Hat Blog

The Fourth Annual Del Mar Pre-Race Day Betmar Hats Trunk Show

                             The Village Hat Shop & Betmar Hats

in anticipation of Opening Day at Del Mar 

presents

The Fourth Annual Pre-Race Day Trunk Show 

Saturday, July 12th

11am-2pm

at The Village Hat Shop in Seaport Village. 

 

Kimberli MacKay, Director of Design at Betmar, will be flying in from New York to help head up the event.  Customers will have the chance to meet with Kimberli, chat with her about her designs, the fashion industry in general or, most importantly, to have a hat selected "just for her". 

   

She will be bringing with her preview pieces from the 2009 Spring /Summer dress line.  Attendees will not only have the chance to sneak a peek of what designs are in store for next year, but will also have the chance to buy these hats, thus making their purchase "one-of-a-kind" until the line is formally released next spring. 

    

We will also have 50 of Betmar's custom high-quality hat boxes on hand, which are only available at trunk shows, to be given to the first 50 customers who buy a Betmar dress hat that weekend.

 

www.VillageHatShop.com

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Movie Reviews

 

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Movie Reviews from a Hat-Centric Point of View

First of all – it wasn’t a premier; just a lowly screening.  Han Solo did not step out from behind the curtain.  Karen Allen was probably back on her farm in New England.  Spielberg was off planning his next serious project.  We were simply at an early viewing along with various other overweight fan boys, geeks and merchants of Indiana Jones various licenses.  Although the geeky skateboarding kid from Clueless who falls in love with Brittney Murphy was in attendance with his friends.  He seemed like a pleasant enough fellow.

So to be fair – right of the bat we were a bit disappointed.  We didn’t even get to view it at Mann’s Chinese Theatre as promised (and where I had never been).  It was at the multi-plex upstairs.  We were duped.  Mislead.  And aggravated.

When the movie finally started, our first partial glimpse of Indy in nearly 20 years came as a pleasant surprise – it was not actually our boy, but his hat.  And, I should add it looked damn good.  In fact the hat was a major character throughout the movie (and one of the best).  That can’t be a bad thing for the hat industry.

The movie on the other hand was sort of a disappointment.  It wasn’t a bad movie; in fact I’m giving it a B+ (just barely – like 87.5% with a cool teacher).  But compared to the first three (A+, 100% on Raiders, A-, 92% on Temple and solid A, 97% on Crusade), it just does not hold up.  Indy looked old – which is fine but they should have had much more fun with this fact.  Other than a couple brief mentions they seemed to ignore his advancing years as he beat the hell out of men half his age (sometimes three at a time).  Karen Allen looked like an aging athlete trying to get back in the game (think Larry Holmes circa 2004).  She seemed so pleased with herself that I kept thinking she was going to look at the camera, wink, and say, “Isn’t this just the greatest thing ever!  I’m acting!”  And as far as Shia LeBeouf goes, I have yet to be all that impressed with a single thing he’s ever done.  I don’t particularly dislike him mind you – he’s nowhere near my almost pathological hatred of Brendan Frasier (what has that jackass ever done that’s worth a damn and why is he famous and rich?)  He’s just blah.  And he continues his blah streak in this movie.  I mean, really – Shia LeBouf?  A tough guy with a switchblade?  Man, I am just not buying it.

Despite all that criticism, I was entertained for most of the two hours of the movie.  Any chance I get to see Indiana Jones/Han Solo/Rick Deckard on the big screen speaking in Mayan, brushing off cobwebs in some 4000 year old grave, cocking that beautiful hat and teaching some punk kid a thing or two, I still walk smiling.  Even if the story has some absurd holes and ridiculous twists towards the end, Harrison Ford has the ability make it all worthwhile, as anyone who came of age in the 70’s will attest to. 

My verdict is – go see it.  Just don’t expect too much and you won’t be disappointed.

Bruce Zales – Designer of Jaxon Hats
www.VillageHatShop.com
www.JaxonHats.com

 

I would say the film is an 8.5, definitely a lot of action and an interesting story line.  I would rate it as the number 4 movie in the series. 

A lot of references to the hat, at least 3 majors ones that I remember.  The hat is almost a character in itself!  One interesting tidbit, Indiana Jones does wear a different color fedora in a few scenes in the movie.  A grey felt fedora with a black hat band; this hat is soon lost and never recovered. 

I caught a few references to the past storylines, I'm sure there were more that I didn't catch.

Cate Blanchett was great as the new villain - thirsty for power; and Shia LeBeouf played the rebellious youth, his energy was a great part of the entire cast ensemble.

As for Harrison Ford, he was great!  He still has that charm that guides us through all of his adventures throughout the world. 

The story touches upon the mortality of its main character, we learn that heroes can't live forever but their legends live on. 

All in all, I think the 4th installment stays true to the series, fun and exciting; I would definitely see it again!

Susan Lee – Designer of sur la tete Hats
www.VillageHatShop.com

 

I went to the screening of the new Indiana Jones movie last night! The picture will certainly be the blockbuster of the summer. It was fun, exciting and action pack. Harrison Ford played the classic Indiana Jones we all remember and loved. He still has it!

 

Best of all, the movie really focused in on the hat! Several close-ups and laughs drew attention to his hat. Truly solidifying the Indy trademark.

 

The movie ended with the hat blowing in from a gust of wind. It lands at the feet of the kid (Shia LaBeouf). He picks it up and is JUST about to put it on. You are thinking the hat is passing on to Indy's predecessor. BUT... Indy swiftly grabs it, puts it on, and strolls out of the building.

 

Classic ending that left you with a smile and relief Indiana Jones will live on!

 

Gear up for big "IJ" hat sales next week. The movie has sold it!

 

 

Lisa Deluca Zimmerman – Hat Seller of Official Indiana Jones Hats

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Coming Next Week

After a two decade hiatus, Indy is back. If you’re a HAT BLOG reader, you know that this is big news for the hat industry (see past postings either here at the HAT BLOG or at EZINEARTICLES.COM or VILLAGEHATSHOP.COM). Because we are authorized dealers selling the officially licensed Indiana Jones Hats, we have been invited to the world premiere of the movie this Tuesday in Los Angeles (yes, Harrison Ford will be there - we’ll say hello to him for you). Return to the HAT BLOG on Wednesday May 21st, to read the first movie reviews for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as we will post them on that day.

Hold on to your hats Indy fans, for the fun is about to begin again!

Fred Belinsky
www.VillageHatShop.com

Hats Are Healthy

[New data for 2008 in brackets and bold type below]

American history buffs know the sad but true story of William Henry Harrison’s short tenure as President.
Mr. Harrison chose not to wear a hat to his inauguration; he caught pneumonia and died within the month. Twenty or so years ago – sometime during the Reagan administration – I created a hangtag for our stores that read “Hats Are Healthy”. By it, I meant not against the cold but rather against the harmful effects of the sun. I quoted two agencies (click image). I was ambivalent about these tags because on the one hand, I wanted to call people’s attention to the need to put on sunscreen and wear hats (and other protective clothing), but on the other, I felt guilty profiting from fear. Furthermore, our hat business had been successful because our stores were fun and although the “hats are healthy” message was valid, I didn’t want to overemphasize it. (An atmosphere of a serious clinic was an unproven model for a successful hat shop.) In any case, I figured that in short order most people would get the message anyway and be wearing hats, along with sunscreen, and therefore, calling attention to headwear as protective clothing would soon be as unnecessary as calling attention to the merits of sunscreen.

Two decades have passed since that hangtag. I go out and about in life as we know it and the fact of the matter is that most people are still not getting the message – not wearing hats. And I live in San Diego – where there’s lots of sun. So here’s the current [2007] data: The National Cancer Institute estimates that in 2007 there will be more than 1,000,000 new cases of skin (non-melanoma) cancer in the United States and less than 2,000 deaths. NCI also estimates 59,940 new cases of melanoma (a form of skin cancer that begins in melanocytyes – the cells that make the pigment melanin) in 2007. Of those, NCI estimates 8,110 deaths. [For 2008, estimates are up: 62,480 people will be diagnosed with melanoma with 8,420 deaths. For details by gender/race/ethnicity, see NCI's SEER Cancer Statistics web site.] When asked about the effectiveness of sunscreens in preventing cancer, Dr. Kenneth Kraemer, a dermatologist researching skin cancer for NCI’s Center for Cancer Research replied, “Sun protection is more than sunscreens. Sun protection includes avoiding the sun, using clothing to protect yourself, getting shade under a tree if you are going outside, and wearing hats”.

As we enter spring 2007, I’ve decided it may be important to amplify the alarm. VillageHatShop.com has assembled 80 hats with a minimum brim length of 2 ¼ inches on our GREAT HATS FOR THE GREAT OUTDOORS page. These are all full-size hats – no ballcaps - that cover both one’s ears and the back of the neck.

With our next posting, the message will be back to fun, fashion, and, less scary, function.

Best wishes,

Fred Belinsky
www.VillageHatShop.com

Indiana Jones and the Fedora

New Movie coming May 22nd - Wear Your Indiana Jones Fedora to the Movie Theater!

The hat industry is buzzing, giddy in fact: “It’s coming. It’s coming.” No, it’s not the Russians or the Martians. It’s the new Indiana Jones movie, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. These Indiana Jones movies – the first one was released in 1981 - have meant more to the hat business in the last half-century than any other event on the planet. [The only thing that comes close is the relatively new realization that hats serve an enormous benefit in protecting people from the harmful effects of the sun. Imagine, the direct relevance of hats to one’s health has had less impact on this industry than a series of movies!] Indy’s hat is a modern-day icon. Its current influence on the hat buying public is nothing short of phenomenal. The current popularity of fedoras can be traced to the first Indiana Jones movie when Indy, played by Harrison Ford, wears a safari style fedora, where the medium-to-large brim is turned down in the front and the back. The hat has become emblematic of the man. After that, all fedora styles took off. Today’s fashionistas like their fedoras with stingy (short) brims - very much on the other side of the fedora brim length continuum from Indy. Whether they know it or not, these young hipsters are the direct fashion descendents from Indiana Jones' Hat.

The newest installment is scheduled for release in May 2008. Harrison Ford was recently quoted, "I'm delighted to be back in business with my old friends. I don't know if the pants still fit but I know the hat will."

Fred Belinsky
www.VillageHatShop.com
www.Berets.com
www.JaxonHats.com

Jaxon Hats Brings The Authentic Basque Beret To North America

Everything we wear is made in China these days, right? Wrong. It’s true that berets – classically European - are made in Asia and sold in droves in North America, but not all berets.

This iconic headgear originally hails from Europe’s Pyrenees Mountains, home of the Basque culture. With the US Dollar consistently losing ground to the Euro and the quality of apparel from Asia getting better all the time, who in their right mind these days would go to Europe for hats? Answer: Jaxon.

“In our quest for the best, we wanted to bring this authentic headwear to our customers where the differences in quality are obvious,” says Jaxon Hats designer Bruce Zales. Pressed for details, Zales begins by lecturing on the making of wool felt, likening it to a kind of “conjuring” where one hatter’s felt-making formula (compressed, entangled fibers making an incredibly strong material) can be “light years” better than another’s. The quality of the wool-felt material is the important starting point in any felt hat, and if that were the only difference it would be sufficient reason to go to Europe for the Basque Beret. But it’s not the only difference. This meaty pure virgin wool beret is “Impermeable” (Waterproof). The sweatband (many berets don’t even have sweatbands) is made from genuine leather (most US importers of European berets have gone to vinyl as a cost saving strategy). The lining is sewn (not glued) to the inside top of the hat, but not on the sides (so that the beret can “breath” on the wearer’s head). Together, these details make a big difference in comfort, looks, and functionality.

Price? Not an arm and a leg, as Jaxon purchases the substantial quantities required for working directly with the factory-no middleman. The retail is $48 and bulk purchasers/resellers can buy directly from Jaxon at $27.50 each with a purchase of 12 units minimum. You’ve got to see these berets to appreciate this value. Stay warm, stay dry, and be cool.

The Jaxon Basque Beret is available in three colors: Black, Navy, and Grey. Five sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, Double-extra Large.

Fred Belinsky
www.VillageHatShop.com
www.Berets.com
www.JaxonHats.com

Obama & JFK; Neckties & Hats

As a hatter, I find the brouhaha over Barack Obama’s aversion to neckties very reminiscent of a prior day (I am holding back from using the now cliché “déjà vu all over again”). The neckwear industry is certainly holding their collective breath (and likely putting their bucks behind Hillary). John F. Kennedy’s objection to wearing hats is legendary in our industry. As the story goes, JFK killed the hat business. And here’s where the comparison to Mr. Obama and his necktielessness becomes noteworthy, because the fact of the matter is that the trend toward hatlessness had been building since the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. Neil Steinberg’s very good book, Hatless Jack: The President, the Fedora, and the History of an American Style debunks the JFK hat murder myth [I suggest the book to anyone interested in the details]. Suffice to say, Kennedy’s preference for going bareheaded was part of a trend that had been building for decades. He did not start the trend – as he is commonly accused - but he did accelerate it.

There surely is a trend towards abandoning neckties. Few men willingly put on a tie these days. According
to Wikipedia, “While still common as late as 1966, over the years 1967 to 1969, the necktie began falling completely out of fashion nearly everywhere, except where required. After a brief fashion resurgence in the 1980s, the 1990s saw the appearance of Internet-based (or dot-com) companies, where most workers did not feel the need for formal dress when facing clients, since the business's public image and appearance was websites rather than face-to-face meetings. There also was a sentiment of independence (general liberalism) and a new way of doing things.”

Media pundits are fond of making comparisons between JFK and Obama. Well, here is another. If Barack Obama makes it to the White House, history may very likely blame Mr. O for neckwear going out of fashion. Like Kennedy and hats, it won’t be true. But, he certainly may give the current disinclination for wearing
neckties a big boost. Now, if he’d just put on a hat.

Fred Belinsky
www.VillageHatShop.com

Sur La Tête Designer Susan Lee Visits Borsalino Hat Company in Italy

Susan Lee, VillageHatShop.com buyer and milliner (see her sur la tête line of women's hats at VillageHatshop.com) visited the Borsalino factory in Alessandria Italy. Following are some of her notes from that that visit:

"While I was in Torino, Italy, I decided to visit the Borsalino Factory in Alessandria, one hour outside of Torino. Carla drove us to the factory that was five minutes outside of the city center in the Industrial Zone, where Patrizia Sossai (Customer Service and Sales Controller) took us on a tour of the factory and introduced us to many of the employees.

Attached are images from my visit. [Note: We will add Susan's images to the MAKING HATS page of VillageHatShop.com.]

They were so nice and very hospitable; there was a really nice atmosphere in the factory. I was hoping the images could possibly be used on the Borsalino Brands page and that we could relay to customers that the hats are made with such care and attention.

Human hands in every step touch each hat, they use machines that are over 100 years old and hats are made in the age-old tradition. Quality is their top priority and seeing the factory in action was a real treat.

They will be celebrating their 150th Birthday next year and they are very excited about it. We saw the factory in two steps: from the old wood bins of rabbit fur being felted into sheets of loose felt, to the very end where one woman tapes up the boxes that arrive into our stores.

Borsalino hats may be expensive, but there is a reason behind the cost. The employees are very proud of their work and they have every right to be as each hat is made with such care and attention. It's truly amazing. They have been in business for 149 years, let me repeat 149 years! So if you have a customer interested in a Borsalino hat, make sure they know that the hat they buy is of the utmost quality."

Thanks Susan.

Fred Belinsky
www.VillageHatShop.com

Crossover Hats

Why do my brims keep getting longer? [Hint: It’s got nothing to do with telling lies.] I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and have been in California for the past twenty-seven years. When I first moved west and opened a hat store, I was comfortable in fedoras; they represented who I was as a Detroiter, my experience, what I knew. But my hat style preference has changed. No longer do I feel like myself in a fedora. The air around me has changed and so have I. Although I do not wear full-blown western hats, my brims have been getting bigger. I now wear - what we in the industry call - a “crossover” style (as between East and West). I am more a Westerner every day. Is one’s choice of headwear fated by geography? Yes, I say. As Jared Diamond argues in GUNS, GERMS AND STEEL: The Fates of Human Societies – geography is fate. Diamond is describing the “big picture” of human history from the time of its origins, but I am arguing that it’s true on a smaller scale and for individuals too. I’ll illustrate with two political examples: a. In the 2003 California recall election, voters resoundingly decided to recall Governor Gray Davis: 55.4% for recall and 44.6% against. However the vote in San Francisco and Alameda (Berkeley and Oakland) Counties was over 80% not to recall. Are some people simply wrong on the political merits and others right, or is geography political fate? b. My friend is a developer in Portland, Oregon by way of Boston and Ann Arbor, Michigan. He likes small projects that he believes are in the interest of making for a better, culturally richer, local community. The convoluted, slow-moving, overly bureaucratic process of pulling city permits and moving projects along exasperates him. Recently he remarked, “It’s enough to make me think about becoming a Republican”. He had no answer when I asked, “What if you didn’t have Boston and Ann Arbor in your background?”. Political experience is different from one place to another. Nobody is necessarily “right” on the merits. “Crossing Over” is very instructive. The difference between a Republican and a Democrat may be no more or less significant than the difference between a fedora and cowboy hat. What is important – for a broader understanding of our small planet – is to “Keep On Crossin’”.

Fred Belinsky
www.VillageHatShop.com
www.Berets.com
www.JaxonHats.com

The Baseball Cap

The baseball cap in an American icon. It is in fact the only hat style that is an American creation. Its popularity in the United States received a big boost in the era of Babe Ruth, when baseball fans wore the cap as a badge of identification with their favorite team. This simple and functional style was a perfect fit for a country that glorified democracy, anti-elitism, and the like. Baseball, the national pastime and a passion for more than a few, also had the distinction of being the only American sport where a hat was an official part of the uniform. A cap could be created with the logo and colors of a basketball, football, or hockey team, but only in baseball could you wear an exact replica of the hat worn by your heroes on the field. From there it was a short step for truckers, farmers, and laborers to incorporate the ball cap as de rigueur in their daily attire. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the baseball cap become a hot fashion item, propelled in large part when it became associated with hip hop music artists. Like Coca-Cola and McDonalds, the baseball cap became a symbol of America. Those who feared American hegemony wouldn’t get near one, but those who wanted to identify with American popular culture, began their wardrobe with a ball cap on his or her head and sneakers on the feet. Today, I think you’d be hard pressed to find any American without at least one ball cap style in his or her closet, drawer, or car trunk. Imagine that! With the explosion of digitized embroidery and advances in silk screening, the ball cap with its message on the crown became a walking billboard. With a message on the top of one’s head, the wearer could let the world know just what brands they preferred, their political point of view, their favorite activities, where they’ve traveled lately, their favorite band, movie or cartoon character, and of course, the roots of it all, their favorite team. Hence, a perfect headwear marriage, made in America. A simple, portable/pack-able, functional, even mundane, hat style popularized by middle-America now adorned with a personal, individual, specific, colorful, message attesting to the wearers unique preferences and choices.

Fred Belinsky
www.VillageHatShop.com