Oh! DelMontico You Hatter You

It has always amazed me how one thing leads to another. Then, there again, it should not amaze me at all when given the quantum physics of our universe. But, it still does. This season will be my 48th season of being a dress hatter, yet, living in Texas, there is less of that and more Western hats. Now and then, a few kangol caps and driving caps (Tony Romo) appear. My beloved Borsalino Fur Felt Fedora has started to show up,too. The Harris Tweeds are not as populated (I have one for rainy and cold snowy days).

With the hot Texas summers, I should wear more straw but the 'ol baseball cap (Michigan block M) is my favorite followed by the plain GAP and The Arkansas Chapter of Trout Unlimited (my brother is a noted fly fisherman). With a Masters of Theology under his belt, my youngest brother and I held up my mom's funeral an extra day while the fly fishing theologian drove back from Alaska--actually he was already headed back and was in Watson Lake Yukon when he reported in with us. Later, we discovered he had stopped to fly fish a couple of hours in Yellowstone. So when he presented me with that Trout Unlimited  hat, I teared up! Mom is most likely still laughing about that one.

So, I have been working on building a portfolio of  straw hats worn in the Dallas area. It is influenced by the culture of Mexico since before the days of the Alamo. Saying it is a bit out of place would be totally inaccurate. It is apart of Texas history that sometimes gets overlooked. That is why it has appeared on my project list for sometime and from time-to-time, I actually do find some great hats being worn.

While trying to find the exact description of one hat I photographed this past weekend, I ended up on my hatter's website. Hence the 'how one thing leads to another' prior. I have been purchasing hats from Delmonico Hatters on Elm Street  in New Haven, Connecticut for years.  It is almost a foregone conclusion now, that a hat purchase is in the cards for me. It is also the first time that where those hats come from has been revealed. The last trip physically made there was in the early 80's. Since then, it's been on the web all the way.

Since 1865 when John B.Stetson started producing his hat in Philadelphia--yes, Stetson's got there start in the East and not here in the West--Hatco has made and licensed those famous hats in the modern era. DelMonico were chosen to be recognized this year as the 'Dress Hat Retailer of the Year'. Dress hats are non-Western style hats that are commonly known as Fedoras. My hat!

Although, the Australian writer poet, Akubra is know for that famous 'Snowy River' Australian hat. And the more famous Lucas Film Ltd licensing of the 'Indiana Jones' Fedora is more recognizable. I have one of those for casual wear, as well. It's a Fedora. What can I say?

Thanks to four gracious gentlemen for sharing their headwear with me so that I can share it with you!

Sombreros at Bachman Lake

Now that's a Sombrero near Mockingbird Station

Straw Palm Hat at White Rock Lake

DelMonico Hatters

Two Magazine Covers

 At one time, on my office wall, hung two Time Magazine Covers that had been well framed. They were on the wall facing my desk and the one to my left faced inward as did the one on the right. They provided inspiration and  helped fuel that "go get  'em " drive that you have when in your younger years.  The two men. On the left was Lee Iacocca after bringing Chrysler out of bankruptcy. On the right was T. Boone Pickens. Oil man.

To this day, I hold both in high esteem. I liked what they stood for and what they accomplished in their business careers. At times, I would drive by Ford's World Headquarters in Southfield, Michigan, and think about the mustang and Lee Iacocca. It was years later that I also realized that he had also created the Pinto that had a faulty gas tank. Today, here in Dallas, I drive by the many places that have T. Boone Pickens'   name on the outside of the buildings.

Yesterday, while getting in my cardiac walk, I walked around an area that is hard to photograph because of parking. What to my surprise did I discover but yet, another building about to go up that will carry the name of T. Boone Pickens. I'd have to declare T. Boone the Ever Ready  Bunny of those two magazine covers forty years hence.


It is a Hospice  Care Center