The line between stingy brim and full brim?

[FedoraFan112390]

At what length would you say a hat is either a stingy brim or a full brimmed fedora? Like where is the line in terms of brim size which separates the two?

 

[fluteplayer07]

2" in my opinion. 2" is still a small brim, but below that is what I'd call stingy. 2 3/8 is where I think it's a larger or fuller brim.

 

[Brent Hutto]

I've got a couple of old, crummy wool hats. One has a 1-7/8" brim and it definitely looks stingy to me. The other is about 2-1/8" and it doesn't look stingy at all, even though it's a little taller and less tapered crown than the other.

So at 2" is where the line falls, whether a 2" brim is stingy or not probably depends on its relation to the size of the crown.

2" can go either way.

 

[monbla256]

For me, anything UNDER 2 1/2" is a "stingy" brim. But that's JMHO

 

[HatsEnough]

I lose interest in any hat with a brim less than 2-3/8" and dang few at 2-3/8" at that. But I say "stingy" begins at 2" and less. I prefer brims to start at 2-1/2" and go up to 2-7/8" really.

 

[job]

Two inches is the limit. Under that and it's a stingy brim to me.

 

[Nobert]

I tend to feel the opposite, I actually don't like wide brim hats (for me, I mean, it all depends on one's own taste and head shape). I think of 2" as short brim, though just about perfect for my head. To my mind "stingy brim" means the late 50's/early 60's style associated with the Rat Pack (which is enjoying a resurgance these days), in which the brim is barely extant, more of a rim than a brim.

 

[scottyrocks]

2" is the max for a stingy brim, afaic.

 

[Phineas Lamour]

Most of my hats are right around 2". I think they would be considered stingy by most here. But too much larger than that on my head looks like a cowboy hat to my eyes. I have a milan Borsolino that has a wider brim and doesn't look bad.

 

[Aureliano]

Below 2 1/4.

 

[Oldsarge]

Thank-you for bringing this up; it was a question I had, myself. Now, looking at hats for sale, I see very few that are really at that border line. It seems to take at least 2 1/2" to keep the sun out of my eyes and the only 2 1/4" brim I have is a winter hat for when there isn't much sun, anyhow. I certainly wouldn't own anything smaller than that and 2 1/2-3" is about right. Good thread!

 

[HatsEnough]

I'll tell you one thing, if you want to get real cheap deals on fedoras (at least on ebay) keep it at 2" and under. Those are a dime a dozen!

 

[Tango Yankee]

Two inches is a good point to consider the fine line between "stingy" and "not stingy" but I've found that other factors can have an effect on the appearance of stingy or not stingy. One is the edge treatment, if there is one. Some can make a brim a bit wider than 2 inches seem narrower, and others wider.

Stingy brims, with rare exceptions, do not look good on my with my current face shape and my size, at least in my opinion. On the other hand, my son and nephew both look great in stingy brims. I think that the youthful slenderness of their faces has something to do with that.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Brent Hutto]

I'm going with 2" on my new hat. It'll be a nice contrast to my Alessandria that has 2-1/2" sides and back and about 2-5/8" or a bit more in front. If I'll own two brown or taupe hats with fairly tall and square crowns I want them as different as possible brim-wise. And some days I'm in the mood not to have a bunch of brim in my face, truth be told.

 

[gtdean48]

2" is a stingy & so is 2.25". 2 3/8 is the border.JMHO

 

[BR Gordon]

2" is a stingy & so is 2.25". 2 3/8 is the border.JMHO

This works for me.

BR

 

[LoveMyHats2]

I can agree on those figures, I do own a few hats that are stingy brims and they are not too bad looking when I wear them at all. I have not yet come to feel one brim size is a preference to me, I find for myself if I put a hat on and like how it looks that is all that matters.

 

[carldelo]

I think 2" or less is stingy, 2-1/8" to 2-3/8" is exactly right and cosmically harmonious (on me), and 2-1/2" or greater is wide. One guess what size brim my hats have...

 

[VetPsychWars]

I've had and can wear a 2" but those have been shorter and more tapered crowns. For the hats I'm buying nowadays, I prefer 2.5". I think less than 2" is "stingy" as many have said.

Tom

 

[jwalls]

2" is a stingy & so is 2.25". 2 3/8 is the border.JMHO

You are right on the number , Tom. 2-3/8" is about where 'stingy ' starts for me.