Hats and Wool (205)Join us as we visit London's oldest hat shop, Lock & Co., makers of the some of the world's finest hats for more than 300 years. Learn about the history of hats, proper hat etiquette, how to pick a style that's right for you and how to make your next purchase an affordable one.
Then travel to the Scottish island of Islay and discover the world of custom-made tartan wool—the checkered fabric of Scotland's native dress. Learn how these unique patterns are created and see who's wearing them.
Hat Facts:
Lock & Co. has produced some of the world's most famous hats for the likes of Winston Churchill, Graham Greene, Oscar Wilde, Frank Sinatra and Jackie Onassis. But if you're after the perfect hat for yourself, having the right fit will make all the difference.
- The company files hold the shape of customers' heads. An impression is taken using the conformateur, a French machine patented in the 1850s.
- The company's files show that the British head has, on average, increased by at least three-eighths of an inch in circumference every half century. American heads are slightly larger and longer than British ones.
- The advent of the automobile marked the end of the golden age of hats: they either were knocked off people's heads getting in and out of cars or blown off in the wind.
The Article: Hats
- Opera hat, top hat style, $1,100
- Fedora, $140-$300
- Flat cap, $75-$150
Where to Buy:
James Lock & Co. Ltd.
6 St. James's Street
London, England
SW1A 1EF
44 20 7930 8874
www.lockhatters.co.uk
JJ Hat Center
310 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY, 10001
800-622-1911
www.jjhatcenter.com
Montecristi Custom Hat Works
322 McKenzie Street
Santa Fe, NM, 87501
505-983-9598
hats@montecristihats.com
www.montecristihats.com
Resources:
Hats: Status, Style and Glamour
By Colin McDowell
For more information: Search keyword(s): hats
Wool Facts:
When it comes to house tweeds, tradition and quality eventually took priority over fashion. Islay Woolen Mill owner Gordon Covell has created tartans for Hollywood films Forrest Gumpand Braveheart. He also takes custom orders for folks who aren't part of the Hollywood crowd.
- The Islay Woolen Mill uses traditional looms that are more than 100 years old. It has the world's only Slubbing Billy, a 180-year-old spinning machine that joins unspun thread.
- The brightly colored tartan cloth with which we are familiar today dates back to the 17th century. It was not until mechanization that clan tartans and rights to tartan were introduced.
- In 1746, the Hanoverian government banned the kilt and tartan in an attempt to stamp out the culture that they saw as the power base of the House of Stuart.
The Article: Wool
- Custom made tartans, $23/yard
- Tweed jacket (men's), $400-$1,150
- Islay wool mill scarf, $20
Where to Buy:
Islay Woolen Mill
Bowmore, Isle of Islay
Scotland
44 (0) 1496 810563
mill@islaywoollenmill.co.uk
www.islaywoollenmill.co.uk
Holland and Holland
50 E. 57th Street
New York, New York
212-752-7755
www.hollandandholland.com
Turnbull & Asser
42 East 57th Street
New York, NY,
877-887-6285
www.turnbullandasser.com
Resources:
Clans and tartans of Scotland
www.scotclans.com
F or more information: Search keyword(s): wool
