Too big or too small?

[sola fide]

Hello all.
There is a straw material hat I must have. I wear a 7 1/8. Only available sizes are 7 & 7 1/4. I've bought a few 7's and stretched them, they fit well as long as I keep my hair very short. If I must, should I get slightly bigger or slightly smaller?
Thanks
Mike

 

[viclip]

I'd go larger. Especially if leather, sweat bands tend to shrink with exposure to heat & moisture. Meanwhile you can always add filler material between the sweat band & the body of the hat, such as strips of foam, cloth, paper etc.

Besides which there's nothing more miserable than a hat which feels like a boa constrictor wrapped around one's noggin.

 

[sola fide]

I'd go larger. Especially if leather, sweat bands tend to shrink with exposure to heat & moisture. Meanwhile you can always add filler material between the sweat band & the body of the hat, such as strips of foam, cloth, paper etc.

Besides which there's nothing more miserable than a hat which feels like a boa constrictor wrapped around one's noggin.

Good common sense answer, thank you

 

[LuvMyMan]

I agree...larger can fit...smaller is a tight and uncomfortable feel.

 

[Michael R.]

DITTO , Larger . Pad the Sweatband to size it . Too tight is painful , and usually it just won't look right .