A question of size.

[funneman]

Evening Gents,

I'm wondering if you find that you have hats in just one size or if your noggins can accomodate a range of sizes?

I have a couple of cowboy hats that fit me just fine and they're 6 7/8. My somewhat vintage Stetson and Dobbs are both 7 and fit just like the cowboy hats.

My head measures 22" which is a 7. I can't help but feel I'm missing out on some dandy hats at auction because they're 6 7/8 or 7 1/8. Is it better to have a hat be a little large and pack the headband inside? Or is it better to be a little snug and invest in a hat stretcher?

Someone was nice enough to leave me a message from an earlier post suggesting wetting the headband and then using a blow dryer on it to shrink the leather, anyone else use this method?

Thanks.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

It all depends

Hat size will vary a little for a number of reasons. Different manufacturers can be an issue (who's 6 7/8 do you have?). I have Stetsons, Biltmores, and Akubras, but none fit the same. Also, hats can shrink. If you find something you really like, but you're not sure if it will fit, ask for a measurement around the inside sweatband. In the end, a little big is better than a little small.
NB

 

[John in Covina]

Too tight, too loose and just right.

I think you are better off with a little loose and packing behind the sweat band. Tight, It always seems to want to go back to tight, even when stretched.

 

[funneman]

Interesting...

...so what do you use to pack behind the sweatband?

 

[scotrace]

I think you are better off with a little loose and packing behind the sweat band. Tight, It always seems to want to go back to tight, even when stretched.

Very true. And too tight will...
Well. I got two of those vintage Basque Berets mentioned in another thread. They're too tight, won't stay stretched and if I do wear them, I get a nice deep red line across my forehead.
Loose is better. A little rolled up kleenex and you're good to go.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Loose is better. A little rolled up kleenex and you're good to go.

I agree that loose is better. Personally, I like to use a piece of leather behind the sweatband. It doesn't slip and doesn't deteriorate like the paper-towels I have used in the past.

 

[Johnnysan]

I'm not sure if hat sizing is off or if I have an irregular head...I can sometimes squeeze into a 7 1/8 (a hat stretcher takes them the rest of the way), can wear nearly any 7¼, and a 7 3/8 can go anywhere from being a tad snug to being loose as a bucket. Every hat is unique in my experience even when comparing identical hats from the same maker. [huh]

 

[John in Covina]

...so what do you use to pack behind the sweatband?

Gold certificate thousand dollar bills mostly.

 

[Magus]

...so what do you use to pack behind the sweatband?

I find that four pieces of leather strap (thin) work well. the gap between them allows for any bunching that might happen in the sweatband.

 

[LeFonque]

not tooo tight

I am in total agreement loose is always better than too tight. Leather is good to pad the sweatband for fur hats, however I find that velcro backing is good for straw hats as they have a bit of give yet make the hat feel secure in the wind. NO you don't fit the velcro to your head just in case that's what your thinking of doing!

 

[funneman]

Thanks Gents,

..once again the FL fellows come through. I'm now the proud owner of a purple/gray Resistol 737 fedora in 71/8 and it fits just fine. That's one hat I would have passed up had I not had the great advice you all provided.
Thanks again, pics to follow. Anyone know how to add a link to a closed ebay auction to these posts?

 

[Twitch]

I'm in that same size range and have the same variance as you. Other clothing varies depending on the manufacturer I've learned over the years. The way pants and shirts are cut are not universal when sizing is applied either. One company's large is another's ex-large etc. and so on.[huh]

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

While we're on the subject, what's the accepted definition of "Long Oval"? I think I may be one, as my two Stesons are snug on my forehead but not on the sides.

 

[funneman]

...long oval?

I've always thought "Long Oval" referred to the shape of the brim, not the shape of the head. All of my hats, from 6-7/8 to 7-1/8 fit tightly against my forehead, long oval or not.

 

[gekisai29]

i believe it refers to the shape of the head

 

[Not-Bogart13]

The correct word is

Yes, "Long Oval" refers to the head shape, and not all hats are available in long oval sizes. The solution is usually buying a size up, or going custom in most cases. The brim that is longer front-to-back than side-to-side is called "dimensional cut" and is oval-like in shape.
NB