Vintage hat size question

[garenb]

I've read that vintage hats tend to shrink a bit. I'm thinking of bidding on my first vintage from Ebay. I'm a 7 1/8. Should I be looking at 7 1/4 to compensate for shrinkage? Or should I be relatively safe with bidding on 7 1/8?

 

[zetwal]

If you are really 1/8 your best bet is to buy 1/8. Sometimes 7s may fit. At other times 1/4 may be the ticket. There is no way to know if a given hat will fit until you try it on. Of course, you can ask the seller for measurements before bidding in an effort to improve the odds. It's always a gamble, but you will learn to spot what will likely fit, and what you are willing to risk to give something a spin.

 

[donnc]

I agree, go for your size - but don't spend too much, it's a crap shoot.

 

[Bebop]

I am also a 1/8 and have had good luck with most 1/8 vintage hats from ebay. Then again, I've also had good luck with stretching 7's and shrinking 7 1/4. Sometimes, if the 1/8 has shrunk, all I need to do is wear it for a while and it springs back to it's original size.

 

[hatophile]

I agree with Bebop. I usually wear a 7. If if find a really nice 6 7/8 or 7 1/8,
I will try to shrink or stretch as needed, sometimes add a padding if a little big. Occasionally, I will have to even stretch a 7 a little bit to make it more comfortable. It doesn't hurt to have a hat stretcher on hand if you're a hat wearer. You can get them from some western shops, or one of the Akubra
dealers, like Everything Australian or Hats Direct.

 

[zetwal]

I don't stretch or shrink hats. If they fit, great. If they don't I don't keep 'em. I don't know if I'm in the minority on this point or not. It does seem that those who stretch and shrink are the more vocal group across the Lounge (at least as far as this topic goes).

That said, I do have some hats that fit a little snug and others that fit perfectly or are a little loose. I actually like to have a little variety. Sometimes my hair is long and sometimes it's short. I also like a snug fit on very windy days and a looser fit when it's very hot and humid. So, buy hats that fit property. But take into account that a little variation can be a good thing.

 

[Bebop]

By "shrinking" a hat, I mean using felt or newspaper or tissue between the sweat band and the hat. By "stretching" a hat, I mean either using a hat stretcher or just wearing it until it fits well. Of course you can't do that if the hat size is way off but if it's either a little snug of a little loose, these methods work.

Sometimes a vintage hat on ebay will not be a perfect 7 1/8. Some of these hats sit around for years without a head to rest upon so they shrink a bit. Sometimes a 7 1/8 will have been worn by someone with a 7 1/4 head and will be a bit big.

A few years ago, I went from having very long and thick hair to shaving my head and had to do all kinds of hokus-pokus with my hats. :rage:

 

[BanjoMerlin]

I picked up a hat a few months ago that was a 7 3/8 but had shrunk to a 7. I also have several vintage hats that are still the same size they were tagged. And there is always the chance the original owner had the hat stretched to fit. It is always a bit of a crap shoot to buy hats without being able to try them on but I think it is worth it.

My head is 7 3/16 long oval so finding any hat that truly fits is pretty rare for me. I usually go for 7 1/4 and add a bit of padding as needed but 7 1/8 long ovals work well too.

I'm fine with stretching a hat back to its original size but I don't keep hats that were tagged at a size too small for me.

OBTW, there are a few eBay sellers that actually know how to measure a hat but most don't do so well.

 

[Atticus Finch]

My admittedly limited experience has taught me that different brands of hats shrink differently as they age. My true hat size is 7 5/8, but if I'm buying a vintage Stetson, I’d better look for a 7 3/4. On the other hand, if I’m buying a vintage Resistol, I’m good with 7 5/8.

AF

 

[Dewhurst]

When buying used (vintage) I usually go one size up, or plan on giving a little stretch to a true size. I have always found it easier to pad out a hat that is a size too large (or half size or so if it shrank already). I am horrible at stretching hats and getting them to stay that way.

You can go right for your size, and plan on stretching a hat here and there (or everywhere if you have a run of bad luck). If you fill out your specified size to the maximum like I do, hitting up the next size can be worthwhile.

 

[BanjoMerlin]

My admittedly limited experience has taught me that different brands of hats shrink differently as they age. My true hat size is 7 5/8, but if I'm buying a vintage Stetson, I’d better look for a 7 3/4. On the other hand, if I’m buying a vintage Resistol, I’m good with 7 5/8.

AF

Not all the manufacturers used the same sizing method so that adds to the fun.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

It is a crap shoot

I wear either a size 7 or a 7-1/8 depending on who made the hat. So, yeah, it is a crap shoot to get one on ebay or over the Internet where you can't try it on first, for sure.

I usually just buy my "correct" size (7) and hope for the best.

 

[garenb]

Thanks for your answers everyone. I'm going to give the 7 1/8 a shot and see how it goes.