has a long nap, giving the hat its high shine. This was stretched over a hard gossamer shell. [However] in 1968 the only factory that produced silk plush ceased production [and] today there is a finite supply of silk top hats in the world. Their stunning lustre, shape and lightness are the height of beauty and elegance".

Oliver Brown do offer a 'melusine' fur hat to attempt to reproduce the shine of the vintage silk hats. I suggest you visit them to compare the vintage top hats in their collection with their modern offering to see what you think. The vintage hats are pricey, particularly in larger sizes (head sizes seem to have been on average smaller in those days) but if your budget allows you will have found a true investment. 

Vintage top hats from Oliver Brown

Oliver Brown offer a refurbishment service for both vintage silk and more modern top hats, see here.

I'm pleased to own a vintage silk top hat, which I hope to have cleaned and polished and I look forward to wearing it at The Investec Derby. For more advice on what to wear at The Derby, see my videos here.

This is an unsponsored post.

Caps Made in Yorkshire: Kempadoo Millar Headwear

The flat cap has seen a resurgence over the last few years and Kempadoo Millar has been at the heart of that, with their caps crowning the likes of Idris Elba since they were founded in 2013. And they're British-made in Leeds. Founder Rhian Kempadoo works with Yorkshire mills, such as Abraham Moons, Bateman and Ogden and AW Hainsworth, to create collections from locally sourced cloths and tweeds. Designs are varied, from funky to traditional. 

Cap Kempadoo Millar. Scarf Johnstons of Elgin AW17. Field coat Farlows UK. All made in UK.

I've grown very attached to my parkin (if you don't know what parkin is you're from the south or live outside the UK) cord cap. Fit is perfect, quality of cloth and construction are outstanding. See Kempadoo Millar for their range of caps, off-the-peg or bespoke.

This post is unsponsored. The cap was sent as a gift with no expectation of a review. Views expressed are mine alone. 

Two Panama hats for summer

The summer sun is too strong for suntan lotion alone, so a hat is a sensibly stylish requirement. A Panama is made of natural, lightweight and highly ventilated palm woven in Ecuador. Worn with a white, cream or ivory cotton, Fresco or linen suit, it makes the ideal warm weather and holiday outfit for a gentleman of style. Here I am celebrating my daughter's recent wedding on a warm English summer's day.

Marks & Spencer Panama, Private White VC Eco-cotton DB suit, Edward Green suede derbies, Penelope Cream tie 

Here I show two reasonably priced Panama hats which are made from Ecuadorian palm finished and trimmed in England.

The top hat is from Marks & Spencer £49.50 and is comfortable and well-fitting. The lower one is a well-made Panama which folds for holiday packing and is from Tom, Dick and Harry £49.00. Both are durable, lightweight and stylish. Wear them with a suit (as I do above) or blazer, with jeans, chinos or shorts and t-shirt.

Eco DB suit: Private White VC
Knitted merino tie: Penelope Cream
Cardiff Sueded derbies: Edward Green
Socks: Pantherella
[All the above made in the UK]
Shirt: Hawkins & Shepherd
Sunglasses: RayBan from David Clulow

I received no compensation for this post. With thanks to both M&S and Tom, Dick and Harry who provided hats at my request for review. All views are my own. 

Tom Smarte's hats

I'm an intermittent wearer of hats and was recently invited to see the range of hats available at Tom Smarte and subsequently tried a fedora and a British-made cap. Tom Smarte was making hats in 1786 and the business was recently revived by Allon Zloof, himself from a hatmaking background. He has brought his enthusiasm for hats and creativity to bear to update the hat for the twenty first century.

Allon now makes hats for country and city wear, for business gents and hipsters. There's something for everyone. I tried a dark grey fur felt 301 fedora with a stylish grey and black hat band and a cashmere-mix tweed 105 cap in an attractive dark blue. 

Both have converted me to to more dedicated hat wearing. The cap keeps me warm and dry on dog walks, while the fedora is idea for both town and country wear, its waterproof lapin fur making it both stylish and practical.

To see Tom Smarte's range of hats and caps visit the website here, where Allon's unequalled knowledge and enthusiasm for hats sparkles out of the pages. 

Certain types of hat go best with certain face shapes. While it's always best to try for yourself and make up your own mind what you like, Tom Smarte has a comprehensive style guide to hat buying and face shapes which will aid your selection.