Rooster Feathers

[BoldHighlander]

I've heard those driving caps called a whole list of names, and I've never figured out what the "correct" name is. I've been wearing them most of my life though.

Hi Ted,
I really don't think there is any "correct" name for this style of hat. I think the more sleek/single panel version that it appears you sport is mainly known as a Driving Cap, but has other names for it.

The 6 & 8 panel version that I favor has many different names too.
It's mostly known as a Touring Cap/Hat but according to the gent' who is custom making one for me (and he's been wearing them since a deckhand on a salmon trawler in the 70's) this style is known by many regional names.
I know a popular name lately is Newsboy, though when I was a kid & we were all into Brando's flick "The Wild One", we knew this style as a stoker cap - as in "stow-ker" not "stock-er" - (many of Brando's "gang" wore this kind of hat).

Other names include:
Eight Panel, (Big) Apple, Button Top, Lundberg (Stetson), Gatsby, Fisherman's cap, Longshoreman's cap, etc.

Yeah, for years I wanted to get another one of these, but in a nice brownish tweed, and thanks to the gentlemen here who directed me to some links, I finally ordered one this weekend. It's a fine Herring Brown Tweed in tones of brown to cream w/ some olive green. I wish you could see the pictures I'm posting of it:



in a style that they call "Extra-Full Cut":

(that's not me in the pic).

I've always viewed the Eight Panel as the working class chap's cap, while I could see you Ted with yours blasting down the road in an MG with a white silk aviator's scarf trailing out behind you in the breeze

[BoldHighlander]

Yeah, for years I wanted to get another one of these, but in a nice brownish tweed, and thanks to the gentlemen here who directed me to some links, I finally ordered one this weekend. It's a fine Herring Brown Tweed in tones of brown to cream w/ some olive green. I wish you could see the pictures I'm posting of it:



in a style that they call "Extra-Full Cut":

(that's not me in the pic).

Well Ted, don't know what I did but I deleted my post (before I posted it), so lets try this again

This afternoon (I just got home from work, so for me its still Thursday - 03/13) my 8-panel "Working Class Chap's Cap" a.k.a "Newsboy" arrived! As soon as I put it on my head it became my favorite hat (& I've got quite a collection too).

I don't have a digital camera (that works) so soon as I can rustle up some pictures I'll be posting them. I might wait until my much anticipated (modern) Mackay box pleat, made by our own Matt Newsome, arrives.
Naw, that'll be a couple months yet I'm sure.
But this cap will definitely go nicely with said kilt

One more thought concerning the Driving /Flat Cap that you favor, and the 8-panel Newsboy that I like. Today I received from Blockbuster.com the film "The Wind That Shakes The Barley" (1920s IRA vs Brits story) that I'm going to watch tomorrow, but I noticed in both the trailer for it, and in watching our copy of "The Secret of Roan Inish" recently that the Flat Cap is very much in evidence and seem's to be truely a very Irish style of hat.
(I'll have to go back and watch "The Quiet Man" and see if this is also the case with it).
Whereas, to my eye anyways, the 8-panel Newsboy seems to be more of an American "gangster" style. I recall a picture of the real Baby Face Nelson wearing one, as did John Dillinger at one time, and in the films this was so too. As matter of fact when in "The Godfather II" they flash back to the Robert DeNiro/early Don Vito scenes you see the 8-panel job alot.
hmmm
Curious, no?

[Bugbear]

Well Ted, don't know what I did but I deleted my post (before I posted it), so lets try this again

This afternoon (I just got home from work, so for me its still Thursday - 03/13) my 8-panel "Working Class Chap's Cap" a.k.a "Newsboy" arrived! As soon as I put it on my head it became my favorite hat (& I've got quite a collection too).

I don't have a digital camera (that works) so soon as I can rustle up some pictures I'll be posting them. I might wait until my much anticipated (modern) Mackay box pleat, made by our own Matt Newsome, arrives.
Naw, that'll be a couple months yet I'm sure.
But this cap will definitely go nicely with said kilt

One more thought concerning the Driving /Flat Cap that you favor, and the 8-panel Newsboy that I like. Today I received from Blockbuster.com the film "The Wind That Shakes The Barley" (1920s IRA vs Brits story) that I'm going to watch tomorrow, but I noticed in both the trailer for it, and in watching our copy of "The Secret of Roan Inish" recently that the Flat Cap is very much in evidence and seem's to be truely a very Irish style of hat.
(I'll have to go back and watch "The Quiet Man" and see if this is also the case with it).
Whereas, to my eye anyways, the 8-panel Newsboy seems to be more of an American "gangster" style. I recall a picture of the real Baby Face Nelson wearing one, as did John Dillinger at one time, and in the films this was so too. As matter of fact when in "The Godfather II" they flash back to the Robert DeNiro/early Don Vito scenes you see the 8-panel job alot.
hmmm
Curious, no?

Nothing wrong with the 8-panel hat though. I'm sure I would wear one if I had one.
The flat cap has a simpleness to it that I like. Thanks for reporting that about your newsboy hat BoldHighlander. I guess I do think a bit of Ireland with the hat... I've also read that dock workers in England wore the flat cap too.

Thanks for posting those pics, and don't worry that I can't see them, I'm sure other's will comment on them at some point.

You know, when I first joined up here. I would read through all the comments for the pictures that were posted, but I would post "nice picture" or something like that then one of the other blind members outed me as being blind, so I stopped that. No, he just noticed something in a comment I made and brought it up, so I thought might as well tell up front.

Here's a question to throw out there, which of these styles did the "Waltens," John Boy if I remember correctly, wear? Perhaps other characters.

[BoldHighlander]

Here's a question to throw out there, which of these styles did the "Waltens," John Boy if I remember correctly, wear? Perhaps other characters.

Hi Ted, just checking in for a moment.

Ah, I love "The Waltons" -- especially the series before Grandpa Walton passed away. It reminds me of spending time with my Grandparents (who were from the Ozarks) or with kin out visiting from the hollers.

Anyhow, John Boy wore an 8-panel (as did other characters from time to time). I found a picture of a younger John Boy wearing a rather flat looking one, but I do recall when he went away to college that he wore one a bit more like what I wear now, though his always seemed to run towards being a white /off-white color I think (hmm, Hollywood good guy in the white cap? )

Here's the picture:


I also found a couple of interesting links to Waltons related websites:

http://www.the-waltons.com/

http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionC...92/walton1.htm

I really should get the early years on dvd, its tv that I don't mind my daughter watching.

[Bugbear]

Thanks for posting that, BoldHighlander. I just wanted to make sure we were talking about the same thing. I grew up watching all those reruns on TV, "Little House on the Prary," was another one. Those hats are nice too, and they're kind of the same idea. If I had some kind of knee pants, I might prefer on of the 8-pannel hats. Those long shorts people are starting to wear are going a little bit toward bringing that style back...

Hi Ted, just checking in for a moment.

Ah, I love "The Waltons" -- especially the series before Grandpa Walton passed away. It reminds me of spending time with my Grandparents (who were from the Ozarks) or with kin out visiting from the hollers.

Anyhow, John Boy wore an 8-panel (as did other characters from time to time). I found a picture of a younger John Boy wearing a rather flat looking one, but I do recall when he went away to college that he wore one a bit more like what I wear now, though his always seemed to run towards being a white /off-white color I think (hmm, Hollywood good guy in the white cap? )

Here's the picture:


I also found a couple of interesting links to Waltons related websites:

http://www.the-waltons.com/

http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionC...92/walton1.htm

I really should get the early years on dvd, its tv that I don't mind my daughter watching.

[BoldHighlander]

Thanks for posting that, BoldHighlander. I just wanted to make sure we were talking about the same thing. I grew up watching all those reruns on TV, "Little House on the Prary," was another one. Those hats are nice too, and they're kind of the same idea. If I had some kind of knee pants, I might prefer on of the 8-pannel hats. Those long shorts people are starting to wear are going a little bit toward bringing that style back...

Ha!ha!
I never thought of that

You know, actually in the retro-greaser (hot rods, motorcycle, rockabilly) scene that I associate with the 8-panel "Newsboy" style is really popular, have even seen some Flat Caps as well. Mike Ness, lead for Social Distortion favors the 8-panel, and as he's the trend setter for the scene a lot follow his lead.

I, however, as mentioned earlier have worn this style on & off since junior high (1970s)

[BoldHighlander]

Ted, it's funny how certain things jogs ones memory. For instance this discussion of the Waltons reminded me that I have a photo of my Grandfather (age 16) & my Great-Grandfather plus two of his brothers circa 1932, taken back in Missouri with their coon hounds (this was given to me along with others after my Grandfather's funeral last September).

Anyhow, in the picture both my Grandfather & one of his brothers are wearing 8-panel hats!

Here's the photo:

I'm not sure which brothers are in this picture (Stone, Woody, Daniel???), but the lad in the white shirt is my Grandfather (Gordon West) & to the far right is my Great-Grandfather (Daniel Sanford West).

and here's a close-up from the same photo of my Grandfather w/ his favorite coon dog:

[BoldHighlander]

Today I received from Blockbuster.com the film "The Wind That Shakes The Barley" (1920s IRA vs Brits story) that I'm going to watch tomorrow, but I noticed in both the trailer for it, and in watching our copy of "The Secret of Roan Inish" recently that the Flat Cap is very much in evidence and seem's to be truely a very Irish style of hat.
(I'll have to go back and watch "The Quiet Man" and see if this is also the case with it).

Well Ted, I watched "The Wind That Shakes The Barley" late last night, and right now I have "The Quiet Man" going, and one thing I noticed about the Driver/Flat Caps in both is that the style was larger & fuller than the sleek & trim looking caps I mostly see worn today.

The other thing I notice in both is that there were not any 8-panel caps in evidence. This makes me wonder if this is a regional style (US vs Ireland/UK)?
Not that it matters as both styles go well with a kilt, and both styles are made in Ireland today.