Anyone with a head can wear a hat. But as with spandex, it doesn’t mean you should wear one.
That’s because wearing a hat properly requires confidence, local hat makers say.
“If you don’t have it, you could be wearing a $1,200 hat, but the look goes out the window,” said Brandon Franklin, owner of Atlanta’s B.M. Franklin & Co. hat boutique. “A hat can be perfect for your face. But if you’re having issues with confidence, I’ll refer you to Oprah to boost you up and tell you to come back afterward.”
Hats are in. From newsboy caps and fedoras to porkpies and wide brims, hats are again a part of men’s wardrobes. And women no longer reserve hats for church or Derby Day either.
“My dear mom loves fascinators, and then there are crazy church hats that are whimsical works of art,” Franklin said. “Lots of women are buying more traditional men’s shapes hats. Usually, someone buys a hat, gets a couple of compliments and the rest is history. They buy and collect them.”
Several Atlanta stores specialize in hats. B.M. Franklin & Co., Herbin Co., the Goorin Bros. Hat Shop and the Fruition Hat Company only sell hats they make in-house, in addition to custom ones for customers ranging from entertainers to professionals to fashionistas.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Stanzel Jackson, who owns the Fruition Hat Company with Bryan Chatman, has been noticing more hats on heads.
“There is a renaissance in wearing hats. People are taking their grandfathers’ hats out of boxes and coming in so we can clean them. We’re getting in all types of really awesome hats to refresh, clean or re-block,” Jackson said.
Franklin teaches “The Art of Hatmaking,” where he demonstrates how a hat is made with attendees assisting in cutting a brim and working with decades-old wooden tools. He also is planning more “Hatters High Tea” events, where attendees design a fascinator and then the store’s hatters (for men) and milliners (for women) make the hat. Or those who are “crafty” enough can complete it themselves.
Smyrna resident Ronnetta Barrett-Young, who makes her own hats for Kentucky Derby parties, recently took Franklin’s hat-making class.
“Hat making is an art and much more complex than I ever imagined,” she said. “The experience was so much more educational than I expected. I was struck by … the history of the craft, the materials, sourcing, everything.”
Credit: Mary Welch - For The AJC
Credit: Mary Welch - For The AJC
The hat makers say that buying a hat, especially one that is custom-made or customized, is a detailed process that involves a fitting, choosing a style and then making it your own.
In creating a hat, items such as materials, finishes, colors and style must align with a person’s build, face and lifestyle. For instance, folding the crown a certain way may elaborate an already big nose, while a hat with a wide brim or extra-tall crown will make a height-challenged person appear even shorter.
“You have to wear the hat, not have the hat wear you,” Franklin said. “A great hat complements and balances the wearer’s facial structure. It’s the small nuances that make or break the look. We hand-shape everything because if there is a tight pinch or if the measuring is off by a millimeter, it’ll throw the whole piece off.”
Herb Rhedrick III’s entry into the hat business was inspired by the 200 hats owned by his father and grandfather. His company, Herbin Co., specializes in made-to-measure luxury hats designed for an urban elite’s wardrobe.
Credit: Mike Dawkins
Credit: Mike Dawkins
“A hat must fit properly, tell your story and you have to be excited about it,” Rhedrick said. “If you don’t wear loud colors, don’t start with a lot of color.”
Customers can purchase hats in the store. For a custom look, they can also go online where the website explains how to measure your head and select the base color and crown shape. A follow-up with a staff member finalizes details such as sizing, design and styling, including options such as custom engraving or an exotic leather band.
Generally it takes about two weeks to finish. A custom straw Derby hat starts at $250. A custom rabbit felt hat starts at $550. A beaver felt hat, the “Rolls Royce of hats,” lists at $950, he said.
Credit: Mike Dawkins
Credit: Mike Dawkins
Franklin consults with each customer, not only on the fitting but on hat selection. “The details tell the story of the person’s energy, what they like to do, how they like to feel, their vibe,” he said.
Sometimes measurements involve not just the head but also the hair.
“We have made hats to fit big hair,” Franklin said. “We have to know if they’re going to go from braids to an Afro, from a wig to a weave. Are they going to shave their head every six months? You can’t have the crown too small or tight because it’ll mat your hair down and that leads to hat hair.”
His custom pieces start at $450 for a fur felt hat and cross $1,250 for chinchilla. A custom straw hat opens at $400 and may cost at least $1,000 for a Super-Fino Panama.
Whether they want to buy a made-to-order hat or customize one on the shelves, customers at the Fruition Hat Company meet with a personal hatter to create the end product.
“We talk about colors and textures. Do they want something sleek — satin versus something rougher. Something casual? We need to know their personal style,” said Jackson. “Are they edgy, traditional, relaxed? What mood do they want? We talk them through it and go from there.”
Adding, “The exact same hat never leaves the store twice. Every one is different.”
Credit: Mary Welch - For The AJC
Credit: Mary Welch - For The AJC
Accessorizing a hat — calling it “bedazzling” may be a bit, well, gauche — adds the final personalized touches with options such as feathers, bands, pins, fabrics, jewelry and ties.
Naomi Moye, a Buckhead business owner, has become a devoted hat wearer.
“I’ve always had a fascination with hats. I ended up walking past a store and saw a couple that were beautiful,” she said. “It started my journey.”
With so many decisions necessary to create the perfect hat, occasionally there is designer remorse. Moye took Franklin’s class and made a fascinator with pink mesh and bead embellishments along the top. But she thinks she could have taken it to another level.
“It was fun. I have a beautiful hat that I will keep forever. I could have added feathers, but I wanted to keep it simple,” she said. “Jackie Onassis would have added feathers.”
Atlanta hat makers
B.M. Franklin & Co. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; noon-6 p.m. Sunday. 256 Buckhead Ave. 470-523-5800, bmfranklinco.com.
Fruition Hat Company. Noon-7 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Friday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday. 680 Murphy Ave. SW, Suite 4152. 470-639-8105, fruitionhatcompany.com.
Herbin Co. 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. 238 Walker St. 404-414-8416, herbin.co.
Goorin Bros. Hat Shop. 10 a.m.- 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday; noon- 8 p.m. Sunday. 675 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE, Suite C196. 404-815-1895, goorin.com.
