Green Hornet Hat

The Green Hornet TV series and related topics

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GMartin58
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Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2017 10:40 pm

Green Hornet Hat

Post by GMartin58 »

Hey GH Fans and Friends!

I need some thoughts and insights into the Hornet's hat! I purchased a full on fedora that has a green hatband I'm planning on replacing. In looking at the '66 Van Williams hat, sometimes it looks like a fedora and other times it looks more like a trilby. I like the one I purchased but a lot of the comments I've had call it more of a vintage (40's GH) look.

Love to have your comments. -G
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DrewMasie
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Re: Green Hornet Hat

Post by DrewMasie »

Finding a hat that is the correct style and color was a challenge, and I wasn't totally happy with any of the ones I bought. I'm not sure if Van's hat was a stingy-brim Fedora, or a Trilby, but if you look at his photo, I'd estimate that the brim is about 2". Fedoras have a 2" or wider brim and Trilbys are less than 2".

I purchased the CY Productions GH hat, which has a 2" brim. It doesn't look quite right on me, so I didn't use it, but it looks nice on my display head. Of course Van probably had a wider head than me, so it looked good on him.

I think Scott had a Green Hornet hat made at Baron's in Los Angeles so he may be able to give you the measurements.
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Ben Bentley
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Re: Green Hornet Hat

Post by Ben Bentley »

I personally think scale and proportion of different elements on an individual's body play a huge role in how well a costume "reads". Drew hit the nail on the head when he noted that one hat might look great/right on a mannequin or someone with a larger face, but not so much on him. I understand and respect the urge towards accuracy but honestly scale/proportion is your friend in this situation.

Out of the various GH cosplayer's i've seen in person and online over the years, i've seen a lot of different takes on the hat and many have not had the right look and feel to the hat, which I totally agree GM, makes someone's costume veer from Van's TV Hornet look almost immediately.

My personal take is that leaning slightly narrower on the brim keeps you in the ballpark of Van's look more so than hedging your bet on the larger size.
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DrewMasie
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Re: Green Hornet Hat

Post by DrewMasie »

Ben Bentley wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:57 am I personally think scale and proportion of different elements on an individual's body play a huge role in how well a costume "reads". Drew hit the nail on the head when he noted that one hat might look great/right on a mannequin or someone with a larger face, but not so much on him. I understand and respect the urge towards accuracy but honestly scale/proportion is your friend in this situation.

Out of the various GH cosplayer's i've seen in person and online over the years, I've seen a lot of different takes on the hat and many have not had the right look and feel to the hat, which I totally agree GM, makes someone's costume veer from Van's TV Hornet look almost immediately.

My personal take is that leaning slightly narrower on the brim keeps you in the ballpark of Van's look more so than hedging your bet on the larger size.
Yes, overall size and body shape make a big difference. Doesn't matter how "accurate" any of my costumes are, I will never look like someone that is 30-ish, fit, and 6'2 with a chiseled jaw and perfect hair. I think that's why I experience cognitive dissonance when I try a character. The clothes look good on the rack, the props look right, but it just doesn't look that great on me. I end up the equivalent of Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie instead of Van Williams or Adam West.
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GMartin58
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Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2017 10:40 pm

Re: Green Hornet Hat

Post by GMartin58 »

Ben Bentley wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 7:57 am I personally think scale and proportion of different elements on an individual's body play a huge role in how well a costume "reads". Drew hit the nail on the head when he noted that one hat might look great/right on a mannequin or someone with a larger face, but not so much on him. I understand and respect the urge towards accuracy but honestly scale/proportion is your friend in this situation.

Out of the various GH cosplayer's i've seen in person and online over the years, i've seen a lot of different takes on the hat and many have not had the right look and feel to the hat, which I totally agree GM, makes someone's costume veer from Van's TV Hornet look almost immediately.

My personal take is that leaning slightly narrower on the brim keeps you in the ballpark of Van's look more so than hedging your bet on the larger size.
Ben/Drew...you guys are totally right. No matter how I try...haircuts...whatever, we never look like the people we portray. We will always be a "derivation"! I love all the various iterations of the GH from the original serials to the comics to the '66 version (nope on the 2011 movie) and as has been said before...even then, there are variations amongst the individual shows. How many different masks did Van wear or gas guns or overcoats or...

I think as long as we get the basics...it's fund to create our own version.
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Larry A.
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Re: Green Hornet Hat

Post by Larry A. »

That's kind of my attitude about my 1939-40 Batsuit that I'm working on!
Larry
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