This is a hat.
Or more specifically, it is a Borsalino Piuma 50 Gram 6 cm brim felt fedora with a 3 cm gray grosgrain band and a lapel cord. Got it? Good.
I've been looking for this masterpiece of exquisite craftsmanship for some time. I dislike straw hats - even in summertime - so I wanted as light a felt hat as possible. AFAIK, this is the lightest felt hat *ever* made.
And now it's mine.
I got lucky, as I just happened to visit the hat store today on a whim just before closing time... Turned out the store received the new Borsalino collection yesterday, and the proprietor hadn't even unpacked them yet. Last time I checked they weren't due to arrive until October...
And he just happened to have the right model, colour (the dark blue variant isn't even on the official Borsalino website...) *and* size... Bought in on the spot...
...for $61.1 dollars... Oh, that's not so bad... *Looks at the receipt* Oh, wait... It says 611, not 61.1.
...
...Anyway, here is my current
It is a veritable bargain by comparison at "only" $378. I've almost never left home without it since I bought it...
At 90 grams, it's already one of the lightest hats in town... but it has a rather floppy brim, which (1) doesn't retain its shape so well and (2) gets caught in the wind easily. The advantage is that it virtually indestructible, but most quality felt hats are already very durable...
The new one has a much sharper and firm brim, so - despite being significantly lighter - it will probably be easier to keep on in windy weather...
Anyway, guess I'll have to live on a bread and water diet for the rest of the month.
... just kidding, but it does take a big chunk out of my bank account considering my expenses from moving just a month ago... Good thing I'm not married, or my wife would have killed me... or even worse, returned the hat...
BTW, wearing a hat isn't just about vanity for me (only 99.94 percent or so). It actually helps prevent sensory overload, as I can block out visual stimuli and avoid making eye contact more discreetly... I didn't actually realize this until *after* I started wearing a hat, though...
Regardless, I prefer been seen as an anachronistic eccentric (for wearing a hat in 2017) rather than a shifty neer-do-well and potential-axe-murdering-maniac-waiting-to-snap for avoiding eye contact...
