Comments on: Help me find a dashing fedora for my dad, since elegance is the privilege of age

Question: Help me find a dashing fedora for my dad, since elegance is the privilege of age

orange swan — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:27:31 -0800

I want to get my father a hat for his 70th birthday. No, I don't mean one of those awful narrow-brimmed glen plaid affairs that are about as stylish and becoming as toe rubbers. I'm thinking a wide-brimmed fedora made of a good quality gray felt – something like this, and like what "Jack McCoy" sometimes wears on Law & Order (unfortunately can't find a picture of Sam Waterston in his fedora). I've looked in the malls in Toronto and the only suitable hat I could find was $85 plus tax, which is both rather steep for my gift budget and too much to spend on something I am not convinced my mother and I can coax my dad into wearing;-). Does anyone know where (preferably) in Toronto or (plan B) online I can find a less expensive hat (hopefully not over $50) for Dad Swan?

By: onhazier

onhazier — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:30:17 -0800

Why buy him something you're not sure he'll use?

By: Dasein

Dasein — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:32:55 -0800

Good quality hats are expensive; moreso because they're not a mass-produced item these days. You pay for quality; it's that simple. I think I recall seeing what looked like a good store on Spadina, south of College (possibly north of Dundas, possibly south of it, too) on the east side. Small store, looked like it had been in business forever, lots of hats, not sure about price. But if you're looking for classic, it's the kind of store I think would suit you.

By: Dasein

Dasein — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:34:21 -0800

(BTW, the store I'm talking about is not Big It Up.)

By: languagehat

languagehat — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:37:16 -0800

What Dasein said. Good hats are expensive; if you get him a cheap hat it will look cheap (and he'll be less likely to wear it). Either suck it up and spend the money or (probably a better plan if you're not even sure he'll wear it) get him something else.

By: Ohdemah

Ohdemah — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:51:11 -0800

I believe the store referred to above is Rotman's Hat Shop, 345 Spadina Avenue. The store doesn't have a phone, but it sure has a lot of hats.

By: Dasein

Dasein — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:59:25 -0800

That's the one, Ohdemah! Doesn't that look like the perfect classic hat store?

By: rhizome

rhizome — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:16:22 -0800

A $50 fedora should last the year it will take to see if he actually wears it before buying him a nice one for his 71st.

By: mumkin

mumkin — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:28:30 -0800

Aww, man. That's a beautiful store window :) And yes, to third it, a hat worthy of Dad Swan will cost over $50. The Stetson Temple, for example, is about US$130 most places. The Borsalino whose image you linked to is probably almost twice that. Do you know his numerical hat size, by the way? I'm afraid you will not find a "good quality" fedora in S/M/L/XL sizes.

By: Ctrl_Alt_ep

Ctrl_Alt_ep — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:17:02 -0800

If you have time, the Fedora Lounge is a great place to research certain hats. They deal a lot with vintage hats though. If you know what you are looking for (and in what size) there are always great deals on eBay for vintage hats in great condition.

By: YoungAmerican

YoungAmerican — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:29:03 -0800

I'll agree with CAE re: Fedora Lounge, and reccomend you check some vintage stores for something in his size. You're looking for brands like Stetson, Borsalino and Dobbs. You will, of course, need to know his size. And what a good hat is like.

By: kepano

kepano — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 01:02:50 -0800

Echoing the fact that good hats are expensive and that you will need to know his hat size. I just got my own Borsalino and found a huge difference in comfort between a 58, a 59 and a 60 (centimeters, European size). 59 is a perfect fit, the others just don't feel right.