The past twenty five years have only strengthened Page's stepfather, John's, passion for his LL Bean bucket hat. No other hat has come along to compare. He wears it with equal pride whether he's piling firewood or accessorizing his camel hair overcoat. The thick wool warms his sparsely-haired head, while the brim protects his face from the snow and frozen rain. It's the perfect hat!

The clincher is that LL Bean hasn't made this dream of a hat for years. John, who is apparently a really generous guy, has given all but one of his original five hats away to friends who over the years have appreciated a quality hat when they saw one. His one remaining hat was once upon a time cream colored but has evolved into a kind of grime color. He may be in a bit of denial, but, if you ask Page or, better yet, Page's mother, the hat's days are numbered.

You can never really replace a favorite old garment, but you can try! My great hope is that this updated version will at least work its way into the rotation. Maybe in twenty five years it will feel as irreplaceable as the original!

Luckily for the next generation, they don't have the LL Bean original to compare this one to. For them, this one's an instant classic...

Want to make someone his new favorite hat? Please visit John's Favorite Bucket Hat Project Journal.   Thanks! - Whitney