TheWellDressedHead
Sydney, Australia |
Announcement Here is Keith Lo Bue's "The Well Dressed Head", repository of hand-built 1910s to '30s reproduction caps, plus Well Dressed Neck accessories and true vintage caps from the early 20th century.
Announcement
Here is Keith Lo Bue's "The Well Dressed Head", repository of hand-built 1910s to '30s reproduction caps, plus Well Dressed Neck accessories and true vintage caps from the early 20th century.
Featured items
The FIVE POINTS - 1910s-Pattern Flat Cap in c.1930s French Check Wool and Vintage Chambray Liner- 7 1/4" (58+)
L'Étoile (The Star) - Novelty 1922 Pleated Fancy 6/3 Cap in Vintage Pincheck Wool - Made to Order
THE CLOVER Cap - 1920's-pattern 4/4 Newsboy Cap in Vintage Plaid Tweed - Made to Order
L'Étoile (The Star) Summer Straw - Novelty 1922 Pleated Fancy 6/3 Cap in Homespun Hemp Straw - Made to Order
All Items
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The GREENTREE - 1890s-Pattern Skipper Cap in c.1920s Bulgarian Homespun Cotton & Italian 1890s Polished Cotton Liner - Made to Order
$279.00 -
L'ARONDE (The Dove) - French-Style 1920s-Pattern Flat Cap in Vintage Giant Houndstooth Wool/Silk - Size 7 3/8" (59)
$279.00Only 1 available and it's in 2 people's carts -
The FIVE POINTS & l’Ouvrier Denim Caps - for Michael
$483.00 -
L'Étoile (The Star) - Novelty 1922 Pleated Fancy 6/3 Cap in Dashing Tweeds Diamond Merino Wool - Size 7 1/4"
$399.00 -
L'Étoile (The Star) Summer Straw - Novelty 1922 Pleated Fancy 6/3 Cap in Homespun Hemp Straw - Made to Order
$349.00 -
THE MARQUETTE Summer Straw - 1920s-Inspired Casquette Flat Cap in Homespun Hemp Straw - Made to Order
$269.00 -
LE MARAIS - 1920s-Pattern Casquette Flat Cap in Dashing Tweeds Wool with Vintage Accents - Made to Order
$329.00 -
L'ARONDE (The Dove) LINEN - Reserved for DB
$226.00Only 3 left -
The EASTMAN - 1910s Pattern Pleated Flat Cap in Dashing Tweeds Luminescent Merino Wool - Made to Order
$329.00 -
L'Étoile (The Star) - Novelty 1922 Pleated Fancy 6/3 Cap in 1940s Australian Vicars Suiting Wool - Size 7 1/4" (58+)
$369.00 -
L'Étoile (The Star) - Novelty 1922 Pleated Fancy 6/3 Cap in Vintage Puppytooth Check Wool - Made to Order
$369.00 -
L'Étoile (The Star) - Novelty 1922 Pleated Fancy 6/3 Cap in c.1920s Bulgarian Homespun Tartan Cotton - Size 7" (56)
$369.00 -
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L'Étoile (The Star) - Novelty 1922 Pleated Fancy 6/3 Cap in Vintage Ginger Flecked Wool Tweed - Size 7 1/4" (58+)
$369.00 -
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L'Étoile (The Star) - Novelty 1922 Pleated Fancy 6/3 Cap in 1930s German Summer Wool and 19th Century Quilt Liner - Made to Order
$369.00Only 1 left -
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L'Étoile (The Star) - Novelty 1922 Pleated Fancy 6/3 Cap in Vintage French Bouclé Summer Wool - Made to Order
$369.00 -
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The EASTMAN - 1910s Pattern Pleated Flat Cap in Vintage Onkaparinga Wool Tweed - Size 7 1/4" (58+)
$289.00 -
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L'Étoile (The Star) - Novelty 1922 Pleated Fancy 6/3 Cap in Vintage Pincheck Wool - Made to Order
$369.00Only 1 left -
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THE COTTON CLUB - 1920's-pattern Six-Panel Newsboy Cap in c.1930s French Jazzy Plaid Wool - Size 7 1/4" (58+)
$269.00 -
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L'Étoile (The Star) - Novelty 1922 Pleated Fancy 6/3 Cap in Vintage Mossy Tweed - Size 7 1/4" (58+)
$369.00 -
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THE ARGONNE - 1920s Pattern Four-Panel Flat Cap in c.1920s Chinese Homespun Cotton - Size 7 1/4" (58)
$269.00 -
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L'ARONDE (The Dove) - French-Style 1920s-Pattern Flat Cap in Wild Woven Cotton-Silk - Made to Order
$269.00 -
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The MONTE CARLO Buffalo - 1920s Style Flat Cap in Buffalo Leather with Horsehide Visor - 7 1/8" (57)
$449.00 -
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THE CLOVER Cap - 1920's-pattern 4/4 Newsboy Cap in Vintage Plaid Tweed - Size 7 3/8" (59)
$269.00 -
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THE CLOVER Cap - 1920's-pattern 4/4 Newsboy Cap in Vintage Plaid Tweed - Size 7 3/8" (59)
$269.00 -
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The McCABE Cap - 1910s/20s-Pattern Flat Cap in Handwoven Naturally Dyed Hemp Straw - Made to Order
$239.00 -
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THE ARGONNE - 1920s Pattern Four-Panel Flat Cap in c.1920s Bulgarian Homespun Cotton - Size 7 1/4" (58)
$259.00 -
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The McCABE Cap - 1910s/20s-Pattern Flat Cap in Perle Cotton/Silk - Size 7 1/2"+ (60+)
$249.00 -
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The McCABE Cap - 1910s/20s-Pattern Flat Cap in c.1950s French Workwear Corduroy - Made to Order
$299.00Only 1 left -
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THE CLOVER Cap - 1920's-pattern 4/4 Newsboy Cap in Vintage Plaid Tweed - Made to Order
$269.00 -
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THE BROADWAY - 1910s-pattern 11.5" Diameter Flat Cap in Vintage Herringbone Tweed - 7 1/4" (58)
$269.00 -
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The McCABE Cap - 1910s/20s-Pattern Flat Cap in c.1920s Bulgarian Homespun Indigo Cotton - Size 7 1/4" (58+)
$269.00 -
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The SAVOY CASHMERE - Novelty 1920s-design Flat Cap with V-Top Detailing in 100% Cashmere - Size 7 1/4" (58+)
$379.00Only 1 left -
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L'ARONDE (The Dove) - 1920s-Pattern French Style Casquette Flat Cap in Vintage Rustic Flecked Tweed - Size 7 1/4" (58+)
$269.00 -
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The FIVE POINTS - 1910s-Pattern Flat Cap in Diamond-Weave Cotton - 7" (56)
$229.00 -
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The McCABE Cap - 1910s/20s-Pattern Flat Cap in Vintage Herringbone Cotton/Silk - Made to Order
$269.00 -
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The MUDLARK 1940s-pattern French Worker's Cap in Genuine 1940s Heavy French Workwear Drill Cotton - Made to Order
$199.00
Reviews
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dberry45 on Apr 23, 2020
5 out of 5 starsExpertly made, with every attention to detail. Wonderful, sturdy and beautiful hemp fabric. he perfect warm weather cap that will stand up to the worst surprise rain storm.
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Sean on Jan 27, 2020
5 out of 5 starsExactly what I expected. If you want a serious cap that will exceed your expectations, look at the Well Dressed Head.
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diamondss294 on Jan 13, 2020
5 out of 5 starsI just received my " BROADWAY" cap today and I'm very happy with it. It's made from Barleycorn Tweed and the craftsmanship is AWESOME!! Thanks again Keith for all your hard work!! 😊👍
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cthulhufhtagn1 on Jan 13, 2020
5 out of 5 starsAnother splendid cap from Keith who consulted me through every part of its creation to make me exactly what I wanted.
I cannot recommend The Well Dressed Head enough, the reproduction 'Ol Timey labels, the quality of materials and the craftsmanship are second to none, Keith will bend over backwards to create the cap of your dreams! -
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Daniel on Jan 5, 2020
5 out of 5 starsAn authentic 1910's style flat cap is what I was after, and Keith delivered exactly that! The construction, the fabric and look of the cap are all excellent. Keith is a pleasure to work with and will go the extra mile to make sure you get the cap you've always wanted.
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Mikael on Dec 27, 2019
5 out of 5 starsi like how keith, knowing that i live in the tropics, changed the lining for this mto cap with a lighter fabric that's just as, if not more, beautiful than what is displayed on the site. very thoughtful. this thoughtfulness is also evident in his prompt and insightful replies to my inquiries (eg, i could not decide on the right head measurement after repeated attempts, so keith surmised a size from my information and he got it just right!). he also went above and beyond to make sure i get my cap before christmas! one of the best online shopping experiences i've had (comparable to service from some japanese shops). the cap itself is even more beautiful in real life than in photos. it's like when you buy a high-quality pair of japanese jeans and days after you unbox it you still find new details to admire. highly recommended.
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Chi on Dec 26, 2019
5 out of 5 starsFast shipping and answers questions quickly and courteously! Great seller! Love the neckerchief!
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olenepps1 on Nov 13, 2019
5 out of 5 starsThe style , craftsmanship, and quality was perfect also the shipping was acceptable well worth the wait Thanks again Keith !
Shop policies
For several years now I have been an enthusiast and collector of early men's newsboy, cabbie and golf/sporting caps from the 1910s through the 1930s. It always surprised me that for a fashion item that was SO ubiquitous in its time, so little knowledge of the caps has survived. Heck, so few of the caps themselves have survived!
Their big brothers, fedoras and other forms of felt and straw hat, are much easier to follow across the historical timeline. And though I do love those lids, I'm a guy who tends to go for the underdog. So many caps didn't survive the ravages of moths, hard labor or simply the passage of time. It seems beyond my understanding that headwear so beautiful in design, so flattering to a man's look, would fade into obscurity in favor of the baseball cap.
It was indeed the baseball cap that gradually over took these magnificent designs and became the cloth cap of choice for a majority of men. Even the recent reappearance of flat caps with the hipster crowd have very little to do with their forebears, and at best are mediocre designs aesthetically.
It is therefore my humble mission (along with a small handful of other talented bespoke makers) to reeducate the public about these elegant yet practical pieces of clothing that can complement the vintage or even the most contemporary wardrobe.
The Well Dressed Head will keep a selection of true vintage caps for sale dating from the late 1910's through the 1930's, with occasional later examples when appropriate.
Now, about the caps I build.
There are several elements for me to consider when pricing these caps. I can hardly factor in the time spent in fabrication - some of these caps can take three days to create - so other considerations are important.
I spend a lot of time and money collecting extraordinary fabrics from around the world that have a quality I feel are outstanding and unique, while paying homage to the historical examples in photographs and collections. Many of these antique cloths are in small pieces that may yield only one or two caps, ensuring the product is as unique and bespoke as possible.
Those caps that have leather sweatbands feature only top-quality Australian leathers, and under the 'hood' of the fabric, each visor is hand-cut from Australian leather, with a special compressed stiffening material to give it the ability to bend, yet hold its shape. No plastics are used in my visors.
Certain styles are made with grosgrain ribbon sweatbands, and for these I use NOS (new old stock) ribbon from France dating from the 1910s to the '20s.
Finally, a word about imperfection.
This is a handmade object, lovingly built with special and sometimes rare and delicate materials. There will be slight inconsistencies in the materials, weaves and stitching, These are considered the mark of the hand and intrinsic to the design. I'll leave you with a favorite quote by Charles Eames:
"You wouldn’t say an axe handle has style to it. It has beauty, and an appropriateness of form, and a “this-is-how-it-should-be-ness.” But it has no style because it has no mistakes. Style reflects one’s idiosyncrasies."
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