So I contacted Baron's today out of curiosity to see if they can even get a hat out with a month's lead time for Hallloween. They told me it would cost an extra $100 for the "rush" making it $375 plus shipping.
Seriously.
I think it would be generous to expect that even 15% of people seeing us dressed like Carl Kolchak on Halloween would even get the joke of who we are, and that 15% doesn't make a $375 hat that's not even really screen accurate from a vendor who wants to exploit the holiday seem very smart.
So I went on a scavenger hunt today to Hats Plus in Chicago and picked this up for $15 marked down from $30 since some of the straw in the crown was torn, which I already mended with some Super Glue:
All I have to do is find a red and black boater's style replacement hat band and I think it will work fine enough.
3 Button Seersucker on sale from Joseph A. Banks: $145.00
Navy Blue Black Knit Vintage Tie from Amazon: $22.00
Stan Smith 2 Adidas from Tennis Geeks Online: $56.00
Vented Straw Hat pending ribbon replacement: $15.00
I have a light blue button collar shirt.
Sourcing the tape recorder and MAYBE the camera should keep this all under $350.00 as it should be. The cost of ONE Baron's hat.
Since Carl's a beloved character from my childhood I can wait to source a more accurate hat in time like that one above I found at the Chinese site. No way is Baron's going top get that kind of money for something only halfway to what it should look like.
$100 for "rush" delivery before Halloween 34 days out. Some people are just high.