Stacks of hats of all shapes and textures garnish the walls and vintage furniture at the Goorin Bros Hat Shop in Yaletown. Names like Mario Scarrone, Mr. Lawford and Farmer Pete introduce themselves like characters in a novel, all with their own traits, speaking on behalf of the person who picks them up.
Some of these very hats will be protecting the heads of men enjoying the horse races at the annual Deighton Cup Weekend, running (lame pun intended) August 9 to the 11. And while its easy to throw on a baseball cap, the Deighton Cup and other formal attire situations require a more refined choice.
You have to try a bunch on until you find something that not only suits your proportions, but suits your style, says Shani Bates, Goorin Bros shopkeeper and chapeau aficionado. Thats an internal thing who you are and an external thing your clothing and fashion statement. Its deeply personal.
Bates says holding an open-weave straw fedora called the Atsushi, made from a light paper straw called toyo to keep the weather in mind when choosing a hat. During a hot weekend like the Deighton, find a hat thats light in material and colour.
But lets be real; at a distinguished, almost voyeuristic event like the Deighton Cup, the hat is more about style than practicality.
A lot of the horse racing, fashion traditions were born out of the 30s and 40s when we wore our brims wide and our hats tall because we were so used to wearing hats you didnt leave the house without a hat on, she explains. Now weve kind of moved onto the fedoras with stubby brims, as small as you can get. The pork pie fedoras are very popular right now. Bates turns to the archetypal straw Panama. When youre wearing a Panama, wear it with a classic loafer, and you would have a very classic style.
We sell a lot of [flat] caps because theyre a little less of a commitment and you can crush them and put them in your pocket, she says, handing me the floppy Simon (think newspaper boy from the 30s). Theyre also a lot more universal and more useful in your everyday wardrobe, whereas the Panama, you wear might two months of the year, because they shouldnt go in the water and they might look a little out of season.
The flatcaps are their most popular style for men in Vancouver.
Its the next natural step up from a ball cap, which is very popular because we are a sporty, active city. Its good in the rain; its like wearing a wool pea coat on your head.
So whats a sure sign that the hat is not a good fit? That all-too-common red line you see on guys foreheads.
A lot of people think their hat should be really tight, she says, because they picture themselves where the wind is blowing and obviously you dont want to lose your hat. But you want it to be in this money zone of being snug but not too tight. Tight is the headache zone and within five minutes, youre going to develop that embarrassing line on your forehead.
Bates says the opposite sex definitely pays attention to a good hat.
When you put in a little more effort, a little more time choosing a nice hat, people, girls notice, she says. Those little choices say that Im put together, Ive put some effort into this. I want to look good and I care about myself. It can help inspire a lot of confidence too and Ive seen people put on a hat that they love and their whole face lights up.
Win a one-of-a-kind whimsy (for women) from Hive Mind Millinery and two tickets to the Thoroughbred race day at the Deighton Cup on August 10 here.
