Optimo Fine Hats

Image, Tadd Myers

Blame it on the 70’s.

From the early 1900’s until the 1960’s, a gentleman’s hat was as important to his dynamic as a firm handshake and a proper necktie. Then the various revolutions took root, and floppy unkempt hair began to replace the timeless styles of the homburg and the fedora.

In Chicago, arguably the genesis of polished head wear, a rebirth has thankfully taken place. Optimo Fine Hats, anchored on the South Side, has spurred a Phoenix-esque rising of the vital menswear centerpiece, one that should have never vanished in the first place. Graham Thompson and the gang, with their felt or straw materials, have revisited the art of hand crafted hat making with a fervor that would make Sinatra smile. In fact, it’s safe to assume that Ol’ Blue Eyes himself might have been a regular at Optimo.

Discriminating, indulgent, and absolutely necessary, whether fabricating The Trilby, The Manhattan, or The Chicago, Thompson and co. are not only recreating pride in a man’s presentation to the world, they are serving notice to the old notion that fashion runs in sprints. With their timeless hats, they are proving that some old relics are better suited for a marathon. Sentiments aside, Optimo Fine Hats are simply suave, which is reason enough for the seasoned and the young alike to embrace this shared heritage.

As Optimo says themselves, Life’s better in a great hat.

Optimo Hats http://www.optimohats.com/

Story, JMA