It's been said that the Straw Fedora is the most versatile hat in a modern gents walk in hat rack and this year it is available everywhere in a range a colours that will blow your mind. From the cheap and very pleasant offerings in Peacocks to the lavish charcoal wool offering from Harvey Nicks, there's no reason not to get one.

Pimp Mutha F*ckin' Daddy
When we met in the Gatekeeper, we got our drinks and were heading to find a table to sit. This is where we were stopped by a gentleman who asked us about our hats. Gladly we talked of the straw fedora and its benefits, to which he seemed perfectly agreeable with. At the end of the conversation he asked my name, and when I started to speak he immediately stopped me and said, 'No, now it's "Pimp Mutha F*ckn' Daddy"' as he held his hand up for a handshake. With the shock of my unbeknownst recent name change, I felt more comfortable with the idea of a hearty handshake; but oh how wrong I was. This is where a complicated series of hand shifts and tantric holds started and I came out feeling as though I had just performed some form of rigorous hand yoga. It was unclear whether this chap thought I was part of some secret society in which this was the secret handshake, but whatever had gone through his head at the time, the fedora had clearly been an influence on his thought process.

Shocked I still have the ability to hold a glass after my hand workout

Style and More
The fedora offers classic grace and charm, but not only that, it provides one more key benefit.
Being naturally pasty lumps of muscular goodness, that would only induce mild jealousy at an albino fashion show, we are often victim to the harsh reality of sunburn when caught short of emergency sun block. The beauty of a straw fedora is that it instantly provides us with the protection we need to be able to leave the house between the peak sun hours of 10:00 - 17:00, with only factor 50 sun cream on the tips of our noses.  This is a liberty we were unaware of prior to Summer Autumn 2015, previously resigned to spending the cruel British spring, summer and autumn hidden away, hoping for rain.

What is shocking here is that this guy clearly does not have the traps for wearing a vest in public

Night-time Robbery
As ever with the nights we test trendy hats, this was one trend that was easily stolen. Whilst walking to our final venue (the classic Live Lounge), my hat was removed from my head in one simple swift motion. Providentially, I spotted the rogue a while before crossing his path, so had the knowledge of his planned attack ahead of time. Instead of stopping him taking it, I felt that providing the deviant opportunity to get robbery out of his system early in the evening may save a fellow hat bearer the trauma at a later hour.

Shamefully hatless

This theme continued through the night, with more crafty thievery than could even be conceived by Abu in Disney's Aladdin.


Chomp Chomp

Luckily this didn't deter us, we carried on with our night regardless.

Why do they feel the need to take our hats?

Through the rest of the night, the hats received good feedback, some genuine: "I love 'um" as well as "Love your hats, I really do".

Instead of stealing, this is compassionate sharing

However some was potentially less so when we received what seemed to be a classically legitimate complement: "You've got a nice hat Bro" but then later the same guy, "You're rocking that hat Bro" which basically cheapened everything he had previously said.


Elegance

The real highlight, we enjoyed a whole night out without succumbing to nasal sunburn.