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PaperclipPerfector  1yr ago (text post)   2941 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for April 16, 2023

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

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What mens outfits pair well with a fedora? I have an overcoat which goes pretty well with my (newly purchased) one. But I'm a little self-consciousness about wearing them with the negative cultural associations and all.

Being good looking and already having a wife/girlfriend aside, I actually do have a wool Stetson that's midway between a cowboy hat and an Indiana Jones fedora that I wear when it's raining/snowing/sunny but cold. So in my mind the key is weather. A straw panama to keep the sun off your face, or a wool fedora to keep the rain off your head, is going to be more appropriate than wearing it indoors at a bar.

none but if you absolutely must you should be wearing a suit that has been tailored.

No single item of fashion has a worse connotation. There are two ways you can salvage the outfit. If it’s straw or linen, you can get ripped, and wear a linen shirt with sleeves rolled up and some classic jeans. Odds are no one would recognize it as a fedora. Otherwise, the only way to salvage the outfit is to double down and ironymax. Don the overcoat, but have a pikachu shirt underneath. Wear crappy glasses, old Nike shoes, white socks up to your ankles, cargo shorts, maybe a tomigatchi hanging from your belt loop. Own the look and you can make it work.

First one is decent advice ( if only because just get jacked first resolves to never wear it)

As far as the second outfit, if you have to ask you can’t pull it off.

It's a classic look so pulling one off requires a classic wardrobe. @SubstantialFrivolity suggests a suit, though I'd go further and say you need a more classic look suit to make it work. A modern slim cut suit isn't going to work as well. I'd suggest a classic American sack suit look like something from Brooks Brothers, though most retailers offer something along the lines of "Traditional Fit". Something double-breasted will also work, but those are also out of style and can be hard to find. Basically, find pictures of guys who look good in fedoras and take a look at what they're wearing. Another thing that's critical to avoiding the negative connotations is knowing proper hat etiquette. Generally speaking, hats should be removed when indoors. This technically applies to all head coverings including baseball caps, but modern customs have slackened to the point where no one pays much attention to this anymore. If you're wearing a fedora, though, you have to abide. Remember, this is a classic look, and it's going to look off unless you adhere to custom. You can leave it on in a public building like a post office or in public parts of buildings like corridors and lobbies, but it should be removed in places like bars and restaurants, and always in private spaces like someone's home or office. A good rule of thumb is to remove it anywhere you'd remove your coat. If I'm meeting friend for drinks it would be odd for me to leave my coat on for the entire evening unless I were outdoors or it were unusually cold in the building, so treat your hat likewise. It's fashion wear but it's also outerwear.

edit - A couple more things. While I spent a lot of time talking about a classic look, don't wear your hat Sinatra-serious with the brim pulled down. I don't wear a fedora often but when I do I usually tilt the front upwards, which means I'm either trying to look like author and humorist Wyndham Lewis or the Dead End Kids. Also, when you remove your hat, it should be held in such a way that the lining isn't visible, which usually means holding it against your chest (if standing) or on your knee (if sitting).

Why do you want to wear a fedora? If it's to impress and look good for women, just don't. If it's just for your own satisfaction and you don't care what other people think, then pair it with anything. If it's to impress and look good for men, then suit works well.

I think that if you're going to wear a fedora (or any other type of dressy hat), it has to be with a suit. Though you're going to catch a lot of flak regardless. I think hats look sharp as hell, but they are unpopular.

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