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[KY Gentleman]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen!

 

[Duff]

Hey guys, I remember reading an answer to this question somewhere, but I can't recall where.

I'm a size 7, 22" precisely. Would a hat that measures 22 1/2" be too big/loose? If not, would the proportions still look fine if the hat is 1/2" bigger?

Also, should one bother with a sweat stuffer of some sort at this point, or anything more than 1/4" is too big?

 

[Perry Underwood]

I can't address the question of proportion, but from what I've read, 22 1/4 is a 7 1/8 and 22 5/8 is 7 1/4, so 22 1/2 inches is right between a medium and large. For me, that's a big jump. However, it might depend on the hat. Some manufacturers tend to run a little small and others run a little large.

 

[Bill Hughes]

Hey guys, I remember reading an answer to this question somewhere, but I can't recall where.

I'm a size 7, 22" precisely. Would a hat that measures 22 1/2" be too big/loose? If not, would the proportions still look fine if the hat is 1/2" bigger?

Also, should one bother with a sweat stuffer of some sort at this point, or anything more than 1/4" is too big?

That’s at least 2 sizes larger than your normal size. I would say no.

 

[jlee562]

Not doable. I have one or two 7 1/8s that I've padded the sweat on, anything above that won't work. Even if you could pad enough material behind the sweat, you'll distort the leather.

 

[RJR]

Not doable. I have one or two 7 1/8s that I've padded the sweat on, anything above that won't work. Even if you could pad enough material behind the sweat, you'll distort the leather.

+1

 

[Duff]

I just checked, and the hat is a size 57 in metric, which corresponds to a 7 1/8 hat size in just about every chart I could find out there.

Weirdly enough, all the charts vary when it comes to converting inches to US hat size, but seem a lot more consistent when it comes to converting metric to US hat size.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Hey guys, I remember reading an answer to this question somewhere, but I can't recall where.

I'm a size 7, 22" precisely. Would a hat that measures 22 1/2" be too big/loose? If not, would the proportions still look fine if the hat is 1/2" bigger?

Also, should one bother with a sweat stuffer of some sort at this point, or anything more than 1/4" is too big?

Greetings Duff et al:
Ahh..so you found a hat that’s “only” 1/2” too big. Doesn’t sound like much, right?
I’ve spent money on that endeavor. Not well spent. Wearing one now. All 4 layers of felt 360 behind the sweat. It’s an ok look if you like that ball cap ears tucked in look. Now, if i could only get my ears tucked in it would be fine!!
Darn!!!
Be well. Bowen

 

[jlee562]

If the inside circumference is actually 22 1/2", it doesn't matter what the tag says.

 

[Zombie_61]

Hey guys, I remember reading an answer to this question somewhere, but I can't recall where.

I'm a size 7, 22" precisely. Would a hat that measures 22 1/2" be too big/loose? If not, would the proportions still look fine if the hat is 1/2" bigger?

Also, should one bother with a sweat stuffer of some sort at this point, or anything more than 1/4" is too big?

I have to agree with those who say the hat would be too big for you. Half an inch doesn't sound like much, but that's nearly two full sizes according to the conversion charts I used as reference. Would you buy a shirt, or pants, or shoes that you knew were two sizes too big?

 

[Duff]

I see. I was under the assumption everyone was talking about hat sizes (7 1/8 vs 7 1/4), not realizing that a quarter inch is essentially a whole size up.

Thanks for the feedback, gents. I guess it's just not in the cards for me to buy a vintage hat as of yet. Looks like I'm still moving forward with my first fur felt hat being a custom.

 

[Frunobulax]

I see. I was under the assumption everyone was talking about hat sizes (7 1/8" vs 7 1/4"), not realizing that a quarter inch is essentially a whole size up.

Thanks for the feedback, gents. I guess it's just not in the cards for me to buy a vintage hat as of yet. Looks like I'm still moving forward with my first fur felt hat being a custom.

Size 7 1/4, and 7 1/4" are not the same thing.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[Duff]

I

Size 7 1/4, and 7 1/4" are not the same thing.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

I meant US hat size. I included the inches symbols on accident. Corrected the post.

Cheers

 

[Zombie_61]

I see. I was under the assumption everyone was talking about hat sizes (7 1/8" vs 7 1/4"), not realizing that a quarter inch is essentially a whole size up...

There must surely be some form of mathematical formula that helps hatters determine a hat's size based on measurements, but my quick glance at the conversion charts I found online seemed to show half an inch is approximately a size and a half; maybe a bit more, but not quite two full sizes. Also...

Thanks for the feedback, gents. I guess it's just not in the cards for me to buy a vintage hat as of yet. Looks like I'm still moving forward with my first fur felt hat being a custom.

Keep in mind, any number of things could have happened to a vintage hat during it's lifetime--shrinkage, stretching, resizing, and so on--so accurate measurements are the best way to determine it's true size regardless of what the size tag says (if there is one). And I emphasize "accurate", because I've read a number of comments here from people who bought a vintage hat that was too large or too small because the seller didn't measure it accurately. That seems to be the "nature of the beast" when you're buying online; trusting that the buyer knows what he/she is doing, which clearly isn't always the case. Sure, sometimes a "gamble" pays off and the buyer gets a hat that was better than they expected, but the safest thing you can do is exactly what you're doing--do the research, gather as much information as possible, and ask the members here any questions you might have. You might get differing opinions, but I've never seen anyone here deliberately mislead another member.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Hey guys, I remember reading an answer to this question somewhere, but I can't recall where.

I'm a size 7, 22" precisely. Would a hat that measures 22 1/2" be too big/loose? If not, would the proportions still look fine if the hat is 1/2" bigger?

Also, should one bother with a sweat stuffer of some sort at this point, or anything more than 1/4" is too big?

What a problem to have! Finding a hat that is too big for me is almost unheard of. I’ve ruined a few hats trying to stretch them to fit and I suppose that getting hats that are too big to fit will be just as unsuccessful. My personal experience is half size modifications are the limit when going up; not much experience going down.


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[Wyldkarma]

Question about Panama Hats. Who makes some of the better hats? We are going on a cruise in fall and actually stopping in Panama. Has anyone actually purchased hats in places like panama, equador, or cuba? Seems most of my straws already say "Hand Made Equador" or something similar. Seems one could maybe get a good deal right from the place they are made? Ideas?

 

[scottyrocks]

Hey guys, I remember reading an answer to this question somewhere, but I can't recall where.

I'm a size 7, 22" precisely. Would a hat that measures 22 1/2" be too big/loose? If not, would the proportions still look fine if the hat is 1/2" bigger?

Also, should one bother with a sweat stuffer of some sort at this point, or anything more than 1/4" is too big?

I'm 23" on the button. Another 1/2" in circumference would have the hat down over my ears.

 

[drmaxtejeda]

Beautiful clean country. Lots of beautiful birds to photograph too. Fresh seafood everyday. Beautiful & friendly people, it's rare to see a local who is out of shape.


Me too. I've thought about it myself.

I went there last year with my family, and what you say is all true. However, Costa Rica is really expensive, especially the food, (for which they have a special tax on top of the high prices, like 20 dollars for a hamburguer in a medium-quality hotel) and the roads are very crowded, winding, slow, and narrow. It takes a long time (three or four hours) to go from one tourist attraction to another, even if the distance between them is only fifty miles.
And when I left, they hit me with an "impuesto de salida" (exit tax) so I could simply leave before my money ran out.

On my first day I met an American expat who warned me. I didn't believe him at first, because I had been there about thirty years before, and I didn't get the feeling that it was all one big tourist trap. This time, I did.

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[drmaxtejeda]

I own some Optimos, but I have never held a vintage felt hat in my hands, of the kind I see praised and talked about on the FL.
Can someone tell me if the difference between a Silverbelly Optimo and a great vintage felt is very noticeable?

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[jlee562]

Well, not too many Optimo silverbelly owners around...

I can compare to my Optimo Dillinger though. The thing about vintage felts is that there are so many different grades of felt, so it's hard to make too many generalities. After the 60's felt quality just isn't the same, and pre-war hats are especially desirable. One of the things that distinguishes earlier hats (pre-1941) was the use of mercury in the felting process, which aided in producing a tighter, denser felt. Mercury was actually outlawed earlier in Europe, but lasted until 1941 in the U.S. The oldest Stetson in my collection seems to be from around 1910 or so, and it's easily the nicest felt I've ever handled. The leather sweatband (which were wider cut, and higher quality leather) is still supple after a century. Molds like clay, like butter even!

Post War hats through the 50's and 60's were still quite nice. But many of these hats aren't as nice as an Optimo, per se, but might be in a color that's not produced any longer. Borsalino hats from the original factory are also highly regarded. Again for the variety of felt colors, but, having a thin and pliable felt. Modern dress and western weight felts are generally thicker than their vintage equivalents.

You're setting a pretty high bar for comparison if we're starting with an Optimo. But I would say yes, with certain vintage hats, you'd find something that surpasses the Optimo (perhaps a nice Clear Beaver Stetson).