Hat FAQ — Common Questions Answered

Frequently Asked Questions

The most common questions about buying, wearing, and looking after hats.

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Sizing & Fit

How do I measure my head for a hat?

Wrap a soft tape measure around your head about 1 cm above your ears and eyebrows — the widest part of your head. Keep it level. That measurement in centimetres is your head circumference. Compare it to the hat manufacturer's size chart. If you're between sizes, go up.

My hat feels too tight. What can I do?

Use a hat stretcher — a spring-loaded device that gradually expands the hat over 24–48 hours. For felt hats, steam the sweatband lightly before stretching. Most hats can be stretched about half a size. Going further risks distorting the shape.

My hat feels too loose. What can I do?

Add foam hat-sizing strips (adhesive-backed foam) inside the sweatband. They're cheap, invisible, and available in various thicknesses. Start thin and build up.

Do hats come in "one size fits most"?

Many casual hats (beanies, bucket hats, baseball caps with adjustable closures) do. For structured hats (fedoras, flat caps, Panamas), proper sizing matters. One-size-fits-most typically fits head circumferences of 56–59 cm.

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Buying

How much should I spend on a first hat?

Enough to get something that fits well and looks good, but not so much that you're afraid to wear it. General ranges:

• Beanies/casual knits — £10–£30
• Flat caps — £25–£60
• Wool felt fedoras — £40–£100
• Fur felt fedoras — £100–£300+
• Panama hats — £50 (basic) to £500+ (Montecristi)
• Baseball/trucker caps — £15–£40

Start with one versatile hat and learn what you like before investing more.

What's the difference between cheap and expensive felt?

Mainly the material and finishing. A £40 wool felt hat is a reasonable everyday hat — slightly coarse, decent water resistance. A £200 fur felt hat will be smoother, lighter, more water-resistant, hold its shape better, and last decades with care. The nap (surface texture) is noticeably finer on fur felt.

Where can I buy quality hats in the UK?

• Lock & Co Hatters (London) — World's oldest hat shop. Premium.
• Christys' Hats — Heritage British manufacturer since 1773.
• Village Hats — Wide online selection, good mid-range.
• Failsworth Hats — Quality British flat caps and felt hats.
• Worth & Worth — If budget isn't a concern.
• Amazon/ASOS — Fine for casual hats and trying styles before investing.

Can I buy hats online or should I go in person?

Both work. For your first structured hat, in-person is better — you'll learn what shapes suit you. Once you know your size and preferred crown/brim shapes, online is fine. Always check the return policy.

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Wearing & Style

Can anyone wear a hat?

Yes. The idea that "hats don't suit me" is almost always wrong — it means you haven't found the right hat yet. The trick is matching the hat shape to your face shape (see our face shapes guide) and getting the right size.

When should I take my hat off?

Traditional etiquette says men remove hats indoors (homes, restaurants, cinemas, places of worship). Women's "dress hats" and fascinators can stay on. These rules are loosening — at casual indoor settings, it's largely personal preference. Remove for national anthems and at funerals.

Baseball caps follow different conventions — they're casual by nature, but many restaurants and workplaces expect them off.

How do I know what hat goes with my outfit?

Match the hat's formality to the outfit. A fedora with a suit? Perfect. A fedora with gym shorts? Don't. Some general alignments:

• Casual — Beanie, baseball cap, bucket hat, flat cap
• Smart casual — Flat cap, trilby, newsboy, Panama
• Formal — Fedora, Homburg, top hat (black tie/morning dress)

Colour-wise, neutral hats (black, grey, navy, brown, cream) go with almost everything.

Will I get funny looks wearing a hat?

You might get a few. Wear it anyway. Hats were everyday wear for centuries — we're in a historical anomaly of bare-headedness. The confidence is more important than the hat.

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Care & Maintenance

How do I clean a felt hat?

Brush it regularly with a soft-bristle hat brush (counter-clockwise for most felt). For spots, try a lint roller or art gum eraser. For deeper cleaning, damp-wipe with a barely moist cloth. Avoid water immersion. See our full care guide for material-specific instructions.

How do I clean a straw hat?

Wipe with a slightly damp cloth. For stubborn marks on natural straw, a paste of lemon juice and salt can lighten them — test on the inside first. Never soak straw hats.

How should I store my hat?

• Crown-down on a flat surface or on a hat stand (protects the brim)
• In a hatbox if you have one — keeps dust off and shape intact
• Away from direct sunlight (colours fade)
• In a cool, dry place (heat warps, moisture grows mould)
• Don't hang by the brim — it'll stretch and lose shape

My hat got rained on. Is it ruined?

Probably not. Shake off excess water, reshape it gently with your hands, and let it dry naturally at room temperature — never on a radiator or with a hairdryer. Stuff the crown with a towel to hold its shape while drying. Felt is naturally water-resistant (especially fur felt).

Can a crushed hat be repaired?

Often yes. For felt hats, hold the dented area over steam from a kettle (not too close) and gently reshape with your fingers. For stiff straw, a professional milliner can often restore the shape. For cheap straw or paper straw — probably not worth the effort.

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Etiquette & Culture

Is it rude to wear a hat indoors?

It depends on context. Traditional Western etiquette says men should remove hats indoors. In religious buildings, rules vary — men remove hats in churches, cover heads in synagogues and mosques, cover heads in gurdwaras. When in doubt, follow what others around you are doing.

Is it disrespectful to wear a cowboy hat if I'm not from the American West?

No. Cowboy hats are functional sun hats widely worn by anyone who finds them useful or attractive. Wear one in good faith and nobody reasonable will object.

What about cultural or religious headwear?

Some hats carry deep cultural or religious significance. Turbans, kippot, kufis, and hijabs are religious garments — wearing them as fashion accessories if they're not part of your tradition can be disrespectful. When in doubt, learn the context.

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Miscellaneous

Why did people stop wearing hats?

Several factors converged in the mid-20th century: car roofs made hats impractical, JFK's hatless inauguration (though he did wear a top hat), central heating, casualisation of dress codes, and the decline of formal social rituals. Hats never fully disappeared — they've cycled through fashion niches continuously.

Do hats cause hair loss?

No. This is a persistent myth. Hats don't cause pattern baldness, which is genetic and hormonal. Extremely tight hats worn constantly could theoretically cause traction alopecia, but you'd have to be wearing a painfully tight hat for hours daily.

What's the most expensive hat ever sold?

A Charlie Chaplin bowler hat sold for approximately $62,500. Various celebrity-owned fedoras have fetched similar prices. One-off couture fascinators by Philip Treacy can cost tens of thousands.

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