Regarding the crown of the hat not touching your hair...

[DerMann]

On many fedoras, both modern and vintage, you will find that the liner has a plastic shield at the top, which is meant to keep the liner free of sweat and oils from the top your head.

That being said, apart from my top hat, all of my hats touch the top of my head, and I don't mind it.

 

[quintox]

Perhaps we could check with Billy if his hat fits properly . The guy that caught the kick did not lose his hat until he hit the ground. That must have been a good fit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v325wdgoFH4

 

[UWS Cowboy]

I've also got a very high domed forehead. Every hat I own has a crown that the top of my head touches, of course some more so than others. My new 6 inch dobbs even, I've got it in a diamond with a small teardrop. My Federation IV has a huge teardrop, because my head just pushes it up to that level. I really cannot even wear crowns below 5.5", and I prefer 6.

 

[carouselvic]

I'd say if you are wearing a top hat and it touches, then you definitely have a problem. If it's a fedora, then not so much. IMHO

 

[Woodfluter]

To each his own, and away with rules!

That said, I have a high-domed head and prefer that my hat fits thusly:
(1) Normally set, not quite touching.
(2) Jammed down harder, just touching.

And for what I imagine are good reasons. In hot weather, airspace to keep head cooler. When set down fairly lightly on my noggin, no spring action working to pry it off and into a zephyr. In rain, the wicking issue as mentioned. And a little space left so I can jam it down securely in a breeze without popping up the crease.

I have made pretty much all my hats fit like that, from the lower-crowned stingy fedora to the tall cowboy types. Just steam and fiddling. I have to work a dome into those with a C-crown or diamond, but for the center dent, just a question of where you set the dent and other interlocking factors. For example, a small-crowned hat will have a shallow dent and look wider from the front, while a tall hat will have a deeper dent and some apparent taper as seen from the front. So you can choose!

= Bill

 

[ScionPI2005]

I'd say if you are wearing a top hat and it touches, then you definitely have a problem. If it's a fedora, then not so much. IMHO

The CONEHEADS!