Hat shrinkage

[Mario]

Is it possible that an old vintage hat (30's/40's) that is tagged as 7 1/8 (approx. 22 1/4") can shrink to 21 3/4" or even 21 1/2" over the years? I know that they can shrink quite a bit, but is this possible? From 7 1/8 to 7 or even 6 7/8? [huh]

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

I've got an old Champ 7 1/4 that keeps trying to be a size 7.

It is regularly sentenced to the rack!:whip:

 

[Mario]

Yes, that would qualify, I guess...

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Get a hat stretcher...

 

[Mario]

Ha! But it's just the other way round: I'm one of the few 6 7/8ers on the Lounge and bought a hat in the hope that it is actually smaller (which repeated measurings with different techniques seem to prove) than the 7 1/8 tag implies. It was a risk to bid on that hat, but if it turns out too large for me, I can still sell it. Look here.

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

One of my favourite Borsalinos is a Punti 7 - and I'm a Punti 5-1/2. Like you, I got excited by the hat and received conflicting advice from the seller re the size. So, I took the chance. The confusion kept most of the bidders away and I got it cheap.

Well...it turned out to be a true but snug size 7 and I found that it's nothing a bit of padding in the sweatband couldn't fix - and I wear it regularly. Great hat.

 

[Mario]

Yes, I think the confusion regarding the size was what kept most bidders away from this hat as well. We'll see...

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Which just goes to show, Mario ol chum, that's there's a story behind all the hats we own. I bet we could write a book of "Hat Tales - A hatophile's hatography"

 

[Mario]

I bet we could write a book of "Hat Tales - A hatophile's hatography"

lol lol lol :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

Yeah - hats resemble a kind of history you're not carrying around inside your head but instead you're wearing it atop of your noggin.

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Oh very good mate!

Right off the top of your head eh?!

 

[gtdean48]

I've bought a vintage 7 5/8 that was closer to a 7 3/8 when I got it. It has been on the stretcher frequently. The life of some old hats is rougher than others, could've been left in a hot car or in the sun. No telling... [huh]

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

And no, you can't expand a hat while you're wearing it...

Using dynamite...

 

[Mario]

Urgh...

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Consider it a community service announcement

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

Now to the perils of SHRINKING a hat while wearing it...

 

[Mario]

Oh my...this reminds me of Germany's former chancellor, Helmut Kohl...the whole man looked like a pear... *shiver*

 

[Ephraim Tutt]

An excellent case in point Mario.

Take heed!

 

[CRH]

I'm not done with my morning coffee. This thread is scaring me!

 

[Mario]

Yes, it's not for the faint of heart... :kick: