2XL + Baby Face

[juufa72]

Greetings,

I seem to have many qualities that I must work around: my hat size is 7 7/8" which limits me to hat selection. The second is that I have a round baby face.

What do you suggest in terms of hat style? For that matter, will a hat even benefit me? What should I avoid?

Many thanks,
-j

 

[dragonaxe]

i reckon a nice wide brimmed fedora would suit you a treat! Especially with that waistcoat..you'd be straight out of The Untouchables

 

[hatophile]

I agree with Dragon, you would look good with a high-crown, wide brim hat. You would probably have to go with a modern hat, finding a vintage your size would be difficult.

 

[dwebber18]

I agree, a high crown with a wider brim, maybe 2.5" and up would work for you. And you will probably have to go with a modern hat for the reason expressed above.

 

[Neophyte]

I am thinking an Open Road/Camp Draft would suit you perfectly.

 

[monbla256]

You've not given an important dimension - youre HEIGHT But from the photos you've provided, you look to be over 6'-0" ? If so, too tall a crown might not work all that well. The Akubra Stylemaster (2.5" brim) or Squatter (3" brim) would probably work well overall with your face and size. They are quality all fur felt hats, currently available from many suppliers and most importantly are made in your hat size !! Give 'em a look at

 

[juufa72]

Thank you for all your replies. I am 6'2". I will look at all the suggestions that were given. The challenge is trying to find a 7 7/8" hat. The sites that I visit claim to have "plus size" hats, but only go up to 7 3/4" which is too snug for my melon.

BTW- that waistcoat was a rental for a wedding I went to. I'm working on saving some cash for a good three piece suit. But it's a tough road considering the economy and my iffy employment status.

Thank you once again.

Best,
-jg

 

[VitaminG]

you may have trouble finding hats in stock in your size, but some manufacturers do make hats in your size. You might just have to wait a few months. Akubra will make many of their models in a 7 7/8 or even an 8!

btw, I'm not talking about expensive custom hats either, but special order production hats, so the cost won't kill ya

 

[Mr E Train]

Everything Australian has Bluegrass Green Akubra Campdrafts in size 63 (7 7/8) in stock right now. Check the Akubra Campdraft thread for pictures. The Campdraft's a popular hat around here, and the Bluegrass Green is a great color that may or may not suit your wardrobe.

 

[Yeps]

I am thinking an Open Road/Camp Draft would suit you perfectly.

You would say that. Not that I disagree with you.

Juufa,
take a look at this.

 

[James71]

Im 6'1 about 240lbs with a similar face shape ( more or less). The consensus is that I'm suited to wide brim hats. I've got a swag of campdrafts, ceo's, sqquatters, coober pedy and cattlemen that all look cool, but also wear a bogart for after dark gigs. Pick one you like mate and don't care too much what the experts say you have to wear.

 

[randooch]

May as well be the first to say, Welcome to the lounge!" For what it's worth, I don't think you have a baby face. Softer features, is all. A plethora of hats'll look great on you. When you find one with the right proportions, play around with how you wear it ON YOUR HEAD: a little angle or tilt can work wonders.

 

[Yeps]

What do you suggest in terms of hat style? For that matter, will a hat even benefit me? What should I avoid?

A derby might work well.

 

[carldelo]

The Stylemaster and Camp Draft are good suggestions and come big enough. You might want to opt for the SM first, as it is more modest in its proportions for a starter lid, and it comes already creased. The CD is an open crown lid, which is not a big deal, but you do have to crease it yourself.
http://everythingaustralian.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=535

The drawback, of course, is the long wait while they make your hat.

For modern American hats, the Stetson Temple comes stock in your size:
http://www.bencrafthats.com/product.php?pid=402&subcname=Stetson

There are plenty of Borsalino that are big enough for you (look around the Bencraft site), but the price is higher.
Welcome to the lounge - it's nice to know there are a few guys out there with even bigger noggins than mine (7-3/4)
Vintage does exist in your size, but they're few and far between. It helps to know what you prefer before trying the vintage market.

 

[juufa72]

Thank you again for the replies. Why have there been suggestions of going vintage? Is there some difference between quality?

 

[Yeps]

Thank you again for the replies. Why have there been suggestions of going vintage? Is there some difference between quality?

There are arguments about quality, but it basically comes down to value. Vintage is normally the best deal for the money. However, with your size that might be difficult.

By the way, you said

my hat size is 7 7/8" which limits me to hat selection.

Did you mean to put the inches symbol there? If not, and that is hat size, then you are out of luck. If you are quoting some measurement which is 7 7/8 inches, there might be some hope for you finding a vintage hat

 

[hatophile]

juufa72,

There are multiple threads in this forum about vintage vs. new, most boil down to an individual's preferance. I personally like vintage just because of the character of the hats, and because vintage hats were so plentiful, many different styles and shapes are still available. The biggest problem with them is that your sizes can be limited. Those of us with micro heads
7-71/8 are able to have many choices on Ebay, etc. As the head sizes increase, the vintage hats become more scarce, and consequently more expensive. If you're going to pay through the nose for a larger size vintage hat, you may as well consider a custom-made, then you can get your exact size and the exact styling you want. Most of the custom makers will even help you get a hat with your facial features in mind.

On the other hand, starting out with a reasonable factory made modern hat in your size and for a lower price may be the way to go, to make sure what you're comfortable with, and even if you want to continue hat wearing.

There's no right answer here, depends mostly on your preferences and pocketbook.

 

[frussell]

I can squeeze into a 7 3/4 long oval, but really I'm also a 7 7/8. Let me tell you, vintage hats in that size are a real rarity. I've found one by accident, it was labeled and sold with another 7 3/4, but that's been it so far. I find that Akubra's size 63 fits me well, and usually Hatsdirect has some models in that size, even though their website may only go up to 62. Worth checking into. If I sell any of my king-sized hats, I'll PM you, as I sympathize completely with your cerebral surplus. For what it's worth, you might find that a big guy looks better in a taller crown, and things like the abovementioned Campdraft can be creased high or low, while the Stylemaster is relatively low crowned, and did not work on me at all. Still, James' post above echoes my sentiments exactly. Wear what you're comfortable in. I have many stingy brims that I love, even though I'm 6' 5". Good hunting, Frank

 

[carldelo]

Did you mean to put the inches symbol there? If not, and that is hat size, then you are out of luck. If you are quoting some measurement which is 7 7/8 inches, there might be some hope for you finding a vintage hat

Actually, English hat size is a measurement in inches. It is the circumference of your head divided by Pi, and so is effectively the mean diameter of your head in inches. So the inch symbol is correct, strictly speaking, but is traditionally omitted.

Metric hat size is a more direct measurement, as it is just the circumference of your head in centimeters.

To convert between the two is simple. English hat size times Pi, times 2.54 cm/inch gives the metric size (7-7/8 times 3.1416 times 2.54 = 62.8 or round it up to size 63 metric).

 

[juufa72]

Well gents (and ladies?) what do you think? It's a Stetson (modern). I don't remember the exact model name, but I think it gets the job done.