Where does one find quality hats online?

January 6, 2009 12:07 PM

Where does one find quality hats online?

I am looking to buy my grandfather a homburg hat as made famous by Winston Churchill, and to a lesser degree The Godfather movies and Tupac. As with most Google searches way too many online hat stores popped up and it is difficult to separate quality from quantity. I'd like to get some opinions on finer hat makers and where to buy from them.

posted by GaGaLoc to clothing, beauty, & fashion (11 comments total)

The comments on this post have a number of suggestions for places to shop. Anecdotal all, but it seems the sort of forum that might put you in the right direction.
posted by Phineas Rhyne at 12:18 PM on January 6

Meyer The Hatter, a great old-time store in New Orleans, has an impressive web presence.
posted by DandyRandy at 12:18 PM on January 6

You can shop JJ's Hat Center online, although visiting the store in NYC is a true experience. It's a super cool place. The best quality and stellar service. Here's one homburg on the site.
posted by kimdog at 12:31 PM on January 6

I've seen Goorin Bros. hats in stores, and bought from them online.
posted by donajo at 12:32 PM on January 6

I've internet-bought a bunch of hats from John Helmer. They've got a couple Homburgs.
posted by aubilenon at 12:32 PM on January 6

Hang out at The Fedora Lounge (www.thefedoralounge.com) for a little while to get a sense of which manufacturers make the hat you want, and then find someone local to accurately measure your head. I bought a hat online and, while I like it and wear it every day, I found out the hard way that my melon is a Long Oval -- which some hats fit and some don't.

Also, good hats cost real money: You Have Been Warned!
posted by wenestvedt at 12:47 PM on January 6

Seconding Goorin Bros - I've spent entirely too much money there. They have specials online if you sign up for their newsletter.
posted by OrangeDrink at 12:52 PM on January 6

In the UK I can vouch for Bates Hats and Lock & Co., and both do Homburgs (both are pricey, though).
posted by misteraitch at 1:03 PM on January 6

I like Hats in the Belfry.
posted by batmonkey at 1:24 PM on January 6

Check out Optimo Hats - southside of Chicago, custom-made. I've never bought anything from there but they have an excellent reputation.
posted by burnfirewalls at 1:52 PM on January 6

DelMonico Hatter in New Haven, CT has been in business for 100 years and appears to sell from their website as well.
posted by reptile at 9:05 AM on January 7