Hartford York Hats

There's More Hats Where This Came From

2007-09-18T19:08:00.000-07:00

This hat blog continues at The Hartford York Hat Blog. Join the party!

(and thanks for reading)

Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

Hat Collections Make More Than Cents

2007-09-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

Frugal For Life blog owner, Donna C, talks about the The Value of Collecting in a recent post, saying that there is a kind of non-monetary value in collections that can be rather priceless. I'm sure the term 'sentimental value' springs to mind, but it needn't be a maudlin emotion.

If a collection of comic books, great art, or hats simply makes you happy (whether by the acquisition process and/or through actual use of the articles) then the collection is of value to you.

By the way, if you want to make an absolute killing on an old hat, place it in a classy box frame with black and white handbills, photos and other memorabilia-type papers scattered artistically round it. Sell it on ebay for a cool grand, send me my 30%, and we're even.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer, Hat Collector and
Very Frugal CEO of Hartford York

If you see your way out of bankruptcy, get free updates of this blog by email or RSS. Can't get much more frugal than free!

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The Fedora According to Biltmore

2007-09-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

In his article A Tip Of The Hat To the Classic Fedora, Marshall Ward of the Canadian publication, The Waterloo Chronicle, quotes Biltmore Hats president, Eric Lynes, as saying:

[The fedora represents] an era of classic styling that can be enjoyed today with the right attitude and appreciation of looking good or dressing up. The '50s had the Rat Pack guys and glamourous women like Marilyn Monroe, while today you have guys like Usher or Justin (Timberlake), and girls like Britney (Spears), Paris (Hilton) and Alicia Keys.

Lynes goes on to explain why he thinks people wear hats, saying that the very act of wearing a hat makes this statement: "I am confident and unafraid to be an individual--to be different."

I have often stated (almost verbatim) the same sentiments, but I must take exception to Mr. Lynes' doubt that "dress hats will ever become a widespread accessory again, as they were at the turn of the 20th century, [although] he does believe that men and women will continue the current trend of wearing hats as they increasingly realize the practical function and fashion enhancement they provide."

It's my belief that dress hats will indeed again become as ubiquitous as they once were, mainly due to the ever-increasing influence of mass media programming and the accompanying marketing--in all its forms--and to the fact that younger and highly impressionable children have become targeted.

In other words, little girls who are (still) fans of Britney Spears might well form a life-long love of hats. (Yes, I can find a silver lining in just about anything!)

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

If you tried to read this post, get free updates by email or RSS. If you understood this post, you really need a little vacation.

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Hats Most Important - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

2007-09-12T19:03:00.000-07:00

Famed author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is quoted as having said:

It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important.

Elementary, perhaps - but it did strike me I've been echoing the same kind of sentiment for years now. Hats, currently viewed as accessories or non-essential wardrobe items, weren't always viewed as such. In fact, it wasn't long ago that properly dressed men and women wouldn't venture outside without a hat.

It's funny, then, how much of an impact a hat can have. The person who wears it either gains confidence or makes a statement; anyone seeing a passerby wearing a hat is at least aware of the hat, and makes a subconscious note of its existence or (in many cases) forms an instant and quite definite opinion.

Funny how such a small piece of clothing can become such a focal point.

By the way, did I tell you I'm thinking of writing a detective novel?

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

If you have opinions on hats (except party hats with those stupid little rubber bands that pinch under your chin before snapping), please keep them to yourself, but do feel free to sign up for blog updates by email or RSS.

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September is National Hat Month

2007-09-05T17:38:00.000-07:00

I love September. Oh sure, lots of my affection for this month of color and cooler temps is because the entire country is celebrating the fact that it's National Hat Month. However, there are other reasons September is such a favorite time of year for me.

I love that September 15th is Make a Hat Day (which, truth be told, is right up there with Collect Rocks Day). Of course, everyone knows about the 18th being observed as National PlayDoh Day with the always exciting Miniature Golf Day coming hard on its heels.

I've got plans--who doesn't?--for the 22nd (Elephant Appreciation Day), which takes me right into The First Day of Autumn and then The National Bluebird of Happiness Day. Honestly, I can hardly contain myself.

You must be able to guess how much I appreciate the fact that September 30th is the Anniversary of The Invention of the Safety Pin.

Gosh, September's grand. Exhausting, perhaps, but grand.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

If you're wondering which hat is best to wear on Elephant Appreciation Day, why not join our little Hat Appreciation Club with free blog updates by email or RSS? It's nearly painless.

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Hats Are So Much More Than Headwear

2007-09-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

There's a great article called Here and There: Papa's Straw Hat Was A Utility Tool that shows how much hats can be part of someone's life and even identity.

Evelyn Richardson writes about her father's faithful hat, the hat he used to not just to shade his face from the broiling sun as he worked in corn and tobacco and hay fields, but also as a cooling fan and even an egg and baby rabbit holder, and as an extension of his arms when herding cattle or shooing chickens.

She says

His straw hat wasn't much to look at. A new one became conditioned pretty quickly. The inside leather band was soaked with sweat and the discoloration oozed through to the outside. Dust settled in the greasy ring to make it even more noticeable. My mother gave orders for him not to lay it on the clean white counterpane.

No matter its condition, she still liked putting on her dad's hat and to this day, when she pictures him, "he has on his straw hat, pushed back with a little of his white upper forehead visible under the brim."

Thanks for the memories, Ms. Richardson.

And thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

If you are dabbing your eyes (or blinking rapidly), you're obviously touched and should get free updates of this blog by email or RSS.

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Bring Back The Beret

2007-08-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

Bill Bonner of The Daily Reckoning has more unsolicited advice to offer: this time, he's counseling France, its government and entire tourism industry. His words of wisdom?

Put berets back on the heads of Frenchmen and you will give the nation’s largest industry a big boost.

Some pretty sound reasoning backs his byte. He's fighting against uniformity and for uniqueness and those unforgettable glimpses of local color that tourists and travelers yearn to see. Lose the interchangeability of the sights of so much of this modern world, vive la différence, and wear your beret, France.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Gentle With My Hat, Please, Officer

2007-08-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

Newsday.com reports that the Transportation Security Administration has issued a directive advising the nation's 43,000 airport screeners to scrutinize anyone wearing a head covering that might hide explosives (or monkeys) -- be it a cowboy hat, turban, baseball cap or beret.

Okay, I get the explosives bit and I'm all for it but I was completely unaware of the monkey-under-the-hat smuggling incident that apparently took place on a flight into LaGuardia Airport earlier this month. Now you know I've been wearing hats all my life and maybe it's just me, but it really never has occurred to me (until a moment ago) to use my headwear as a form of animal transport. Several immediate concerns comes to mind, and most of them involve extreme danger to either my hair or hat.

Also I do have some trouble thinking that a beret can hide anything larger than a ladybug.

However, if there's a market niche somewhere in this story just begging to be filled, I'm your man. I'll give this whole thing some considerable thought and get back to you.

In the meantime, my advice still stands. Your head belongs in your hat. Nowhere else and certainly nothing else.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Sequins on Your Trapper Hat

2007-08-24T18:55:00.000-07:00

On her blog, Style Bubble, Susie Bubble bemoans the fact that so much cold weather headwear is confined to simple hat shapes like berets and watch caps (beanies, she says, don't count), and she'd love to see other shapes.

Such as?

Well, top hats are mentioned (small and perched on the side of your head) as are bowlers (play up the Chaplin associations and wear with satin lapelled blazer, t-shirt but contrast with black skinnies), and then she touts the trapper, a great winter hat with the same silhouette as a trooper or bomber.

The trapper that caught Susie's eye was shiny: of it she said, I sort of secretly liked the clash of impractical sequins and the practical outdoors shape.

OK, the trooper pictured here doesn't have sequins, but the dainty embroidery and use of sinewy lambs wool to frame a pretty face is (doesn't always have to be mine) is, I think, completely beguiling for the same reason - the play between the delicacy of the trim, the practical durability of the leather, and the expected bite of cold temperatures.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

If you're shivering just reading this post (seems to happen frequently, by the way) get better soon, and then get free updates by email or RSS.

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Who Else Is Waiting For Fall Hats?

2007-08-22T17:42:00.000-07:00

Diana Bobar is waiting impatiently to wear her faux fur hat and--according to her blog entry--she's been waiting since July 26th!

I too am looking forward to putting on some tweed newsboys and walking hats this fall. I really don't know if I could happily live in a place like California where moderate weather year-round nearly erases seasonal contrasts. I mean, I'd be happy never to shovel again, of course - but to give up the glories of my Mink Trooper? I think not.

Thanks for understanding,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Searching for Your Head Mate

2007-08-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

I don't want to depress anyone, but be prepared to weep at least a little when you read Miss(ed) Manners post, Love and Hat. This is one man's story of a life-long search for a hat, a seemingly impossible task for one with "pin straight asian baby hair" and "a cone shaped head."

I can't even imagine the loneliness of this guy's head, without the warm hug of a trooper on an earlobe-freezing night or the general sense of uber-satisfaction when admiring the reflection of your own happy self in your new dress western hat.

I'd start a support group, but I'm afraid it would too draining emotionally (and take away from my mirror time).

Oh, well. I hope he takes the advice I sent: Buy a top hat, cone head!

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer, Sage
and CEO Hartford York

Please note that the advice given herein is to be acted upon immediately or later in life or at least never. To obtain further insightful hints and direct commands, you may sign up for free updates by email or RSS.

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If Your Friends Wear Hats, You Will Too

2007-08-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

Depression-era newspaper man and writer, Stanley Walker, once advised:

Associate with well-mannered persons and your manners will improve. Run around with decent folk and your own decent instincts will be strengthened.

Seems modern-day scientists have just caught up to his words of wisdom - a recent spate of headlines proclaim that your fat friends can make you obese, and thin ones can slim you down. It's important to note that "the study authors said they were not suggesting people should ditch their overweight friends, though people might want to consider expanding their social network to include more people with a healthy weight."

How does this tie in with hats? (Thanks for asking.)

Drop all your hat-less friends like the hot potatoes they really are, and come hang out with me!

No, seriously. Why not try an experiment? Start wearing lots of different hats, and see how long it takes for all your friends to take an interest in wearing hats too. Yes, you can change the world.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
Global Domination Planner
and CEO Hartford York

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Top 3 Hat Misconceptions

2007-08-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

This little list won't change beliefs, but I'm determined to put it out there nonetheless. Fight me if you must.

1. Hats Are For Old People

I think this mistaken belief has been pretty well disproved by the young celebrities who are consistently photographed wearing hats of all shapes and styles. From Johnny Depp and the Olsen twins to Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, fedoras, porkpies and cowboy hats have made a huge mainstream comeback.

Don't get me wrong: hats are for old people too. Willy Nelson just looks so much better in his western hats than bareheaded - and, although he'll never be a truly attractive fella, Billy Joel's new album cover shows him quite presentable in his stingy brim.

2. Regular People Don't Wear Hats

Look around next time you're at the beach, ball game or when you're going fishing. These are "regular people" activities, and it's likely that a large percentage of those around you are in hats. Once people are comfortable in summer hats and ball caps, it's just a matter of time before they graduate to a more sophisticated look and incorporate headwear into their work-a-day lives.

3. Hats Go Out Of Style Too Quickly

Oh well, you got me there! I'm kidding of course--hats have been around as long as people, and styles haven't changed all that much. The cloche comes to mind as a modern spin on a medieval concept. For over a hundred years, we've had the cowboy and western hats in pretty much the same mode; the fedora and bowler haven't changed silhouettes, nor has the walking hat deviated from its roots.

If you've got a classic hat, well-made and cared for, it's timeless (sort of like me).

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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To Doff Or Not To Doff - That Is Today's Hat Question

2007-08-06T07:48:00.000-07:00

Russell Smith in his Globe and Mail article confirms a reader's dilemma when he says that "undefined spaces [like malls and sports arenas] blur the rules of hat-wearing."

In fact, Mr. Smith (author of Men's Style: The Thinking Man's Guide to Dress) makes only one definitive statement regarding a situation in which a man must remove his hat by declaring that "no hats are worn in restaurants, no matter the size of the room".

His own rule of when to remove his hat is vague but rather depends on the size of the public place he's in. A small boutique, where you'll likely wind up chatting with a clerk, is an example of a place where your hat should be removed upon entering. On the other hand, if you're browsing in a large department store, you can keep your fedora or panama in place "while bending over light fixtures or carpet swatches."

I agree with Mr. Smith's take on modern-day doffing situations; however, I have a bit of a quandary he doesn't seem to address even in his archives. When I do doff, I can't help but look at and admire extensively my hat in hand, often pointing out the weave or trim details to an interested maitre d' or confectionery shop owner. While these interludes are pure delight, I must say that I've missed quite a few meals and forgotten several purchases this way.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
Famished CEO Hartford York

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Panama Hats Through the Ages

2007-08-03T18:35:00.000-07:00

Hilary Alexander of Britain's Telegraph, looks into (what she calls) the new fashion craze behind the Panama hat.

While she concedes that "Justin Timberlake, George Clooney, Pete Doherty and even, perish the thought, Britney Spears, may favour the [fedora]", the fashionable man at England's famed summer race meeting on the Duke of Richmond’s estate in West Sussex, will be seen in just one hat: The Panama.

Battered, borrowed or band-box fresh from cardboard tubes where they conveniently roll-up for traveling,the ubiquitous Panama is the hat of choice.

One event attendee confessed that his panama hat was "probably twenty or thirty years old". Despite the hat's age, Alexander says "it still looked smart."

So you see what a bargain the $10K Montecristi Panama is? Buy it today, and you'll still be looking good in 2037.

Cheers!

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Indiana Jones Still Fits In His Hat

2007-07-31T05:20:00.000-07:00

Harrison Ford was in the thick jungle canopy of Hawaii for much of this past month, working on segments of the latest Indiana Jones movie (due for release in May 2008). The Hawaii locale doubles for a South American rainforest in the Indiana Jones storyline, and executive producer Kathleen Kennedy said the difficulty in finding old-growth jungle today "is a sad commentary on the world."

In a lighter vein, she went on to report that her 65-year old star was "reportedly suffering from some aches and pains" due to the fact that he "still handles his own leaps and falls during filming." Then she added:

I gotta say, he looks amazing, he looks fantastic in the outfit. When we first did the test, that was the first thing Harrison wanted to see was whether or not he still fit in the pants, and he did. And he still fit in the hat.

I never for a moment thought otherwise.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Hat Tricks

2007-07-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

Seems I was inadventently practicing a little of the artform known as chapeaugraphy the other day, when I was playing with a piece of fur felt.

A little background: in 1618, a Parisian street performer added to his tricks with a ring-shaped piece of felt, manipulating it to look like various types of hats atop a variety of characters. This was the start of a performance art that is still sometimes practiced today (by others besides myself, I mean).

I can't help but take this event as some sort of powerful sign. Either it's for me to expand my empire into show biz or to get out of hats altogether.

I'll let you know...

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Stupid Hat Laws

2007-07-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

I love reading stupid laws, and when they involve hats - well, you can guess how hard I giggle.

Allow me to share:

An ordinance in Lawrence, Kansas, forbids anyone to carry bees in his hat while on the city streets.

Now this is a GOOD LAW if there is an enormous bee-keeping industry in the area, and the bee-keepers tend to walk around town swapping bees (which they transport--for reasons only know to them--in their bee-keeping hats)AND if these bees just happen to be killer-bees.

As an aside, I heard about Lawrence, Kansas before. A man who lived there introduced himself to me as "Lawrence Lawrence of Lawrence Kansas". (true story)

Here's another:

In Owensboro, Kentucky, it is illegal for a woman to buy a new hat without her husband trying it on first.

Men, let me tell you. There's no shame in wearing your wife's hat. And feel free to carry her purse. It's when you get to the pantyhose that my eyebrows leap off the page.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer, Da Man
and CEO Hartford York

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Should Women Remove Unisex Hats for National Anthem?

2007-07-25T02:30:00.000-07:00

Short answer: no.

But that's just my opinion, and the debate simmers in stadiums across the country.

Men, of course, are required by federal law to remove their hats during the national anthem (unless they're in uniform). Look it up: U.S. Code, Title 36, Section 30. Nothing there about women.

One editorial on the subject concludes: "However, if you're wearing some sort of unisex hat, like a baseball cap or a cowboy hat, I think the proper thing for a lady to do is take her hat off and hold it over the heart until it's time to play ball."

I don't agree. Men still tend to go by general rules of doffing their hats or at least momentarily touching them in greeting. This polite gesture was never incorporated by the female hat-wearer. Similarly, women did not follow suit when men almost always removed their hats upon entering a building (the usual reason now given is that women's hats were deemed part of the actual outfit, intricately secured by pins, and should only be removed when the lady's coiffure could be repaired).

The reason behind the behaviors don't really matter here. What matters is the hundreds of years of tradition behind who takes off what, where and when.

Thus, the suggestion that women remove their hats, unisex or otherwise, during the playing of the national anthem is simply a nonsensical imposition of a long-standing male tradition upon today's woman.

(and I'll tell ya right here and now, my little lady won't stand for it, and I can't either!)

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer, Uber Feminist
CEO Hartford York

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Hat Safety

2007-07-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

It seems that hats are pretty safe items of wardrobe--I mean, when's the last time you injured yourself tripping over your hat?

However, not all pieces of clothing have such an outstanding safety record. Each year, according to GullibleInfo.com, more than 20,000 serious injuries occur as the result of untied shoelaces. And, please. Everybody raise your hand if your back's ever gone out when you've bent over to tie your shoes.

It's not just shoelaces and shoes, of course. I can't even count the times I've nearly strangled myself, trying to adjust my tie (gosh, I miss my clip-ons....)

Resolved: Hats are teddy bears for grown-ups.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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It's Official: Straw Fedora is the Summer Status Symbol

2007-07-23T09:19:00.000-07:00

It's got to be official - it's in the New York Times! A compilation snapshot of that city's hat-wearing frenzy is captured in Cats in the Hats, Bill Cunningham's On The Street segment of Fashion & Style.

The photo caption reads:

The straw fedora, with its rakish snap brim, is the summer status symbol. The hats have the traditional headband of patterned fabric or solid-color grosgrain ribbon. There are even a few vintage Panama hats being worn around the city.

Very nice to see how many ladies are wearing the unisex hat. I like the composition of the picture too--lots of energy and vibrancy with all the colors and straw weave patterns.

(And I thought for sure this year's summer status symbol was my pre-publication copy of the last Harry Potter manuscript, Deathly Hallows) HA!

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

If you're reading Harry Potter and wearing a straw fedora, then you're so ahead of the game you can get free updates of this blog by email or RSS.

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Hat Passion

2007-07-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

It's interesting how people tend to either love or hate hats; you don't find too many people who say they can take 'em or leave 'em.

Take, for example, the blog entry at Melissavina called A Theory on Hats, which opens up with the "theory that the standard hat wearer (particularly the female hat wearer) is slightly crazy. . .over-dramatic, and slightly unaware of social graces".

Wow.

However, after wearing a hat herself and having "walked a mile in the moccasins of the hat wearer", the writer admits her "horizons were broadened", and she has changed her crazy people hat theory completely. She now theorizes that people who wear hats can be divided into two groups.

I'm not sure which of the two groups I fit: the first ("trying to make a bold accessory statement, buck the system, feel their originality oats") or the second (hiding a bad home perm job).

To tell the truth, I sort of liked the first theory.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Illegal In My Hat

2007-07-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

I'm a little bummed today. You see, I just found out that unicycles are explicitly banned from using bike lanes in 17 states.

Doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason behind this blatant incursion on the rights of this here individual. As a matter of fact, I think personal freedom of expression (like unicyclying in my totally classic boater hat) may well be defined as an inalienable right under the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Good golly, Miss Molly! Here I was looking forward to a wee sunny day excursion on my unicycle (for which I always have my boater at hand), and now find out I may face jail time.

Ah, well. Maybe I'll just wear my bucket hat and go fishin'. Of course, it's probably illegal to be as good as I am at that sport.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer, Unicyclist,
Freedom Fighter and
Fisherman Extraordinaire
(oh yeah, and
CEO Hartford York)

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Dad Wore Hats - A Picture in Words

2007-07-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

There's a very short, quite wonderful poem called Dad Wore Hats on a blog I happened upon. Please read it - the pictures painted by these words are quite real, intimate and evocative.

On that blog's reader comments, someone said it reminded him of U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins' tribute called "The Death of the Hat". In my opinion, both bring images magically to life, but "Dad" is sweetly reminiscent, while "Death" is a mournful dirge.

All I know is that, after I read both, I rushed off to listen to the brilliant Eric Bibb do his "Panama Hat".

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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How Much Do You Love Your Hat?

2007-07-15T04:32:00.000-07:00

I'm not one to doubt the claims made at GullibleInfo.com, such as:

One in 264 parents say they love their pets more than their children.

(As a matter of fact, I think some of those parents might have been lying.)

Anyway, the statement made me wonder as to the importance of hats to those who love them. More important than socks, surely. Slightly above ties and watches, I'd hazard to guess. Food? (Depends if there's dessert).

And what about how women rate the importance of their hats vis-a-vis men? Do men love their hats more than women love theirs, or is it vice versa? Do men love hats more than they love women?

*gasp*

Is it possible that women love their hats more than they love ME? (I mean, men--more than they love MEN.)

Perfectly understandable, and all that, but still. I think I need a bit of a lie down now. With me hat.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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J.R.'s Stetson cowboy hat a big draw in Paris

2007-07-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

A white Stetson hat belonging to actor Larry Hagman, 75, who once played cunning and philandering oil baron J.R. Ewing on the 1980s U.S. television series "Dallas", raked in 1,300 euros at a sick kids' charity auction held in Paris yesterday.

"It's my favorite hat," Hagman said before throwing autographed fake dollar bills to the crowd.

OK, let's crunch some numbers here. 1,300 euros at today's exchange rate is approximately $1,775.00 US.

HA! That's nowhere near my $10,000 Montecristi Panama.

The rumours are true. I shot JR.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Between Botox Shots, Wear a Hat

2007-07-10T08:17:00.000-07:00

Last year, Americans spent approximately $12.4 billion on cosmetic procedures, according to The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) 2005 Statistics on Cosmetic Surgery.

A further break-down in the findings shows that face-smoothing Botox injections top the most popular nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in 2005, as seen here:

1. Botox injections at 3,294,782 up 16 percent from 2004;
2. Laser hair removal at 1,566,909 up 11 percent from 2004;
3. Hyaluronic acids (Hylaform, Restylane) at 1,194,222 up 35 percent from 2004;
4. Microdermabrasion is the fourth most popular procedure with 1,023,931 performed in 2005.

If you're between Boxtox appointments, and see frown lines reappearing - fear thee not. A rakishly titled fedora or broad-brimmed sun hat not only does worlds of good for your overall appearance, it also hides forehead imperfections and deflects attention from trouble spots.

For long-term wrinkle protection due to sun exposure, a hat is certainly one of your best (and most reasonably priced) investments.

Thanks for reading,
Steve (Baby Smooth) Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Garcon Hats

2007-07-09T06:26:00.000-07:00

On her blog, So Fash'on, Romanian artist and fashionista, Diana Bobar, recently wrote about how the “it” girls have been taking the masculine trend in fashion to its next level, not just by wearing fedoras and other hats traditionally worn by men, but by actually designing their own.

Model Kate Moss is just such an example, say Bobar, in that "she designed a masculine hat for her 'be a copyKATe' TopShop collection."

Storage is a worry for Ms. Bobar, who on a visit to the US brought home some 350 lbs worth of shopping. When it comes to hat storage, the crushables are easy to fold and store, wrapped in plastic, in a drawer. For more delicate hats, hat boxes are naturally wonderful -- although you may just be interested to read about a Do-It-Yourself Space-Saving Hat Storage system that I *cough* invented.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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The Calgary Stampede - Tough In Pink Cowboy Hats

2007-07-06T07:20:00.000-07:00

The 30-Hours of Tough Campaign kicked off yesterday with The Calgary Stampede's Sneak-Peek, proceeds of which went to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Stampede visitors are encouraged to show their support by wearing pink while watching the Pink Parade, Pink Rodeo and tonight's Pink Fireworks display.

The background story to this three-year old movement is inspiring: it took one woman, a mission and the incredible support of the western community to rocket from an idea to international fund raiser.

Wearing pink--whether shirts, toenail polish or cowboy hats--is a visible way to support an important cause. It has an important side benefit for men, too, says one male Calgary Stampede spectator: "it allows guys to get in touch with their feminine side."

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Cowboy Hat Styles - Straight From The Horse's Mouth

2007-07-05T03:39:00.000-07:00

In his article Cowboy Hats Shape The Rodeo Performer, journalist Steve Ranson explores the preferences for cowboy hat styles at this week's Silver State International Rodeo.

Findings include:

1. Depends where you live. "In Nevada, you'll see more buckaroo hats with flat rims and flat tops," said Bud Openshaw, owner of Openshaw Saddlery, who can reshape and fix hats in less than one hour. "Go to Arizona and you'll find the big brim with sides tipped up."

2. Depends what you do. "I can tell a rodeo cowboy by the shape of his hat," Openshaw said, explaining how many performers prefer the cattleman's crease on top.

3. Depends on your personality. "The way cowboys and cowgirls wear their hats usually indicates their personalities. Some may wear the hat on the back of their head or to the side or tipped in front toward their eyes. Cowboys will shape their hats to their personality. Even if a cowboy has 20 hats, Openshaw said each hat will be similar."

Although the split between wearing straw or felt hats is pretty much even at 50/50, wearing one is a given, especially with sunny days and triple-digit temperatures.

"The brim keeps cowboys protected from the sun. They'll be working all day, and there's no place for them to get away," he said. "This is the cowboy's awning, the protection from the elements."

Get 'em, cowboy.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Hit In The Hat With a Fish

2007-07-04T03:34:00.000-07:00

For those of you out on Florida's Suwannee River this Independence Day, take care. "The season of 'sturgeon strikes' — law enforcement’s term for collisions between the state’s largest freshwater fish and hapless boaters — [is] already well under way."

According to a New York Times article (Summertime. Fish Jumping. That’s Trouble.), the otherwise harmless fish make for "very impressive injuries" when their leaps coincide with fast-moving people in boats or on jet skis. Doctors in the area have seen shattered legs and slashed throats among the injuries.

Seen from the safety of the riverbanks, however, jumping sturgeon (which can grow to eight feet long and weigh upwards of 200 lbs) can be a great form of entertainment.

Enjoy the fireworks!

Thanks for reading,
Steve (Mr. Safety) Singer
CEO Hartford York

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8 Ways to Increase Your Self-Esteem

2007-07-03T03:34:00.000-07:00

Disregarding positive affirmations, meditation and the like as not working for him, blogger John Place offers tips that helped raise his self-worth, in his article called 7 Ways to Increase Your Self-Esteem. These are:

Discard Outdated and Unfair Childhood Evaluations
Take Responsibility for Everything in Your Life
Improve Your Trouble Areas
Embrace Failure
Finish What You Start
Join a Productive Club
Increase Your Positive Relationships

This is a good, solid list - no airy, fairy calls on the Universe here. These are solid pro-active steps that anyone can take. The order doesn't matter--start with something you find easy, like joining a club. Far more than just a place to practice your social skills or network, Mr. Place says a group of like-minded people can become a "support structure and your growth catalyst".

I'd like to add a last tip to the above list. You've heard it before from me: wear a hat to up your self-esteem. Like joining a club, it's an external action that internalizes over time: wearing a hat makes a physical statement of high self-worth (even if yours happens to be at a low ebb). Makes sense, then, that wearing a hat every day promotes confidence cumulatively.

Be forewarned: the bigger the hat, the better the swagger.

Thanks for reading,
Swaggerin' Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Have Hat, Can Travel

2007-07-02T06:38:00.000-07:00

Winging it (safely) through Heathrow (on my way to check out Helen Kaminski's workshop in Madagascar), I was pleased to see how much better I looked than so many other of my fellow-passengers.

Sure, lots of guys came through with their Tommy Bahama sunglasses, sporting a Davosa watch, with a leather Scully duffel slung over one shoulder. How could anyone better that, you ask?

With a straw ivy cap from Bailey, that's how. The fiber is so light and airy, you forget it's on; but the Breeze Ascot is actually quite durable and stands up well to travel. I like the crisp, distinctive look of the cap--and I like how I look in it too.

Some of you might mutter that I seem to always like the way I look; and I say, yes, yes, that tends to be true. However, I'll come clean and tell you that -- on those rare occasions that I'm without a hat -- I admit to a somewhat lower level of self-admiration. I may not be nothing without my hat, but I'm not as much.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Liberation from Bad Hats

2007-06-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

Columnist Jonathan Grass of The Huntsville Times in Alabama has written a marvelous article called Some 'facts' about July 4 you may not have known.

He first reminds us of the meaning of that most "pressing summer circumstance [which is nearly] upon us [called] Independence Day...the day that commemorates our breaking away from the harsh yoke of tyranny. Sort of."

Mr. Grass recalls that "our country used to be under the rule of Great Britain. Of course, the harshest rules the British had at the time were overstuffed wigs and bad tea. In other words, it was hell."

You note, however, that Mr. Grass neglects to cite the horrid hats that were imposed upon men in those days, such as cocked hats worn by soldiers, and described in H.M. Royal Clothing Warrant 1768 thusly:

The hats of the Serjeants to be laced with silver. Those of the Corporals and Private Men, to have a white tape binding. The breadth of the whole to be one inch and a quarter; and no more to be on the back part of the brim, than what is necessary to sew it down. To have black cockades.

Freedom from cocked hats! God Bless America.

Oh, by the way, the article goes on to say that "historians will tell you the reason Independence Day is observed on July 4 is 'anyone's guess'." You see,

After a few minor adjustments, the most famous being Thomas Jefferson's written denouncement of slavery being omitted from the document on the grounds that it was "too sensitive an issue to be addressed by us, we're only Congress," the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 2, 1776, but it wasn't signed by most of the delegates until Aug. 2, who needed the extra time to learn to spell.

Anyway, it's nearly time to show our patriotism in time-honored fashion: "barbecues, beer, concerts, parades, beer on parade, and baseball with overpriced stadium beer", fire-works exploding all the while. Celebrate your freedom, says Jonathan Grass, "because come July 5, it'll be time to get those Christmas preparations started."

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Clips Keep Hats Put

2007-06-21T18:45:00.001-07:00

A Florida high school's athletic director has come up with an invention that keeps Jewish athletes' hats on their heads--without the use of hair pins (pins are banned in most sports due to potential danger).

It's quite a simple gadget--he's just engineered the skullcap (known as a kippah or a yarmulke) with two clips sewn in under the fabric so it stays in place. The inventor, Jon Kaweblum, has applied for a patent and even has a website called klippedkippahs.com.

See a need and meet it. Get rich. Make other people envious.

Hey, maybe I could invent a similar thing for other types of hats--you know, BattenedDownBerets or ForeverFedoras or PinnedPorkpies. . . .oh, yeah, I'm onto something here. . . .

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Pass The Hat

2007-06-20T04:57:00.000-07:00

The late American dancer and teacher, Louise Brown, once said: If you can't return a favor, pass it on.

That's kind of like recycling, and I do that as much as possible--including with hats I don't wear anymore. When you've got as many favorite hats as I do, it's hard to part with any of them. But it's even harder to see them, lonely and headless, waiting for me to wear them.

So (at least until I grow more heads), I have a strict policy. Once I reach my maximum number of hats (which number changes depending on my mood), I gift those I haven't worn for more than a year to people I think might give them a good life.

The adoption interview process is admittedly lengthy and can be harrowing--more than one potential hat-adopter has been turned away (you know who you are, mom).

Pass on your old hat whenever you buy a new one. It's good for the earth; your friends will love you; your hats will be atop someone's head where they belong; and everyone will think of you as generous and environmentally-correct, when in fact you just wanna buy more hats.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Flordia Schools Forbid Hats -- Skin Cancer on the Rise

2007-06-13T06:46:00.000-07:00

"I don't want to see you with that hat again," a high school principal...told a passing boy who was carrying a cap. He didn't even have it on.

Girls in spaghetti strap tops and bare midriffs don't seem to bother school officials, but hats drive them nuts. Hats are disrespectful and create a too informal atmosphere, they say.

Dave Weber's Orlando Sentinel School Zone blog entry is extremely disturbing to say the least. With skin cancer on the rise across the country, it's criminal that children are forced to go to school hatless. Issues such as disrespect and informal dress must be dealt with separately and not at the expense of our children's health.

Check the policy at your neighborhood school. If hats are banned (and I'm of course not talking about inside the school, but outdoors only), I urge you to take action -- petitions and letters to your school board and local media are in order.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Father's Day Approacheth: Try A Hat This Year

2007-06-12T18:42:00.000-07:00

The third Sunday of June is Father's Day (June 17 to be exact this year), and for those of you scrambling for a gift idea that's slightly more exciting than another Snoopy tie (and you know how much I love Peanuts!), why not get the man a hat?

You don't have to break the bank, of course, with something uber extravagant like The $10K Montecristi Panama (although I'm guessing it's likely pay-back time for all the grey hairs you gave the old man). No, you can choose one of the more affordable Montecristi Panama hats--it's the same hat, the difference being in the fineness of the weave (and the number of years it'll take you to pay it off).

If you just need some more time to save your pennies before getting Dad a little something, might I suggest taking up residency in Estonia or Finland, perhaps? Father's Day in those countries isn't till November, you see.

Bon voyage!
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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The Hats That Are Borsalino

2007-06-07T19:16:00.000-07:00

Borsalino hats have been the industry gold standard for luxury hats for 150 years, and the company sees no reason to change the way they do things. As Borsalino sales director, Claudio Mennuni, confirms in a Reuters article as reported in The Age: "some of the steps we do have to be done the same way we did it 50, 60, 70 years ago."

For instance?

We found we couldn't get the same quality using new gear," like lighter irons to shape brims instead of old gas-fired heavyweights, he said. "In a lot of cases you have to fix the equipment, you can't find it anywhere else.

Throughout the century, Borsalino's signature trilbies, or fedoras, have graced the silver screen, from the likes of Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca to Denzel Washington's dapper detective in last year's Inside Man.

Borsalino is targeting the under-35s, featuring new fibres, colors and hats that can be folded up and still keep their shape. These days, fashion watchers note a trend of nostalgia for the styles of the 1930s and '40s, which include pin-striped suits, overcoats and elegant accessories.

Interest in fedoras and pork-pie hats among younger customers has been fueled by celebrities such as pop stars Justin Timberlake, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and the Black Eyed Peas.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Chic Beachwear Starts With Your Hat

2007-06-05T04:19:00.000-07:00

You wear huaraches (not sneakers), stylish swim trunks and a breezy Tommy Bahama shirt for cover when heading out for a day of surf n sun.

Don't lose the look (or the sun and glare protection) by forgetting your hat - a lightweight straw hat provides comfort and style. Make sure it's crushable (not a lacquered straw) so that it looks good no matter how many times you have to tackle it after a great gust of wind sends it sailing down the beach.

It helps, of course, if you try to look like running is something you actually enjoy, and do every day as part of your fitness routine. Personally, I usually flip a couple of bucks to the kids, and they race off, while I follow at a more sedate shuffle.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Hat Assumptions

2007-05-31T11:31:00.001-07:00

I’m paraphrasing that brilliant cartoonist, Charles M. Schulz, here when I say:

Wear a hat. It gives the illusion that your life is more interesting than it really is.

Hats do catch the eye, they draw attention. You are noticed when you wear a hat. People don't just look at you when you wear a hat--they also assume things about you: that you're very self-confident, a go-getter; that you have fashion savvy; that you're unafraid.

These attributes are all good, all positive. And when you're continually attributed with attractive characteristics by strangers and friends alike, it's not much of a stretch to assume those qualities are indeed within you -- even if you're the last to recognize or acknowledge them.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Excuse Me, But Is Your Hat Twisted?

2007-05-30T05:23:00.000-07:00

Men wear suits all year long, and not all opt for the more casual look of linen--no matter the season. Same with hats--some guys just prefer wool to straw or linen.

But in summer?

If wearing wool in summer confuses the heck out of you, you're not alone. The site that promotes higher education (SoYouWanna.com) has an article all about types of fabrics used for suits; the pros and cons of non-wools vs wools; how to choose a wool appropriate for summer wear etc., and I've taken careful notes.

[Worsted wools] will be your gabardines or mid-weight corded wools. They are durable, hard-wearing, and usually fine for year-round wear. They can be a little lighter or heavier, depending on the weave, but consider them the mid-weights. Ask for them by name.

You might come across a suit that is advertised as a "high-twist," 100, or Super 110. These are not car races. This just means that the suit is made of a worsted wool yarn that has been twisted more often than the usual 60-80 twist fabrics. This makes it a finer cloth of a somewhat lighter weight. Such suits would be perfectly fine, therefore, for spring, summer, and fall, but might not carry you through the winter. In this case, we urge you to consider the local climate when making purchasing decisions.

The mid-weights are best overall, especially with the usual "air-conditioned-car-ride-into-the-air-conditioned-office" venture that most people have in summer. And if you will be visiting a lot of clients or doing hefty traveling, you will need this kind of durable fabric which will stand up to the extra wear, but not be too hot.

So, if the wool is extremely fine (whatever the garment), you're good to go and you'll stay cool doing it.

Thanks for reading,
The Very Woolly Steve Singer
(also CEO Hartford York)

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Your New Hat - Your Next Great Adventure

2007-05-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

I'm really looking forward to reading the final installment of the Harry Potter series - I started reading J.K. Rowling's fantasy books as a favor to some neighborhood tykes and am now caught up in the characters enough to see this thing through.

Although she wrote the books for children, Rowling kept thoughts and adventures mature enough to be interesting to older people as well. For instance, a line I liked from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone reads: To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.

Replace the word "death" with "each new hat", and that statement becomes pure magic to my ears: Each new hat is but the next great adventure.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Flattering Hats Are The Bee's Knees!

2007-05-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

British designer, Mary Quant, once said:

The fashionable woman wears clothes. The clothes don't wear her.

I think the same applies for men too. If you see a young well-dressed fella looking highly self-conscious, it's likely that he's not used to dressing in that manner. Hats are an accessory that can make a lot of people uncomfortable - but it usually only happens to those who have not yet become confident in their sense of style.

Like anything else, we grow into fashion confidence as we age. Not only do we know what feels good, we also know what looks good, what flatters and enhances.

Ms. Quant had something to say about age too. To wit: A woman is as young as her knees.

*ouch*

Thanks for reading,
Steve (Smooth Knees) Singer
CEO Hartford York

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It's Memorial Day Weekend! Hold On To Your Hat

2007-05-24T16:34:00.000-07:00

What does Memorial Day mean to you? The start of summer; the high travel season; the first weekend of picnics, beach parties and cottage country traffic jams?

It's all of that, of course - and it's also a time when people struggle into warm weather clothes including last year's shorts and bathing suits. Listen for the familiar cry this weekend, as you sail far from the madding crowd: "It happened again! All my clothes from last year shrank!"

You know, shrinkage is one reason why I got into the hat business in the first place. My hat fits no matter what else changes size. I can depend on my hat, you know? Sort of like the unconditional love a dog has for its master.

(Except hats don't drool.)

Drive carefully.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Fashionably Hot in Your Hat -- Even After 50

2007-05-22T07:38:00.000-07:00

You're not your grandfather, but you're not 25 anymore, either (thank goodness!).

For middle-age fashion, Sharon Haver at Focus on Style counsels that style has nothing to do with numbers (designers think of style, not your date of birth): it's all about the shape you're in and the attitude you wear more than just the outfit. In other words,

Think of other men hovering on one side or the other of the cusp of 50: Tom Hanks, Andy Garcia, Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Kevin Costner, Dennis Leary, and Billy Idol. Bet you still think of these guys as looking pretty vital. They are also pretty true to their own style.

In a nutshell, go for streamlined quality and be unafraid. This really is the time of your life!

Thanks for reading,
The Ever Youthful
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Hats With 2 or 3 Inch Brims For Best Protection

2007-05-19T13:19:00.000-07:00

I read in an article called May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month that

a hat with at least a 2 to 3 inch brim all around is ideal [for sun protection] because it protects areas often exposed to the sun, such as the neck, ears, eyes, forehead, nose and scalp. A shade cap, which looks like a baseball cap with about 7 inches of fabric draping down the sides and back, also is good.

A baseball cap can protect the front and top of the head but not the back of the neck or the ears where skin cancers commonly develop.

I knew all of that, of course, except for May being Skin Cancer Awareness Month. I thought that might be at the height of summer--July or August, when kids are out of school and everyone's running around on vacation.

Anyway, it's good advice, and I can add to it by telling you that I wear my shade hat (and sunglasses) at night.

Thanks for reading,
Stumblin' Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Make Money Wearing Your Hat

2007-05-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

In 1984, a Canadian farmer began renting advertising space on his cows. It wasn't long after that baseball caps with corporate logos and ads began cropping up on millions of heads all over North America. People weren't paid to wear pictures of beer cans on their pates, but initially most hats were given out for free.

Nowadays, people shell out big bucks for the privilege of owing certain emblems on their hats and, with the exception of some hardcore hold-outs, the John Deere caps have ceased to cover at least most rural landscapes.

Still, somewhere in Canada, there's a rich farmer with a flock of very strange looking cows. And you can bet he's wearing a ball cap devoid of everything but style.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Does A Ten Gallon Cowboy Hat Really Hold That Much?

2007-05-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

I finally got the straight dope on this insomnia-causing question, from none other than. . ., well The StraightDope.com website.

SD staffer JillGat offers la pura verdad:

"Ten-gallon hat" is the result of a linguistic mix-up. "Galon" is the Spanish word for "braid." Some vaqueros wore as many as ten braided hatbands on their sombreros, and those were called "ten galon hats." English speakers heard gallon. Real cowboy hats came to Texas from the Spanish via Mexico (unless you want to go all the way back to Genghis Khan and the Mongolian horsemen, who apparently wore something similar).

And no, ten-gallon hats don't hold ten gallons of water.

Trust me.

Thanks for reading,
Steve (Soggy) Singer
CEO Hartford York

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A Whole Lotta Hats In New Orleans

2007-05-09T14:07:00.000-07:00

I get the Hat Life e-newsletter (free subscription, by the way) and was happy to read an AP article there called Hatter Sells a Thousand Hats. It seems that a long-time hat retailer (who's been selling hats in the city since 1979) more than doubled her average sales of hats on the first day of this year's New Orleans Jazz Festival.

Hatter Lynn LeBeaud attributes some of the interest in hats to people wanting to replace hats lost in Katrina. Others just wanted a new one or were looking for a reprieve from the blazing sun.

Whatever the reason, it's nice to see that the $9.6 billion music industry in pre-Katrina New Orleans--along with the hat business, of course!--is coming back strong.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Will You Be A 'Creative Gift-Giver' This Mother's Day?

2007-05-08T05:58:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is the third most celebrated day of the year, according to market research firm IBIS World. (First would be Christmas I guess, and then my birthday. . . )

Of the 82.5 million moms and grandmas in America, most will receive presents ranging from the traditional (ie., cards, chocolates, jewelery and flowers) to more modern offerings like cell phones designed in red pearl or those with easy-to-see numbers on the dial pad.

Then there are Gift Certificates, which when tucked into a colorful fruit basket crammed with a brilliant selection of good-for-you ground cherries, nonis, mangoes, rose hips and (of course) papayas and pitayas, are likely the most appreciated of all gifts, because they represent choice.

It's not that mom won't love what you picked out for her - of course she will! She still displays that burnt woodwork art thingie you did in junior high, doesn't she?

Don't throw your money away: get creative. Give a Gift Certificate for Mother's Day this year, and then spend time together choosing a hat. She's worth every minute.

Thanks for reading,
Steve (The Sensitive) Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Broad Brim Hats Potential Cure for Disopiaephobia

2007-05-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

If you are afraid of hats, (ie., afraid to wear them or afraid of other people who wear them), you may well be suffering from disopiaephobia.

According to GullibleInfo.com, this rare condition afflicts two in every million people and you'll know you're one of the chosen if you fear anything that comes within your peripheral vision. So a hat seen glimpsed from corner of your eye (whether in a shop, on someone's head or even an image on a computer screen) might become a feared object if you have disopiaephobia.

Although a cure is not stated on the Gullible website, I would like to offer a preventive course of action. Before you become too afraid, buy a hat with a nice, broad brim. You will then be able to block peripheral vision whenever necessary with a simple tilt of the head.

(Plus, you'd look really cool.)

You're welcome,
Steve Singer, Mastermind
and CEO Hartford York

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Play With Proportion When You Put On Your Hat

2007-05-04T05:30:00.000-07:00

Summer's all about beaches and straw, weaves and waves. And it's all about proportion too, when you think about it. (And I did.)

Like when the ladies are choosing their swim wear, they accentuate certain bits and not others. It's kind of the same idea with hats. If you've got a great big brim on top of your head, your shirt should balance the look, either by being rather fitted (like a tee shirt) or tailored with sleek lines.

The pattern and colors of the shirt (or blouse for that matter) can certainly be wild, wacky and summertime brilliant - if your hat is a solid color. It's form we're talking about here.

The model in this shot is wearing a loose shirt, unbuttoned, very flowing, which nicely balances the rather severe brim of his panama hat. You realize, of course, that I'm the body-double in the picture...*cough*

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
Work Out King and
CEO Hartford York

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Generation of Sun-Shunners Wears Hats

2007-05-01T07:30:00.000-07:00

Younger people, especially women, have been raised to shun the sun. In addition to wearing baseball caps and visors for sports, they're putting on newsboys and cabbie-style hats as well as oversized berets, says Deborah Rudinski of trend strategist firm Henry Doneger Associates.

I think I knew that. And I'd like to add something. (No comments from the peanut gallery, please).

With Johnny Depp and Justin Timberlake et al representing young men in hats, bad girl Britney Spears continues her very public love affair with fedoras (great look!) paired with short shorts and cowboy boots (*shudder*). The always classy Nicole Kidman is another celebrity often pictured shading her fair skin with broad brimmed sun hats.

We are indeed seeing the rebirth of the hat as an integral part of the wardrobe--but this time round, I think it won't be as much as uniform as a joyful statement of individuality.

Make your statement!

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Mother's Day Gift Suggestion: Buy If You Wish To Live

2007-04-30T06:09:00.000-07:00

If you don't get the lady in your life a little (big) something on May 13th, (whether she be your mother or the mother of your children or basically some stranger's mom), you know you're pretty much dead in the water.

That said, I've been trying to decide between hats for my beloved. I just can't make up my mind if I should buy the gorgeous Andrea, a sophisticated Panama for women from Borsalino, or The Baku, an exquisite straw porkpie from the same Italian maestro. Yes, yes, the latter hat would be for me - but I might share. And anyway, it would put me in such a great mood, and I'd be so delightful to be around, that I could be my own Mother's Day present.

Wow, I'm good.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Plant A Tree For National Hat Day (or Arbor Day)

2007-04-27T05:26:00.000-07:00

The National Arbor Foundation (ArborDay.org) says that the most common date for observance of National Arbor Day across the U.S. is the last Friday in April, and several U.S. presidents have proclaimed a national Arbor Day on that date. But a number of state Arbor Days are at other times to coincide with the best tree planting weather, from January and February in the south to May in the far north.

So don't be surprised if you're in Alaska next month, and see everybody out planting trees: Arbor Day in that state is the third Monday in May. If the need to plant trees springs upon you in mid-January, you're in luck: the third Friday of that month has been declared Arbor Day in Louisiana.

If you think that's confusing, National Arbor Day can be a week long, and is on different dates around the world. China's tree planting day is March 12, while in Tasmania, it's some time in October.

I'm seeing a method in this mayhem here. Some planning guru's got tree-planting advocates running all over the globe trying to catch up with all the tree-planting dates, and greening the globe as they trot.

Hey, that sounds like a pretty good marketing ploy. . . . .by the way, did you know that today's National Hat Day? Oh yes! Absolutely. And don't worry if you missed it -- it's a new holiday, and it lasts all year.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer, Marketing Genius,
CEO Hartford York

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Color Tips for Men's Summer Hats

2007-04-26T11:10:00.001-07:00

There's a good article over at Men's Fashion on About.com. Called 7 Tips Men Need to Know About Wearing Color, co-author Daniel Billett says that "men shouldn't be afraid of color but should embrace it."

One tip that pertains to hats is no. 5, Keep Color Around the Face. It reads:

keep flattering colors that enhance skin and eye color around the face. You don't want to look like you just got out of the hospital, do you?

The article further advises men to study ads and store displays for inspiration and ideas.

I say what the heck, just come over to my house and I'll show you my latest favorite hat/color combo: bucket hats in green and orange.

Word to the wise: remove all fishing hooks from said favorite bucket hats before donning.

Thanks for the bandages,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Toby Keith Charity Golf Tournament April 27

2007-04-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

The Toby Keith Foundation which (among other things) helps families of children fighting cancer with medical bills, short term housing, groceries and other needs, begins it annual Toby Keith charity golf tournament with a party in downtown Oklahoma City on April 27.

The event is an important source of funding for these young patients, and began when a Toby Keith band member's toddler lost her battle with cancer a few years back.

"We throw a great party with this event every year to support these kids in their battle with cancer," Toby said. "Soldiers come in all sizes."

As do heroes, you Big Dawg, you--and recipient of The Country Radio Broadcasters 2007 Humanitarian award. Congratulations!

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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What Hat Did You Wear For Earth Day?

2007-04-23T13:23:00.000-07:00

So, what'd you do for Earth Day? I got all recycled and natural from head to toe, starting with my vegan boxers and cotton knit sweater right to the top of my head, with this totally toyo hat.

When a friend told me he'd replaced all the bulbs in his garden with fluorescent ones, I was initially quite impressed. (After all, this man's no brown thumb). Upon some reflection, though, I believe some witty comeback on my part was called for, and I missed my chance.

Ah, well. I'll have the last laugh, I'm sure. Wait till he sees the people from the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance at his door. Oh, yeah.

Thanks for reading,
Steve (You Can't Get One Past Me) Singer
CEO Hartford York

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A Real-Life Indiana Jones

2007-04-21T08:14:00.000-07:00

It's not just the hat that makes swashbuckling, cowboy-hatted Josh Bernstein (star of Digging for the Truth on the History Channel) a real-life modern-day Indiana Jones.

A New York Times article called Did Somebody Say Indiana Jones? says this is a man whose anthropological travels have taken him through almost 40 countries, and across some 500,000 miles. He's recovered from food poisoning and chigger bites in Peru and swam through shark-infested waters off Easter Island. All in a day’s work, according to Mr. Bernstein, with no two days the same.

The Cornell graduate hosted Digging For The Truth for three seasons, exploring mysteries like the lost cities of Atlantis and El Dorado. He traveled to locations by camel or paraglider or with oxygen tanks and flippers, sometimes braving natural disasters and parasites.

Now that Digging is done, he's got a new program beginning in January on The Discovery Channel, which will include Indy's - I mean, Mr. Bernstein’s - usual pursuits of anthropological and archaeological subjects, as well as another of his passions, the environment.

I, for one, will be watching. And--hey, Josh!--if you need an assistant, I must tell you that I cut a fine figure in my Indiana Jones hat, too.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Donate Your Old Hats For A Good Cause

2007-04-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

There's a young teen in Michigan who is battling cancer. He's decided that lots of other kids in his predicament probably needs hats just like he did when going through chemotherapy, so he's decided two things:

to collect enough hats to break the current record; and then
to deliver these hats to other kids with cancer.

How can you help? By sending TJ a hat (or 2) that you don't wear anymore. You see, he's got to amass over 83,000 hats to beat the current world record.

And why's he doing this? His About page says it's something to keep his mind off his pain, therapy, meds, and tiredness, [and] is also an excellent way to return his heart and kindness back to the world for helping him beat his cancer.

After he claims the record, he wishes to give all the hats back to other children with cancer. TJ wants to travel to the children and distribute the hats to them himself. If you or anyone that you know would like to help our TJ beat that record, we have set up a PO box for you to send the hats to, and he promises to wear them at least once.

We will also get a picture of him wearing each hat and put them here on the web site. TJ will then store them away till the day he has enough hats to claim the record, then begin the final run of his journey by passing them out to kids all around that will then be fighting his same fight against cancer.

Go, TJ!

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Hats Are Like Eggplants

2007-04-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

On his blog, author Seth Godin says "salespeople who sell properly sell stuff people wish they would have bought in the first place."

Like eggplants.

His example of a great salesman is one he ran into at a farmer's market last year, who was selling eggplants. He says:

Most people are afraid of eggplant. They won't buy it. They need to be sold it. And after they're sold, they're often glad they were sold.

It's education that sells people--they learn how to use something. In the case of an eggplant, how to prepare and eat it. And in the case of hats? I teach people how to feel comfortable in a hat; how to graduate from ball caps to ivy caps to panama hats.

Sell what you know (or know what you sell) and you'll satisfy yourself and your customer.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Don Imus Should Remove His Hat

2007-04-17T05:25:00.000-07:00

Everyone's got an opinion about shock jock Don Imus's recent fall, perhaps the most reasoned and truthful being Harvey Fierstein's NY Times op-ed entitled Our Prejudices, Ourselves.

Something I've noticed about Don Imus is that, unlike other spewing celebs (Mel Gibson and Michael Richards leap immediately to mind) the radio personality does indeed wear hats. Once he removes his headphones, Don Imus is rarely seen without a cowboy hat on his head.

Mr. Imus, you may wear a hat, but you, sir, are no gentleman.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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How You Wear A Hat Is As Important As the Hat Itself

2007-04-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

Brooke Jaffe, InStyle's accessories editor, says people have to learn how to shop for hats, and gives the following tips:

1. Check out your hat while looking in a full-length mirror because you need to see how the hat works in proportion to your entire body, not just the head.

2. Don't put the hat straight up and down on your head. The face is asymmetrical, Jaffe notes, and you have to tilt a hat to the side to make it work. That's how Jessica Simpson and Nicole Richie wear them.

3. For the hat novice, Jaffe says a dark-or neutral-colored fedora or bucket hat is a good starting point. "A floppy hat will draw more attention," she says.

4. Consider your own size when thinking about brim size. Width often corresponds to the wearer's height: shorter people in fitted hats that are closer to the head and taller people in big brims.

Hat designer Eugenia Kim adds that "There's a juxtaposition of casual and dressy. For the 20-something [woman] who wants to wear a cloche, don't wear it with a dress, wear it with jeans."

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Clean Your Felt Hat Before Storing It

2007-04-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

Now that it's time for straw and linen hats, you can store your fur felt and wool felt fedoras for the season.

If you make sure you clean your felt hats thoroughly before putting them away, you should be able to pull them out next season and wear them immediately without any fuss.

There are two ways to remove dust from a fur or wool felt hat. The first is to use a soft-bristled brush to brush your hat (you risk tearing the felt if you use a brush with hard or stiff bristles). The brush should be dark, if the hat is dark and vice versa.

When you brush, start with the left side of your hat and move in a counter-clockwise direction. Use the same motion for both the brim and the crown of the hat. Don’t forget to flip your hat over and brush the underside of the brim, in this case using a clockwise stroke.

The second method of cleaning your felt hat is to gently rub the hat with a damp towel, again using a counterclockwise circular motion, while the underside of the brim is treated in the opposite direction.

If your hat’s got a blemish (or a crease you’d like to smooth out), steam is your friend. By carefully holding your hat over a kettle of boiling water, you can focus a line of steam onto the wrinkle or stain you wish to dampen before brushing or smoothing out with your hands.

Remember: steaming your hands is fun, but not absolutely necessary.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer, The Ever Helpful
(and CEO Hartford York)

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How To Restore Your Favorite Straw Hat

2007-04-10T17:09:00.000-07:00

If you're scrounging around in the closet for your favorite straw hat to wear in the garden this year, only to come up with it battered and squished beyond recognition, don't give up all hope.

As long as the straw's not been completely dried and cracked by being placed in direct sun or too close to a direct source of heat, a good dose of steam should do the trick. Simply hold the straw hat (by its brim) over a pot or kettle of boiling water, and move it through the steam at a constant rate.

Use your hands (which you of course covered with oven mitts prior to the steaming process) to gently reshape the slightly dampened hat, then let it dry naturally on a hat stand--no hair dryers, no heaters, no direct sun.

There! Nearly good as new. As soon as those of you who missed the oven mitts bit get your hands treated at emergency, you'll all be ready for the garden, in your favorite straw hat.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
aka Lobster Hands and
CEO Hartford York

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Reason #1,478,399 Why You Should Wear A Hat

2007-04-09T10:42:00.000-07:00

Another reason why you should wear a hat is that it's an article of clothing that's worn on your easy-to-reach head.

Oh, yes, some of you are nodding already - you've been there: grunting when you bend over or dropping something and really considering hard for a while before finally giving in and picking it up...

It's like George Burns once said: You know you're getting old when you stoop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you could do while you're down there.

Hats will of course never do that to you. You can imagine the laugh fest going on in the sock drawer (did you hear him this morning? bwaa-ha-ha-ha); but with hats, it's all refined and dignified calm. Even when your fastest pace is reduced to a slower (but nicely rhythmic) shuffle, you'll be able to grasp your hat du jour, and put it on -- just so! -- with nary gasp nor groan.

Very civilized, that.

Thanks for reading,
The Ever Young
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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Head-Turning Hats For Easter and Beyond

2007-04-05T05:42:00.000-07:00

One-name millinery designer, Kokin, (who calls hats "one of the greatest cosmetics") was interviewed by Post-Gazette journalist, Cristina Rouvalis, for her article Just In Time For Easter: Hats That Are Head-Turners.

Kokin maintains that "there is a hat for everyone just like there is a lid for every pot." He's also

surprised by how much color American women are putting on top of their heads. "I didn't think it would happen in this country, but it did. Paris, of course, is a riot of color."

Kokin notes that packable hats are hot too:

anything you can scrunch up into a ball, throw into your suitcase and watch pop back into shape. "Just because you are traveling doesn't mean you have to look like Gilligan," he says.

Thanks for reading,
Steve (Just Steve)
CEO Hartford York

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categories: straw hats summer hats panama hats straw fedora hats straw fedoras winter hats fedoras cowboy hats leather hats Kangol hats Borsalino hats Scala hats Stetson hats Wigens hats fur hats fall hats autumn hats hats for winter wool caps hats women's hats men's hats fashion humor

Does The Hat Make The Holiday?

2007-04-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

An age-old question, this.

Does what you wear have any bearing whatever on the holiday at hand? Weather aside, do you make certain hat-wearing decisions based on the fact that it’s Easter and not, say, Memorial Day or July 4th or Christmas?

Most of us who observe ‘holy days’ (holidays with a religious basis) certainly tend to dress more formally on those occasions than when celebrating Labor Day, so it seems safe to assume that the hats we wear are reflect that tendency.

Certainly, there are some hats that truly fit any occasion (and no, it’s not a baseball cap, you whippersnapper over there in the corner) - it’s the fedora, of course: in fur felt when it’s cold; in straw when it’s warm. This is a hat that takes on your attitude and reflects your style of dress - go ahead, try it. First, slouch in your fedora and then stand respectfully; put it on with a t shirt and jeans, then with a dress shirt and slacks. See?

What a hat!

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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categories: straw hats summer hats panama hats straw fedora hats straw fedoras winter hats fedoras cowboy hats leather hats Kangol hats Borsalino hats Scala hats Stetson hats Wigens hats fur hats fall hats autumn hats hats for winter wool caps hats women's hats men's hats fashion humor

Dress Around Your Hat This Easter

2007-03-30T04:28:00.001-07:00

Of course, you should dress around your hat every day of the year, not just special occasions like Easter. It simply makes good sense. There's an article in HatLife.com that reads, in part:

A hat is just about the most visible item of clothing you'll ever wear.

Whereas odd socks will do only limited damage to your overall "look", the wrong hat will render ridiculous even the most expensive designer get up.

In the past, I've given some thought to dressing hat first. Unfortunately, I've never been able to get past that "naked in a hat" thing and keep losing track of exactly what it is I'm supposed to be doing.

Do remember, though, not to attempt pulling on a t shirt or sweater over your hat. Geez, it took me forever to get out of that one. Thank goodness I was in a crushable hat, otherwise it would have been all over for that little guy.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

If you're the kind of person who wears mismatched socks regularly--calling it 'fashion forward' instead of 'lousy laundry habits', you may enjoy free updates of this wonder blog by email or RSS.

categories: straw hats summer hats panama hats straw fedora hats straw fedoras winter hats fedoras cowboy hats leather hats Kangol hats Borsalino hats Scala hats Stetson hats Wigens hats fur hats fall hats autumn hats hats for winter wool caps hats women's hats men's hats fashion humor

An Easter Bonnet Can Tame Even The Wildest Hare

2007-03-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

HARE, get it? Oh, yeah, that's funny! And there's a lot more where that came from over at Easter Bunny Wisdom.

Another bit of bunny business is "Some body parts should be floppy."

Really, I'm killing myself here.

But getting back to the business at hand, I may have actually chosen my Easter bonnet - er, hat. After yesterday's post, I knew it was decision-making time. So I used this internet-based focus-therapy game to regain a modicum of concentration. (By the way, were you aware that South American Ameraucana and Araucan chickens can lay eggs that are green, blue, or pinkish in color?).

Anyway, I've decided to go with the color of Easter in the incredible Borsalino straw shown here.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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categories: straw hats summer hats panama hats straw fedora hats straw fedoras winter hats fedoras cowboy hats leather hats Kangol hats Borsalino hats Scala hats Stetson hats Wigens hats fur hats fall hats autumn hats hats for winter wool caps hats women's hats men's hats fashion humor

Did You Get Your Easter Hat Yet?

2007-03-27T15:23:00.000-07:00

Easter's coming up pretty fast, with Easter Sunday falling on April 8th this year. Where does the time go? The stores have been crammed with bunnies and chocolates, colored eggs and baskets for days now.

Did you get your Easter hat yet?

A hat is one of the only items in a man's wardrobe where there's truly a myriad of choice available. And it's making me miserable.

I mean the Borsalino fedora shown here is a real beaut, and I'm partial to the texture of raffia weave. But then I feel really sorry for all the rest of the hats that won't be on my head this Easter. Wonderful hats just sitting there...headless...and I start to question my choice.

Like, I wonder why I didn't choose the snappy Henschel woven toyo, called the Downer High Roller. It's got a great pinch front and I like the self trim. Or maybe the Jamaican from Scala, a very affordable Grade 3 Panama with an expensive, sophisticated look.

By the way, I have the real answer to why two heads are better than one.

Exactly.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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categories: straw hats summer hats panama hats straw fedora hats straw fedoras winter hats fedoras cowboy hats leather hats Kangol hats Borsalino hats Scala hats Stetson hats Wigens hats fur hats fall hats autumn hats hats for winter wool caps hats women's hats men's hats fashion humor

Zen In A Hat

2007-03-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

Today's Daily Motivator reads:

'Calm and effective'

When you are at your busiest, when you are overwhelmed with things to do, when the pace is getting more frenzied by the moment, that is when an attitude of calm relaxation can do you the most good. Stepping back and calming down will actually move you ahead more effectively than nervous, anxious energy.

. . . don't get in such a rush that you waste most of your energy fighting against yourself. Produce results rather than just activity. Instead of just being busy, be effective. Spend your energy on achievement rather than on nervousness.

I knew this of course. When life gets wild, I stick on my hat and zen right in on the tasks at hand. Then I go outside and play. Hard.

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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categories: straw hats summer hats panama hats straw fedora hats straw fedoras winter hats fedoras cowboy hats leather hats Kangol hats Borsalino hats Scala hats Stetson hats Wigens hats fur hats fall hats autumn hats hats for winter wool caps hats women's hats men's hats fashion humor

Top Men's Hats in Different Price Categories

2007-03-21T18:34:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well. I've been asked to make a decision. A customer called for a couple of recommendations on the best hats in various price ranges. Didn't mention a style, mind you - didn't ask me for the best cowboy hat under $50 (Toby Keith) or the best Panama hat under $700 (The Montecristi Classic).

Nope, this guy wants an general recommendation.

So I start low, thinking that there are fewer items in that category, which should make the choice easier. I begin with the $25 Scala Ascot Ivy Cap in twisted seagrass, and The Chad, a $30 cotton ivy dress cap. And then I stop. Why?

Because in all good conscience, I can't recommend one cap over the other any more than you can tell your kid that you like your other kid better. This ain't just apples and oranges here, folks.

Of course, I didn't blow the guy off completely. I told him that there's simply no choice to be made, now that I've got the best Montecristi Panama hat in the world in my (gloved) hands. His reaction was fantastic. He heard the price and simply fainted away.

Thanks for playing,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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categories: straw hats summer hats panama hats straw fedora hats straw fedoras winter hats fedoras cowboy hats leather hats Kangol hats Borsalino hats Scala hats Stetson hats Wigens hats fur hats fall hats autumn hats hats for winter wool caps hats women's hats men's hats fashion humor

Keeping It Simple In My Hat

2007-03-19T14:25:00.000-07:00

Are you instantly accessible to everyone or do you sometimes disconnect? I like this quote from Mitch Hedberg, a comedian who died way too young a few years back, who said:

I don't own a cell phone or a pager. I just hang around everyone I know, all the time. If someone wants to get a hold of me, they just say 'Mitch,' and I say 'what?' and turn my head slightly.

Most people I know are of the same mind-set and highly value their limited amount of private time. Like attracts like, perhaps. It's funny, I suppose then, that most all of us wear hats too.

I can't think that the hat acts as a shield, as much as it's simply the chosen accoutrement for people truly comfortable in their own skin; for those who are individualistic enough to make a statement, and self-confident enough to want to stand out and draw attention.

What hat are you wearing today?

Thanks for reading,
Steve Singer
CEO Hartford York

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categories: straw hats summer hats panama hats straw fedora hats straw fedoras winter hats fedoras cowboy hats leather hats Kangol hats Borsalino hats Scala hats Stetson hats Wigens hats fur hats fall hats autumn hats hats for winter wool caps hats women's hats men's hats fashion humor