grab your coat and get your hat

[topaz]

 Where would you go to buy a high quality top hat?  I know there are at least two of you on this list who have informed opinions on this subject.

I realize that for juggling purposes I probably want the Dubé tall hat.  But I've also been looking at Village Top Hats, which have some really delicious-looking options.  I just don't know how to gauge the quality of the product from afar.

Comments

[jacflash.livejournal.com]

The collapsible opera hat at Village is a thing of beauty.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Isn't it? The price is pretty astronomical though.

Their bell crown topper (http://www.villagehatshop.com/bell_crown_topper.html) is really alluring in an almost-but-not-quite comic way.

[dilletante.livejournal.com]

the only informed opinions i have are on hats for juggling, which probably count as medium-quality, really, since they are destined from creation for a life of repeated violence until they ultimately succumb and lose their shape.

i note this is the second post in a row about awesome top-hats on my friends list today, though.

[primal-pastry.livejournal.com]

Because hot men wear top hats. Duh.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

It's totally chillguru's fault for reminding me that I wanted to ask about top hats.

Good point about juggling hats. I had assumed that they would actually be built to be sturdier than a dress hat, because of the abuse a juggler puts them through, but maybe instead that just means they're built from less fussy material?

[dilletante.livejournal.com]

well, both. they're built from felt, which is probably cheaper material than some of the crazy fancy hats you've been looking at; :) and following the recommendation of a hat juggler, i'd stiffened my old one with 50% diluted shellac. which made it pretty sturdy. :)

(and srisyadasti, when she was studying hatmaking, said shellac was more or less what felt hats were stiffened with in the first place so it wasn't a crazy thing to do.)

[wolfkitn.livejournal.com]

Keezer's, in central square, has some. I don't know if they count as "high quality" but I think they have some of the models sold at Village. They have some *wonderful* authentic, 100-year old (or so) hats, but those only work if you have a teensy head.

[jacflash.livejournal.com]

Some of Keezer's stuff is very high quality, secondhand. Definitely worth a look.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

I didn't even know about this place! It looks great - now I really have to check it out.

[donnad.livejournal.com]

Cloak & Dagger (http://cloakmaker.com/hats.html) has top hats in stock. You could try it on before you buy.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

Those look lovely! Thanks for the suggestion!

[aroraborealis.livejournal.com]

I have loved every trip I've made to Toppers, the hat shop on Tremont St.

It's also near my office! Hint, hint. :D

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

I SMELL A DEVIOUS PLAN

[mizarchivist]

Funny you mention- the post directly below in my read filter discussed
this.

As I mentioned in comments, I'd already discovered that one a bit before and I'm in love. But I second Cloak & Dagger for standard woolen top hat, too.

[qwrrty.livejournal.com]

It is absolutely chillguru's fault for reminding me that I was thinking about top hats.

Two recs for Cloak & Dagger! I had no idea their catalog included top hats. This is awesome!

[mizarchivist]

Yeah- you'll need to email Dina since they weren't on the web site when I went looking.

tophat

[actjack.livejournal.com]

when i was lord mayor of a small pa town, my sister sent me a tophat from nyc for official occasions such as leading the town's annual halloween parade so garbed on my harley electraglide. don't remember the brand or where i stashed it or i'd send it to you.i told my police not to hassle me, as the hat was heavy enough to act as a road helmet.