Magnificent Bastard

Tuesday, March 19, 2024



hats

Ryder Cup Hatgate: The Real Story

A hat with an icon is just fine, thank you.
A hat with an icon is just fine, thank you.

When the most exciting part of the 44th Ryder Cup was the hubbub around Patrick Cantlay not wearing a hat, you know it was a lopsided affair.

Was it because he was objecting to not getting paid to play?

Was it because, as Cantlay said, the hats don't fit his head?

Or, finally, as The Daily Mail reported this morning, was it because Cantlay is getting married today, and didn't want golfer's head?

No, no, and no.

Cantlay also didn't wear a hat at Whistling Straits in 2021, and presumably was not getting married then, too. Also, he's got no problem wearing hats at other team events (see President's Cup above), and adjustable baseball-style caps are not known to fit that differently.

It's because the hats are fucking ugly.

More specifically, it's the Team USA logo on the hats that's so fucking ugly. An inappropriately modern, excessively legible mark that looks like a mashup of NASA and DeLorean Motor Company.

Who can blame Pat Cantlay?



Our modest suggestion to The PGA of America Ryder Cup Committee for 2025: Stop trying so hard. Keep it simple. Use 100% fewer letters. Go with the flag. You already sell it in your shop.

Ask the MB: Headbands

Ask the MB: Headbands

Q: Hey MBs:

What's your stance on headbands?

I play racket/paddle sports and have hair almost to my shoulders. To keep it out of the way, I wear a light, nylon, billed cap. A cap that gets soaked with sweat after every session. Wash, dry, repeat.

I've thought about going full Bjorn Borg but would rather not risk the forehead tan line. (Even with sunscreen.) Plus, no bangs.

But Jamie Tartt on Ted Lasso, and a lot of other pro footballers wear a thin hairband which seems to work well.

And yes, I've thought about a visor as well, which I may throw into the rotation.

Where do the MBs fall on the topic?

Thanks,

— Tim

A: The hairband veers far too close to a women's headband for our taste. How long until Jamie Tartt's hairband has leopard print?

Visors are for golf.

But we're huge headband fans and fully endorse your adoption of this look.

If you're worried about a white Borg Band across your forehead, you could push it up a little, JMac style. This would result in a tan line little worse than wearing a hat. Albeit rarely, Borg *did* raise his well above eyebrow level.

Tim, you didn't ask us this but we're going to answer it anyhow: Q: Where's a good place to buy headbands?

A: One of our favorite shops on the entire internet: The Golden Age of Tennis. There are a bunch of headband options, including a Fila reproduction of Borg's famous version that's just 17 bucks.

While you're there, you can go full Borg or McEnroe or member of WHAM! with killer shorts, shirts, track jackets, wristbands, etc. Highly recommended.

Editor's Note: None of the above advice applies while playing pickleball.

MB Endorses: 100% Acrylic Pom Hats From Ski and Tennis Brands That Had Their Heyday in the '70s

MB Endorses: 100% Acrylic Pom Hats From Ski and Tennis Brands That Had Their Heyday in the '70s

Longtime readers will note that we've often argued against legible clothing and for organic materials since our founding in 2007, but we're confessing to breaking both rules when it comes to these hats. (And after all, they're officially accessories.) Why? It's simple: They look so fucking groovy. Here are four we have worn during Zoom calls this winter:

Clockwise from top left:

FILA 100% acrylic pom hat. $15.99

Ellesse 100% acrylic pom hat. 24.90 €

SWIX 100% acrylic pom hat. $31.95

K2 100% acrylic pom hat. $24.95

Unsafe if They Paid You: Rick Owens Knit Hat

Unsafe if They Paid You: Rick Owens Knit Hat

For many years we've promoted the Naderian/Corvairain Unsafe at Any Price category, but Rick Owens has upped the ante and may get us to soon create a new Unsafe if They Paid You tag with his pointy knit 100% wool hat.

At its most benign interpretation, it's an executioner's hat. At worst this is headwear favored by David Duke when it's chilly in New Orleans.

Earlier: Rick Owens' seemingly inexhaustible ability to create ludicrous menswear.

Get Dressed: Biking to Work in Arctic Conditions, the Ultimate Guide

Get Dressed: Biking to Work in Arctic Conditions, the Ultimate Guide

Al Gore and Leo DiCaprio are going to have to take a lot more trans-oceanic plane trips before they manage to put a dent in the bone-bruising chill that greets us every morning in Minneapolis this time of year. But while there's nothing we can do to avoid the snow, sleet, and ice, we can avoid the even-worse-than-usual traffic and parking-space hunts that come with them. How? By continuing to ride our bikes to work, even in the face of sub-zero temperatures.

How do we pull this off without looking like we're about to engage in some heavy breathing with a couple of broad-shouldered Scandinavian beauties at the Winsport Olympic Luge Track? We lay out our strategy below.

HEAD

Smartwool Balaclava underneath a Smartwool Reversible Training Beanie. This is the warmest headwear combination that can still fit under your helmet.

1. Bell Faction in Matte Black. Minimal. Cheap. Works for the aforementioned DiCaprio, and us, too.

2. Nannini "TT" Goggles. Made for motorcyclists but adopted by cyclists looking for a stylish way to keep your eyelids from freezing shut.

TORSO & LEGS

3. Smartwool Baselayer underneath a 8 Wool Turtleneck. A baselayer under a jacket is all we usually need in anything above 10°F but it was -6°F this morning so we layered with a wool turtleneck. 8 makes a stylish one, with value.

4. Love Moschino Long Down Puffer. Down blazer-style jackets and some days even down shirts work for Minneapolis winter commuting. But not this neo-Polar Vortex shit. At anything below 0°F we pull out the long down puffer. Jack Frost may nip at your nose, but first he nips at your toes, then, surprisingly, your ass. Having goose feather coverage back there helps prevent his bite.

5. Smartwool Baselayer underneath Naked and Famous Snowpant Denim. Naked and Famous is responsible for some of the most important innovations in the history of denim, like scratch and sniff raspberry scented jeans. But their all-time best effort is the discontinued Snowpant Denim, a deep indigo wash treated with a waterproof and wind-resistant coating, and lined in comfy fleece. Look for them on eBay and try to grab them before we do.

HANDS

6. Wigens Bear Claw Gloves The synthetic lobster claw gloves you see most winter commuters wearing are neither a warmth nor a dexterity match for these Swedish leather and fur marvels. Unfortunately Wigens seems to have stopped making them. Set up an eBay alert.

FEET

Minnesota-based 45NRTH makes the popular Wölvhammer commuter boot, but they're nearly as heavy as a pair of Pacs, only rated to 0°F, and don't abide by our un-gear aesthetic. After several years of trial and error we've concocted a 4-step footwear solution that's fairly lightweight and can hold up to a 45 minute commute at -20°F.

Darn Tough Hunting Socks. Not all wool socks are created equal. We've tried a dozen different brands and Darn Tough are the best. Made in Vermont.

7. Fleece-Lined Sorel Slip-on Sneakers. Yes, fleece-lined sneakers. These run large.

Teosport Neoprene Toe Covers. Put these over the Sorels.

8. Swims "Mobster" Rubber/Neoprene Waterproof Boots. Wrap the cozy package up in perhaps our all-time favorite footwear and off you go.

Ask the MB: Orange Hat

The Cashmere Watchcap via Golightly Cashmere, $155.00
The Cashmere Watchcap via Golightly Cashmere. $155.00.

Q: Hunting season is almost here in Maine. Is it appropriate to wear an orange hat when visiting town?
—Aaron

A: Maine may be 1,500 miles from Minneapolis, but our firearm deer hunting seasons practically overlap, so we have often faced the same headwear dilemma.

To help you decide we put together one of our popular Deciders: Orange Hat.

Show Us Your Game Face, Dude! KTZ Tattoo Cap

Show Us Your Game Face, Dude! KTZ Tattoo Cap

This black tattoo toweling cap is one size fits all — if you're a Talosian. (Yes, we're really into original Trek.) It takes real talent to game-face from multiple angles while wearing a terry-cloth polo hat fit for a macrocephalic alien. Hats off to you, male model!

Thanks to reader Benjamin Thompson, who pointed us toward the hat and earned a 4-pack of Disposable Letterpress Beverage Shields for his efforts.

Have you seen a candidate for Show Us Your Game Face, Dude!? Send a note to editor@magnificentbastard.com and if we use it on-air we'll send you some Beverage Shields too.

Monday Morning Quarterback Week 16

Monday Morning Quarterback Week 16

It's Week 4 of Monday Morning Quarterback, a feature that combines our love of chronic traumatic encephalopathy-inducing bloodsport (aka, the NFL) with our passion for style.

Each week we break down the postgame press conference film and pick the best and worst-performing quarterbacks from around the league. We take their actual Passer Rating, multiply it by the proprietary Magnificent Bastard Dresser Rating, to arrive at their Total Magnificent Bastard Quarterback Rating.

Geno Smith

Passer Rating: 91.7

Dresser Rating: 87.3

Total Magnificent Bastard Quarterback Rating: 80.1

Last week, a rookie overaccessorization mistake. This week, Smith shows veterans the right way to go casual and make it work, and is the MB Player of the Week.

Tony Romo

PR: 98.7

DR: 41.1

TMBQBR: 40.6

Once again Romo had a costly pick, but saved it for the postgame presser. MB tip: only go deep into the ear canal when there's blown TV coverage. As for the dresser rating, the non-throwing arm at this angle should expose a wide-open shirt cuff.

Kellen Clemens

PR: 99.6

DR: 29.3

TMBQBR: 29.2

When you're 6'2" and 220 lbs., it's not easy finding a shirt that looks at least two sizes too big for you. We encourage the Rams QB to stop shopping JC Penney's Husky Linemen section and get into something a little more fitted.

Matt Flynn

PR: 69.6

DR: 23.6

TMBQBR: 16.4

With his red union suit and sad, shell-shocked gaze, back-up Matt Flynn looks like a nine-year-old on Christmas morning slowly coming to grips with the fact that he's going to go at least one more year without a BB gun.

Matt Cassell

PR: 32.6

DR: 36.8

TMBQBR: 12.0

As the week's lowest-rated passer, we applaud Cassell's instinct to look inconspicuous. However, we think his Week 14 beanie, pulled completely over his face, 7-Eleven robbery style, would have been more effective than his baseball cap disguise.

Andrew Luck

PR: 96.8

DR: 0.0

TMBQBR: 0.0

We suppose if your last name is Luck, it's inevitable that you develop superstitions, and after a month of MMQB, it's clear what Luck's post-game ritual is: Skip the showers; hit the presser wearing lucky performance T; make a face like the Geico caveman. It's not the strangest superstition we've ever heard of, but it's certainly a contender for the least stylish.

Earlier: Andrew Luck Looks Like Geico Caveman, Only Worse-Dressed

Monday Morning Quarterback Week 15

Monday Morning Quarterback Week 15

It's Week 3 of Monday Morning Quarterback, a feature that combines our love of chronic traumatic encephalopathy-inducing bloodsport (aka, the NFL) with our passion for style.

Each week we break down the postgame press conference film and pick the best and worst-performing quarterbacks from around the league. We take their actual Passer Rating, multiply it by the proprietary Magnificent Bastard Dresser Rating, to arrive at their Total Magnificent Bastard Quarterback Rating.

Jay Cutler

Passer Rating: 102.2

Dresser Rating: 63.1

Total Magnificent Bastard Quarterback Rating: 64.5

This week Cutler's presser dressing symbolizes his quarterback play: Occasional brilliance — scarf tied in loose "playoff tuck" style — marred by a boneheaded pick, like this skully.

EARLIER: 7 Ways to Tie a Scarf Based on the Game-Time Temperature at Lambeau Field

Geno Smith

PR: 68.6

DR: 57.3

TMBQBR: 39.3

Hanging a big, pressed woven collar outside a crewneck is a rookie mistake, as is over-accessorization. Go with either the Jets-colored boutonniere or the pocket square, not both.

EARLIER: Collar Tucking with Crewnecks. JFK and William F. Buckley

Mike Glennon

PR: 75.5

MBR: 45.3

TMBQBR: 34.2

Mike Glennon has added reading Monday Morning Quarterback to his game-day preparation. Two consecutive weeks with large jacket gapes split wide to his right, he's clearly seen a tailor to tighten his collar coverage.

Carson Palmer

PR: 100.8

DR: 29.0

TMBQBR: 29.2

Just two weeks removed from winning MB Player of the Week honors as an NFL quarterback disguised as a professor, Palmer is hit for a big loss, with the age-inappropriate tandem of hoodie and skully each recording half a sack.

EARLIER: MB ANALYTICS: Hoodie vs. Cardigan Chart

Eli Manning

PR: 31.9

DR: 59.3

TMBQBR: 18.9

Manning could've dressed like Tom Brady on his best day and still been well down the MMQB rankings due to his comically bad performance against the Seahawks. Layering is an MB principle, but that value (3) should never be exceeded by the number of interceptions (5). Nor should the number of quarter-zip mock sweaters (1) ever exceed TD passes (0).

EARLIER: Layering: A Key MB Principle

Andrew Luck

PR: 82.8

DR: 0.0

TMBQBR: 0.0

Three weeks into Monday Morning Quarterback and Andrew Luck still can't read the reporter blitz and is missing wide-open showers. Luck looks like the Geico caveman, only worse-dressed.

EARLIER: Andrew Luck Sacked Again by Blitzing Reporters

Monday Morning Quarterback Week 14

Monday Morning Quarterback Week 14

It's Week 2 of Monday Morning Quarterback, a feature that combines our love of chronic traumatic encephalopathy-inducing bloodsport (aka, the NFL) with our passion for style.

Each week we break down the postgame press conference film and pick the best and worst-performing quarterbacks from around the league. We take their actual Passer Rating, multiply it by the proprietary Magnificent Bastard Dresser Rating, to arrive at their Total Magnificent Bastard Quarterback Rating.

Perhaps due to bad weather at many NFL stadiums, this week there was only bad quarterbacking behind the podium.

Eli Manning

PR: 72.3

DR: 35.6

TMBQBR: 25.7

That collar is about to engulf Eli's face like a stunting defensive end, and the problem is magnified by the tiny, out-of-proportion knot that looks like it's suffering from a groin injury. While he shrares the Toner Cartridge Salesman look of his older brother, at least Peyton generally gets the proportions right.

Earlier: Peyton Manning, Toner Cartridge Salesman

Matt Cassell

Passer Rating: 86.0

Dresser Rating: 29.0

Total Magnificent Bastard Quarterback Rating: 24.9

Four years as Tom Brady's backup in New England, and the man apparently only learned how to read coverages, not collars. Cassell's collar is so horizontal it has less of an angle than the earth's horizon. His jacket gape is big enough for Adrian Peterson to run through. And we fear some eight-year-old fan is searching for his prized beanie right now. For all this, Cassell is this week's winner of the Most Ridiculous Postgame Presser Outfit award.

Earlier: The Incredible Shrinking Collar

Philip Rivers

PR: 137.4

DR: 17.3

TMBQBR: 23.8

After just two weeks doing Monday Morning Quaterback, we have our first record: Most Consecutive Weeks Wearing a Plaid Shirt That Looks Like It Came From Blouse Barn. If Philip Rivers' quarterbacking was this consistent, the Chargers could get into the playoffs.

Earlier: Philip Rivers' Ugly Week 13 Shirt

Mike Glennon

PR: 40.4

MBR: 45.3

TMBQBR: 18.3

It looks like Shaggy has added a razor to his post-game plan. We like his committment to mastering the fundamentals. Next step: Retaining the services of a tailor. That's the same ill-fitting jacket he had on last week, and he's getting the same bad results: a pronounced gape on his throwing shoulder. Once he masters that, we'll start working on his tie-reading skills.

Earlier: Mike Glennon Should Watch Namath Postgame Film

Andrew Luck

PR: 113.1

DR: 5.5

TMBQBR: 6.2

Last week, blitzing reporters caught Andrew Luck by complete surprise. This week, he once again shows poor post-game clock management. But at least it looks like he's thinking about taking a shower.

Earlier: Andrew Luck Sacked by Blitzing Reporters

Ask the MB: What is Up With Ben Roethlisberger's Post-Game News Conference Look?

Ask the MB: What is Up With Ben Roethlisberger's Post-Game News Conference Look?
Q: Ben Roethlisberger, post game news conference, WTF?
—Wade


A: Big Ben clearly has a hat that's Too Tiny, enhancing the size of his already large and increasingly flabby melon, one that has more chins than the number of TDs he threw against Denver on Sunday.

What struck us though, besides the fact that Roethlisberger bothered to wear something besides an untucked sport shirt, is that this is the same outfit he wore to the ESPY awards in July, 2009, 2½ years ago (below). It's true he's a Hall of Fame toolbag, but you'd think a guy who made $12 million this year would not recycle a dated three-piece suit and prepackaged shirt/tie/pocket square combo he probably picked up at TJ Maxx for $19.99.

As for the vest Tim Tebow was wearing after the game, we've had a few questions about the brand and model and we're researching it. Tebow has definitely stepped up his game since his jorts days at Florida.

Ask the MB: Fall/Winter Hats

Ask the MB: Fall/Winter Hats
Hi MB. I am into soft knit winter/fall hats, and really like this one from J. Varvatos. It's soft cashmere and looks pretty good without being douchy. Any ideas that don't cost flipping $168? It's a hat!
—Dan


A: We have a simple rule about winter hats. If it costs more than $100 it must be 100% cashmere. Maybe even 110%. Either that, or there should be one extremely cold beaver somewhere. That Varvatos hat, while a fine-looking chapeau, is $168 and it's only 25% cashmere. Not even close!

For similarly-styled, pure cashmere alternatives, check out the $75 Barney's Co-Op Basic Skully (top). When we strongly recommended it last year it was ten bucks less but it's still worth it. Same goes for the Portolano cashmere hats at Bluefly that are just $36.

Not that we're saying you should pinch your pennies when it comes to your head. After all, you'd surely spend $168, and probably even much more, on a pair of shoes you really like — and what are your feet but the day laborers of your body? Your head, meanwhile, is the CEO. So don't skimp! To that end, we like this cabled Bottega Veneta cashmere cap (bottom). Sure, it's $260, but like all CEOs, doesn't your head deserve a nice Christmas bonus?

5 Ways Not to Look Like Yankee Doodle Toolbag on the 4th of July

Note the subtle jet plane detail
Note the subtle jet plane detail
Nothing tests the Magnificent Bastard principle of understatement more than holidays. Halloween is the worst, followed closely by the 4th of July. Red, white, and blue are great colors for Ol' Glory and beer cans, but unless you're a superhero, too much red, white, and blue in your wardrobe at any one time can make you look like you're hitting the bricks to shill your local tax return service. If you're looking for a role model, choose Founding Father Thomas Jefferson over Uncle Sam — subtlety trumps bombast every time.

Of course, on a day when bombs — or at least their Las Vegas cousins, Class 1.1G fireworks — are bursting in air, subtlety's a relative concept and some red, white and blue in your wardrobe is completely appropriate. With that mind, here are 5 ways to show your patriotism without looking like Yankee Doodle Toolbag on the 4th of July.

HAT

Block Elco
$50

Block Headwear makes our favorite hats. Salute the spirit of Betsy Ross by hiring a seamstress to create a new temporary hatband for you using 67 cents worth of grosgrain ribbon from M&J Trimming. Get the 7/8" size.

SHIRT

Boast Tipped Polo
$68

Is President Bush spending the 4th at his trophy ranch in Crawford, sipping a near-beer and wearing a Boast tipped polo like he did in the goold old days? We have no idea, but we like to think so.

WATCH STRAP

NATO strap
$13

Give your MB-endorsed Zulu strap a week off and go with a red, white & blue NATO strap. Just $13.

BEER KOOZIE

Red, White & Blue Beer Koozie
$4.95 for pair

Until Pabst resurrects one of our favorite beer brands of all time, you can pretend it's the real thing with the Red, White & Blue beer koozie.

JACKET

Moncler Track Jacket
$250

It's become popular in recent years to bash the French, but while America was fighting for its independence, the French gave us the spirit of Enlightment that would later inform our Constitution, military support, and, we're guessing, some pretty good pastries. Show your gratitude with this Moncler track jacket.

FINAL WORD OF ADVICE: Choose only one of these items and leave it at that. Except for the beer koozie. That goes with everything.

Ask the MB: Prince William's Big Hat

Ask the MB: Prince William's Big Hat
Q: Is it considered MB to wear an animal's entire wardrobe on your head?
—Ev345


A: Well, it's pretty magnificent to be heir to the throne of the fading empire that gave us the Magna Carta and golf, and wearing hats like the one Prince William was wearing this weekend is part of the job description.

As for anyone else? William's bearskin hat is certainly characterized by a senseless lack of utility, and scores high on archaism, organic materials, and Anglophilia as well. But its primary historical purpose — to make a soldier look bigger and more imposing in battle — violates the principle of understatement and essentially establishes the garment as elevator shoes for your head.

As you allude to, the standard hat of the British Foot Gaurds is made out of an entire bearskin. It weighs 1.5 lbs. and, most consequentially, stands 18.5 inches high. Getting in and out of limos and taxis would be a huge hassle while wearing one of these things, so until horseback reemerges as the predominant form of travel, we say "pass."

Ask the MB: Hitting the Park in Style

Ask the MB: Hitting the Park in Style
Q: I'll be attending an upcoming spring training game featuring my favorite team, the Detroit Tigers. Any suggestions for shirt/hat combos that would show my support for the team and keep me looking MB?
--Randy


A: Two years ago we wrote a post entitled "How to be a Stylish Baseball Fan" for moments like this, and it's still got great stuff. We're big fans of Red Jacket tees, and also like Detroit Athletic Co.'s Briggs Stadium tee, celebrating the heritage of what's probably our all-time favorite ballpark (RIP).

As for headwear, we're not big fans of baseball caps in any context and think you should generally leave them to those who are actually paid millions of dollars to wear them. In their place, we recommend a straw fedora, like the Stanwix or one of our long-time faves, the Knickerbocker, both from Block Headwear.

(IMPORTANT NOTE: It's true that Charlie Sheen is winning the war that K-Fed started earlier this decade to make the trilby, or short-brimmed fedora, the official crown of toolbags. You can steer clear of any associations by always going for natural straw with a natural band, or no band at all.)

Bubba Watson: A Toolbag With MB Tendencies, or Vice Versa?

Bubba Watson: A Toolbag With MB Tendencies, or Vice Versa?
Yesterday Bubba Watson won the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. He has a driver with a hot pink shaft and buttons his polo shirts like he should be wearing a tie (note the N-2 rule), but give the man credit for recognizing the value of wearing a visor when one has a full head of long hair. This look (bottom) is at arfully disheveled as his golf swing.

Earlier: Ask the MB: Visors.

Ask the MB: Driving Caps

Anyone ever hear of this movie?
Anyone ever hear of this movie?
Q: So MB - I was at an NBA game on Friday night and there were several MB-looking types wearing patterned driving caps. I've always thought of this as my grandpa's hat, wondering what your thoughts are.
--Jennifer


A: We charted the style curve rise and fall of driving/newsboy/ivy caps back in early 2008 and declared the trend dead when Cuba Gooding Jr. showed up at the 10,000 B.C. premiere wearing one (plus flashing hand signs). Now that Gooding Jr. has gone missing, co-starring with Val Kilmer and Christian Slater in straight-to-DVD flicks, and iconic toolbag and the frequent ivy cap-wearing Tony Romo is on injured reserve, this headwear style can now emerge from rehab. In fact, as the NFL season hits the increasingly chilly home stretch, we would not be surprised to see Tom Brady sporting a newsboy for one of his ridiculously stylish post-game press conferences.

Ask the MB: Winter Hat Options

Ask the MB: Winter Hat Options
Q: So I need to upgrade my winter hat collection, and started off with your suggestions for cashmere knit caps. However, I'd also like something a little different from the standard knits, and was looking at stuff like this BR military hat. Any other suggestions?
--Dave


A: We suggest waiting on military until the next election. But even in 2012, that particular hat is reserved exclusively for baller revolutionaries. Plus, unless you hail from Cuba or anywhere south of about the panhandle, a winter hat needs ear coverage as an option, so it doesn't even qualify in our book.

If you still insist on military, something similar that doesn't violate The Castro Rule and has flaps is this Block Headwear knit called the "Morgan". Block is an MB fave that makes great hats, and their logos always come off so easily! Other options are the MB-endorsed Stormy Kromer (invented in Wisconsin), and if you have a little more scratch, this Borsalino Roma.

MB Endorses: Barney's CO-OP Cashmere Hat

MB Endorses: Barney's CO-OP Cashmere Hat
It's really unfortunate Barney's CO-OP has labeled this $65 cashmere hat a "basic skully" because "skully" gives off negative vibes associated with TTH urban hipsters and age-inappropriately styled NFL quarterbacks. This is simply an excellent "winter hat," in cashmere, that strongly lends itself to artful dishevelment and fits nothing like a skully.

Speaking of the NFL, in handicapping lingo this is our F/W 2010 accessory lead pipe lock.

Tip the MB: Qiviut Hat

Tip the MB: Qiviut Hat
Forget cashmere hats. Qiviut is the wool of the muskox. It is ridiculously expensive and ridiculously warm. The material is thin and lightweight, yet warm enough to let muskox survive brutal winters in Siberia and northern Alaska. It's also more rare than cashmere. As an added bonus, the value of qiviut-made clothes goes up as they age because the material absorbs oils and becomes softer.
--Andrew


We welcome the tip from the Siberian Qiviut Producers Association, and weren't even aware this beast existed, since it looks like something that went extinct 10,000 years ago.

If you demand that your qiviut accessories be made in the USA, David Morgan sells a qiviut hat that's hand-knit by the Eskimo women of the Oomingmak Musk Ox Producers' Co-operative in Alaska for $170.

Ask the MB: Winter Hat

Most recent Brad Pitt newsboy sighting: August 2009
Most recent Brad Pitt newsboy sighting: August 2009
Q: I need a winter hat. The Chicago winter is fast approaching and I have been scouring both brick and mortar and the internet for a hat that works for me. It's difficult because flat caps seem to be way too ubiquitous. Also, every fedora type hat I have ever tried on makes me feel like a total toolbag. That leaves very few styles short of just your standard knit cap, which I sometimes wear. However, I long for something a little more unique. I have looked into the Stormy Kromer hat you mentioned last year, but I feel the baseball bill really isn't my thing. Any help you could give in steering me towards a new hat would be greatly appreciated.
--Steven


A: Besides being ubiquitous (in spite of Cuba Gooding Jr. signaling them as outgoing a while back), a flat cap vs. Chicago winter is the equivalent of scissors vs. rock. Same with a fedora.

In the winter months we advocate cashmere from head to toe, and if you can't currently swing a drawer full of $250 Maurizio Amadei cashmere boxers and $64 Paul Smith cashmere socks, start with the head and work your way down. This this 5+1_Annapurna ($98) and this Malo ($79) and this Bottega Veneta ($220) are all knit caps, but they're far from ordinary.

Ask the MB: Boating Hat

Ask the MB: Boating Hat
Q: I am looking for a hat to wear while on my boat. But hats are tricky and could easily fall into the TTH realm. Any suggestions?
--Matt


A: We like to think of boats as convertibles of the sea, and our rule for convertibles is to let Mother Nature serve as your stylist. As JFK convincingly demonstrates, nothing looks better than artfully dishevelled, wind-blown hair.

If you don't have enough hair for Mother Nature to style, we recommend the sort of low-profile, long-billed cap that Ernest Hemingway used to favor (top). Quaker Marine has been making them since 1948. Their Original Swordfish model will give you the protection from the sun you need while steering you clear of captain's hats, which have been relegated to the style brig for decades now due to their popularity amongst 1970s-era nautical toolbags and screw-ups.

Ask the MB: Sweet Fedoras

Ask the MB: Sweet Fedoras
Q: MB: I'm distinctly lacking in the "sweet hat" department of my wardrobe, and have always been a fan of fedoras. Unfortunately, I'm a poor-as-dirt college student, and the Eugenia Kim beaver fedora you recommended at one point, as much as I like it, totals to about a third of my monthly budget. Got any cheaper alternatives that get the MB stamp of approval for an aspiring MB on a (tight) budget?
--Tom


A: Unless you're attending the University of Antarctica, you are not going to want that Eugenia Kim hat this time of year anyway. Seasonally inappropriate. The calendar dictates embracing fedoras made of cooling, breathable straw, and the principle of artful dishevelment dictates choosing one that may actually look better if, say, Laetitia Casta accidentally sat on it for a moment. You want something with a little give.

From most to least expensive, here are four really good options.

From the top:

Ouellette Wheat Toyo Fedora, via ouellettehat.com. $230.

John Varvatos Straw Hat, via johnvarvatos.com. $125.

Fred Perry Short Brim Straw Tilby, via zappos.com. $67.

Block Knickerbocker Fedora, via villagehatshop.com. $50.

Ask the MB: Panama Hats

Ask the MB: Panama Hats
Q: Summer is coming around and out here in the desert (Phoenix, AZ), it gets pretty hot. Especially when standing in the sun. In hopes of staying as cool as possible, I'm looking at buying a Panama hat. They are a classic and seem suitable for desert wear during the summer.
--LT


A: This hat was invented in Ecuador which, as you might suspect, is at the equator. For every degree one travels either N or S latitude from 0° -- up to 30° max -- the less it works.

Sean Connery definitely rocks the Panama in that ubiquitous Louis Vuitton ad, primarily because a.) he's Sean Connery, and b.) it was shot in the Bahamas (24°). So stick to the 30° degree rule, unless you wake up one day and find that you have somehow turned into a pimp from the 1970s.

(Phoenix is at 33° 30'.)

Ask the MB: Cold Head

Ask the MB: Cold Head
Q: While I feel confident that I have successfully managed the unfavorable hand of genetic hair-loss with a close cut; and despite a having solid hat collection, every winter I pine for the many benefits of a full head of hair. With that in mind, what's the MB stance on seeking hair-replacement treatments?
--Joe


A: Joe, don't cut it too close (see an earlier post on the matter). It's easy for us to sit here with hair up the wazoo and tell you to work with what the good Lord gave ya, but that's exactly what we're going to do. Hair replacement/transplants run into the many thousands of dollars and they're a crap shoot. For that kind of bread you can upgrade your hat collection with this ultra-toasty shaved beaver model (now on sale for $290) and have wads of cash left over for penis enlargement pills.

MB Endorses: The Stormy Kromer Cap

Stormy Kromer Cap via gemplers.com, $32.95
Stormy Kromer Cap via gemplers.com. $32.95.
Elsewhere in America, the Stormy Kromer is experiencing renewed popularity as the workwear revival peaks on the trend curve. Here in Pulaski, it's a permanent fact of life. (Heck, it was invented just 36 miles south in Kaukauna, Wisconsin.) Thanks to a recent cold spell -- it's minus 8 here tonight -- we've been wearing ours so often we're even starting to miss old Ackley.

While many contemporary designers are offering their take on the Kromer this year, this is one classic that needs no twist. Like the Eames Aluminun Group Task Chair, it's a design so pure and simple and correct that there's just no way to top it.

Y. E. Yang Could Learn From Colonel Sanders

Y. E. Yang Could Learn From Colonel Sanders
Not so MB: This ain't Wimbledon! White visor, white shirt, white belt, white glove, white pants, and white shoes (not pictured: white undies and white socks). Even Colonel Sanders (inset) knew enough to mix in a black string tie and pocket square.

Very MB: Newly-crowned PGA champion is 37 years old with a headful of dark hair and chooses the perfect headwear to highlight its existence.

Ask the MB: Hawaiian Hat

Block Degas Fedora via Village Hat Shop, $53.00
Block Degas Fedora via Village Hat Shop. $53.00.
Q: I'm heading to Hawaii in a couple of weeks (for leisure) and I'm starting to think about what to bring. Keeping the luggage level to carry-on is a must, but I need to pack a hat. Where can I find something that could pack easily, but wouldn't look like I'm looking for the nearest trout stream?
--Joe


A: Joe, you're really visiting Hawaii in July? Can you reschedule for January? Either way, a hat is a good idea and a brand we really like is Block Headwear. They really get the "classic with a twist" aesthetic we dig. Several of their spring/summer straw hats are crushable, like the Degas fedora. (And their tag can easily be removed.)

(See previous posts on Hawaii travel.)

Ask the MB: 'Hipster' Look

'I'm so depressed! If I had two heads, I could wear a hoodie too.'
'I'm so depressed! If I had two heads, I could wear a hoodie too.'
I'm 5'10" 140 lbs. with a semi-athletic build. What is the best kind of jeans, shirt, hoodie and possibly hat to go for a hipster look?
--Patrick


A: Hat and hoodie? Do you have two heads? Because if so, 140 lbs. is really skinny.

Even if you've got just one head, we're not sure why you're wanting to go for this look. However, if you insist: spend $150 at Urban Outfitters, donate your razor blades to hairy orphans in Malawi, and you're there.

(Pictured: Cable Knit Marled Beanie, via Urban Outfitters.)

Ask the MB -- Visors

Ask the MB -- Visors
Q: MB: Ball caps? Nope, never worn them. Flip it backwards? Are you kidding me? Visors? Yup. Wear 'em. Even feel like a bastard at times. How 'bout you? Visors? I'm talking on the golf course, and off.
--C.D.


A: The highly-destructive Tiger Woods Apparel Effect has contributed to making visors quite rare these days. MB strongly endorses them, but only when both of these rules are met:

1. You're on a golf course, and
2. You've got the locks to show off.

(Clockwise from upper left: Fred Couples, Trevor Immelman, Phil Mickelson, Tommy Armour III.)

Worst-Dressed Golfer -- Briny Baird

P.F. Chang's Marketing VP Should be Fired
P.F. Chang's Marketing VP Should be Fired
The Masters is the official start of golf season, though it's never too early to add to the list of World's Worst-Dressed Golfers. Congratulations to Briny Baird for vaulting into 2nd place, right behind clubhouse leader Jim Furyk.

Greg Norman is the only player in history to successfully pull off the straw hat, and we've already demonstrated the career-limiting effect of the popped collar. To no one's surprise, Briny Baird has never won an event in 253 PGA Tour starts.

(Also on the Worst Dressed list: Tiger Woods, Arron Oberholser, and Rory Sabbatini Coming soon: World's Best Dressed Golfers.)

Ask the MB

Ask the MB
Q: Hats. Can you please weigh in on hats? A winter necessity. I have various wool hats that I wear only when maintaining the driveway, but my now 40 year old skin breaks out (not so magnificently) when I sweat in them. I also have a black Russian lambswool with silk lining, but that's dressy.
—Bryan


A: First, please consider hiring a service to "maintain" your driveway. There is nothing quite as MB as sitting by the fire late on a snowy night, sipping your favorite cocktail, and listening to the sound of illegal immigrants shoveling your sidewalk and plowing your driveway.

Second, we hear you loud and clear on wool hats. Unless they're lined or felted, avoid them like you do your mother-in-law over the holidays. Either go with shaved beaver or our favorite winter material: cashmere. A few other hat rules to live by:

1. No logos.
2. No skulls, money bags, or woodland creatures.
3. No legibility.
4. No acrylic.

Clockwise from upper left: Nasty rash on the old-timer's forehead after shoveling his driveway in a wool hat; Barney's cashmere bi-color knit cap; Paul Smith cabled cashmere hat with flaps; Danielapi cabled cashmere with all-important pom pom.

Ask the MB

Eugenia Kim Beaver Fedora via Barney's Co-Op, $315.00
Eugenia Kim Beaver Fedora via Barney's Co-Op. $315.00.
Q: Is there ever good time to wear the collars of your shirt outside of the lapels of your jacket? Also, fedoras are coming back. What does the MB think of that? And ... can a hat ever be worn by an MB at the dinner table of a restaurant?
—Jason


A: First, save the shirt-outside-the-lapels look for next year's Halloween party, or maybe a dead talk show host look-alike contest. Second, fedoras are never good at the dinner table, but they are very good the rest of the time, especially this Eugenia Kim shaved beaver model, available at Barney's Co-Op.

Best to run ahead of the curve before Indiana Jones 4 is in theaters next year.

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