Hat help!

[agitatorswaltz.livejournal.com]

Does anyone know where I could..
a) Find a reasonably priced black mad hatter hat
b) find a pattern or have someone help me construct a pattern for one
c) Find a reasonably priced top hat

I like the style of the mad hatter hat a bit more (think Miho Matsuda or Black Peace Now) but sometimes beggars can't be choosers, ne? Any help would be appreciated. ^_^

Comments

[haunteddiner.livejournal.com]

I've also been looking at black tophats/mad hatter hats for a while...I started making victorian tailsuit a couple months ago and that's sort of been buried under the pile of "projects to do later". I've seen cheap hats in costume stores for like $12-20, but they were made with cardboard and felt or plastic, and they looked really bad. The decent ones I've seen run about $50-60, I'm not sure if that's in your price range. Also, there's a problem of height. I'm not sure how high you want your hat to go up, all the ones I've seen are tall enough to make a decent tophat, but probably not tall enough to pull off that crazy mad hatter look. Don't know where you'd find them online, I'm just lucky to live near some great costume stores.

Good luck!

[caliginous.livejournal.com]

http://displayandcostume.com/
specifically
http://displayandcostume.com/detail.asp?item=195601

It is $85, but it is a pretty good quality for a costume piece, unlined, but there is a leather band, and mine has held up for years until my brother threw a wet towel on it.

[(Anonymous)]

same problem here! i don't know about cheap hats, but then again, a little dallop of money goes a loooong way. don't know your price range, but here are the sites i've found:

http://www.villagehatshop.com/bell_crown_topper.html $95
http://www.villagehatshop.com/19th_century_tophat.html $68 doesn't really have that flare though...
http://www.ushist.com/wardrobe/hats_mens.htm $59.20(james)and up
http://www.amplehats.com/acb/showprod.cfm?&DID=9&CATID=4&ObjectGroup_ID=10 $80 and up
http://www.top-hats.com/tophats.htm $90 and up

personally i'd get the one on the first link. it's pricey, but it does look like the ones on the G&L bibles. now it's just a question of how much you're willing to spend and how often you will realistically wear it.

Hee. ^^

[agitatorswaltz.livejournal.com]

Thanks for all the help~ I'll let you guys know how it goes!
Money wasn't a problem for the most part - as long as it wasn't like 190.00 USD x_@; But you're right - a little more money goes a long way! ^^ Sankyuu!