How to address head shape?

[Yancy.41]

I purchased my first custom fedora hat a few years ago. I ordered a second fedora not long ago from a different maker.

I suppose I should’ve done a lot more research instead of gawking at photos the first time around. That hatter simply measured my head once and that was it. The second hatter used a device and actually traced the shape of my head. The first hat is tight in front and back and has space forward of my ears. Looking at the tracing of my head the second hatter made and combining that with what I’ve learned, and the first hat fit- my head is long oval.

My first hat is very stiff. Based on the example I handled the second hat will be softer. It will be dress felt. I suspect there will be a huge difference how the two hats feel on my head.

I really like the Stetson Stratoliner and many of the Akubra hats.

My question is this:

How does one order an “off the shelf” hat like a Campdraft and have it fit as perfectly as possible? There are a couple hats I wouldn’t mind ordering but I’m wondering if they will fit like the first hat I purchased… which is tight in front and back. Or does it really matter if the hat is correct size?

I have experience with exactly one proper hat. I like the hat. I’m beginning to wonder how much I’ll like it once the second hat arrives…

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I purchased my first custom fedora hat a few years ago. I ordered a second fedora not long ago from a different maker.

I suppose I should’ve done a lot more research instead of gawking at photos the first time around. That hatter simply measured my head once and that was it. The second hatter used a device and actually traced the shape of my head. The first hat is tight in front and back and has space forward of my ears. Looking at the tracing of my head the second hatter made and combining that with what I’ve learned, and the first hat fit- my head is long oval.

My first hat is very stiff. Based on the example I handled the second hat will be softer. It will be dress felt. I suspect there will be a huge difference how the two hats feel on my head.

I really like the Stetson Stratoliner and many of the Akubra hats.

My question is this:

How does one order an “off the shelf” hat like a Campdraft and have it fit as perfectly as possible? There are a couple hats I wouldn’t mind ordering but I’m wondering if they will fit like the first hat I purchased… which is tight in front and back. Or does it really matter if the hat is correct size?

I have experience with exactly one proper hat. I like the hat. I’m beginning to wonder how much I’ll like it once the second hat arrives…

You can use a hat jack or a band block to give the hat a long oval shape, but there may be complications. When you change the shape of a finished hat it can distort the brim. If it’s a small change it might not be much of an issue, but larger changes in shape (standard to long or extra long oval) can change the tensioning on a flanged brim. It’s best to buy a hat made as a long oval, but being a long oval myself I can usually make standard oval hats work. Sometimes I’ll re-flange the brim, but it’s often not necessary.

 

[belfastboy]

I purchased my first custom fedora hat a few years ago. I ordered a second fedora not long ago from a different maker.

I suppose I should’ve done a lot more research instead of gawking at photos the first time around. That hatter simply measured my head once and that was it. The second hatter used a device and actually traced the shape of my head. The first hat is tight in front and back and has space forward of my ears. Looking at the tracing of my head the second hatter made and combining that with what I’ve learned, and the first hat fit- my head is long oval.

My first hat is very stiff. Based on the example I handled the second hat will be softer. It will be dress felt. I suspect there will be a huge difference how the two hats feel on my head.

I really like the Stetson Stratoliner and many of the Akubra hats.

My question is this:

How does one order an “off the shelf” hat like a Campdraft and have it fit as perfectly as possible? There are a couple hats I wouldn’t mind ordering but I’m wondering if they will fit like the first hat I purchased… which is tight in front and back. Or does it really matter if the hat is correct size?

I have experience with exactly one proper hat. I like the hat. I’m beginning to wonder how much I’ll like it once the second hat arrives…

There are two aspects to getting a hat that fits. Firstly your size then the shape......both are important and not to be overlooked. If the hat is a softer felt (dress weight not western weight) there is a chance you can wear the hat in to fit your long oval shape....eventually. If the hat is stiff my experience (as a long oval) is it does not conform to your head all that well. I have made hats fit me by using a skinny hat jack that I have sanded the ears off so you get a full north/south stretch and the jack does not even touch the sides. Ease it slowly being very very careful not to distort the brim or push out the crown noticeably the width of the jack.

 

[scotrace]

Speaking as likely the longest long oval head of all 50,000 people here, I've found that two types of hats fir me: stiffish felts with a brim that won't distort in a slightly too big size, or vintage hats marked XX Long Oval.

 

[belfastboy]

Speaking as likely the longest long oval head of all 50,000 people here, I've found that two types of hats fir me: stiffish felts with a brim that won't distort in a slightly too big size, or vintage hats marked XX Long Oval.

My buddy whom I made a hat for....once...is an extra long oval. his head shape most resembles a tug boat in the back and a speed boat in the front. It took way too long to make......so much so that I doubt I will ever attempt one again.

 

[Yancy.41]

Thanks for the helpful replies. I’m not sure to what degree I am long oval. I’ll ask the hatter currently making a hat for me. I have a big head I guess… 7 5/8ths… When I received my first hat I thought it must be normal for a stiff hat to be tight in front and back with space on the sides forward of ears. Live and learn so they say.

Based on Y’alls (Sorry, I’m from the south) responses, I’m thinking I need to have fewer hats shaped for me. Belfastboy suggested a couple hatters in another thread. I particularly like what I see on The Northwest Hat Company website.

Again, I appreciate the time taken to respond. Y.41

 

[Who?]

The first and last thing a hat should do is fit.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thanks for the helpful replies. I’m not sure to what degree I am long oval. I’ll ask the hatter currently making a hat for me. I have a big head I guess… 7 5/8ths… When I received my first hat I thought it must be normal for a stiff hat to be tight in front and back with space on the sides forward of ears. Live and learn so they say.

Based on Y’alls (Sorry, I’m from the south) responses, I’m thinking I need to have fewer hats shaped for me. Belfastboy suggested a couple hatters in another thread. I particularly like what I see on The Northwest Hat Company website.

Again, I appreciate the time taken to respond. Y.41

Some of the best hatters have some of the worst websites. I also like Mike at Northwest, but he offers a LOT more than his website shows. The same is true with some of other great hat makers.

 

[belfastboy]

Thanks for the helpful replies. I’m not sure to what degree I am long oval. I’ll ask the hatter currently making a hat for me. I have a big head I guess… 7 5/8ths… When I received my first hat I thought it must be normal for a stiff hat to be tight in front and back with space on the sides forward of ears. Live and learn so they say.

Based on Y’alls (Sorry, I’m from the south) responses, I’m thinking I need to have fewer hats shaped for me. Belfastboy suggested a couple hatters in another thread. I particularly like what I see on The Northwest Hat Company website.

Again, I appreciate the time taken to respond. Y.41

An effective and inexpensive way to determine your head shape: Amazon or Ebay, buy a Woodworkers Flexible Curve $10 to $15...at least 24" or for you perhaps 36" is optimum. Get someone to wrap it around your head where a hat would fit placing some pressure on it to get it to conform tightly to your head. Remove carefully making sure to keep its shape and trace the inside edge to get the outline of your head's shape. If you send me or post an overhead picture with the east/west and north/south inside dimensions I can tell you where you are in terms of long oval to regular oval or a hybrid like so many men.
I have an expensive conformateur (and a Flex Curve too as a double check) that I use for in person clients and I use the Flex Curve method for my online clients. The Flex Curve works just as well for a small fraction of the cost.

 

[Xylophile]

I purchased my first custom fedora hat a few years ago. I ordered a second fedora not long ago from a different maker.

I suppose I should’ve done a lot more research instead of gawking at photos the first time around. That hatter simply measured my head once and that was it. The second hatter used a device and actually traced the shape of my head. The first hat is tight in front and back and has space forward of my ears. Looking at the tracing of my head the second hatter made and combining that with what I’ve learned, and the first hat fit- my head is long oval.

My first hat is very stiff. Based on the example I handled the second hat will be softer. It will be dress felt. I suspect there will be a huge difference how the two hats feel on my head.

I really like the Stetson Stratoliner and many of the Akubra hats.

My question is this:

How does one order an “off the shelf” hat like a Campdraft and have it fit as perfectly as possible? There are a couple hats I wouldn’t mind ordering but I’m wondering if they will fit like the first hat I purchased… which is tight in front and back. Or does it really matter if the hat is correct size?

I have experience with exactly one proper hat. I like the hat. I’m beginning to wonder how much I’ll like it once the second hat arrives…

If you can be adjacent to the hat shelf when buying, I imagine it would be less of a hassle, as you could select a hat in a size that would comfortably accommodate your head's longer than average shape regardless of your head measurement. I'm a long oval and in my view it will always be a hassle buying through the mail, even if you are ready to deal with the reshaping of the new hat once received. Unless like me, you wanted to explore all that hat shaping stuff. I have two Campdrafts and they are tough hats, I don't think you can hurt them by having your way with them. I sure have worked mine over to no ill effect.

 

[Genuine Classic Gangster]

I have an extra long oval shaped head (by the way, that is different from "long oval," so you need to know if you are "long oval" or "extra long oval").

I determined that I was EXLO by sending photographs via email of my bare head, both the sides and the top as well, to bespoke hat makers, and they were able to determine from the photos that my head shape is indeed EXLO.

So I suggest you do the same; send some photos of your head to one or more bespoke hat maters, in order to have them determine your head shape based upon them looking at the photos.

When I was buying a relatively cheaper (compared to bespoke hat prices) hat like an Akubra, then what I did was, I went into a local hat shop that has super high prices, and tried on some of their Akubras to find out what size is best for me, and then I went home and ordered the same model online, in my correct size, for a much lower price.

Since the Akubras come in standard oval shape (I think?), I ended up ordering one that is about a CM wider than are my hats from bespoke hat makers who block hats for me in an EXLO shape.

With my bespoke hats that are blocked in EXLO, I have them created to be a little more than 1 CM wider than my head measures when I put a cloth tape measure around my head, which measures to 57.8 CM.

When I have bespoke hat makers create hats for me in 59 CM with an EXLO shape, then they fit me properly, albeit there is a bit of a gap at the sides between the sweatband and my head (but not enough to make the hats be uncomfortable in any way...they feel great on my head when I first receive them, albeit just a tiny bit loose, which is way better than having them be too tight would be IMO).

I suppose my bespoke hats could fit even better if I were to visit the hatters in person and have them put the medieval conformateur device on my head, but I don't do that because I don't have the spare money for airfare in order to physically reach their shops.

But, I found that their 59 CM EXLO hats, many of which I ordered without ever having a bespoke hatter measure my head in-person, to fit more than well-enough even if they aren't perfect to the exact millimeter.

And anyway, my bespoke hats become tighter over time as the sweatband shrinks, eventually causing them to become too tight to wear until I send them in to have the sweatband replaced. Meaning, even if the hats come a bit "too big" initially, it seems like they would stop being too big after a bit of use.

Oh, and with my Akubras that I ordered in 60 CM, they were much too lose at one side when I first received them. However, the shop I bought them from included, for free, some felt strips in the box which are designed to fix that problem.

So what I did was, I cut down the felt strips so that they would fit along the side part of the sweatband which had too big of a gap for my head, and then I tucked the felt strip into the sweatband, and then it made my off-the-shelf Akubra fit my head in way that is akin to my bespoke hats blocked in EXLO with a one CM lower size (59CM for bespoke EXLO vs 60CM for off-the-shelf Akubra).

 

[belfastboy]

I have an extra long oval shaped head (by the way, that is different from "long oval," so you need to know if you are "long oval" or "extra long oval").

I determined that I was EXLO by sending photographs via email of my bare head, both the sides and the top as well, to bespoke hat makers, and they were able to determine from the photos that my head shape is indeed EXLO.

So I suggest you do the same; send some photos of your head to one or more bespoke hat maters, in order to have them determine your head shape based upon them looking at the photos.

When I was buying a relatively cheaper (compared to bespoke hat prices) hat like an Akubra, then what I did was, I went into a local hat shop that has super high prices, and tried on some of their Akubras to find out what size is best for me, and then I went home and ordered the same model online, in my correct size, for a much lower price.

Since the Akubras come in standard oval shape (I think?), I ended up ordering one that is about a CM wider than are my hats from bespoke hat makers who block hats for me in an EXLO shape.

With my bespoke hats that are blocked in EXLO, I have them created to be a little more than 1 CM wider than my head measures when I put a cloth tape measure around my head, which measures to 57.8 CM.

When I have bespoke hat makers create hats for me in 59 CM with an EXLO shape, then they fit me properly, albeit there is a bit of a gap at the sides between the sweatband and my head (but not enough to make the hats be uncomfortable in any way...they feel great on my head when I first receive them, albeit just a tiny bit loose, which is way better than having them be too tight would be IMO).

I suppose my bespoke hats could fit even better if I were to visit the hatters in person and have them put the medieval conformateur device on my head, but I don't do that because I don't have the spare money for airfare in order to physically reach their shops.

But, I found that their 59 CM EXLO hats, many of which I ordered without ever having a bespoke hatter measure my head in-person, to fit more than well-enough even if they aren't perfect to the exact millimeter.

And anyway, my bespoke hats become tighter over time as the sweatband shrinks, eventually causing them to become too tight to wear until I send them in to have the sweatband replaced. Meaning, even if the hats come a bit "too big" initially, it seems like they would stop being too big after a bit of use.

Oh, and with my Akubras that I ordered in 60 CM, they were much too lose at one side when I first received them. However, the shop I bought them from included, for free, some felt strips in the box which are designed to fix that problem.

So what I did was, I cut down the felt strips so that they would fit along the side part of the sweatband which had too big of a gap for my head, and then I tucked the felt strip into the sweatband, and then it made my off-the-shelf Akubra fit my head in way that is akin to my bespoke hats blocked in EXLO with a one CM lower size (59CM for bespoke EXLO vs 60CM for off-the-shelf Akubra).

Extra Long Oval head shapes are difficult to fit. We hatters work off blocks and there are two standard shapes, Long Oval and Regular Oval. Thankfully those two shapes cover over 90%+of men and women. I imagine they are out there but I have yet to see an extra long oval hat block. It is easy to determine with high accuracy by using a woodworkers/carpenter's Flex Curve. I have a conformateur and the Flex Curve works just as well. If determining that you are an extra long oval is just the beginning. I have made only one XLO and it took more than double the time to get it right. Yes, your method, of buying oversize works if the narrowing at the temple is not too great. It would not work for my friend as he had an extreme narrowing at the temple and even a long oval shape still left noticeable gaps at the temples (a finger and a half gap) and the hat looked much too large even though it fit him well at the front and back.

A client brought in a hat purchased in Japan last week. He was a perfect regular oval but the hat even though the right size did not fit. The reason? The hat was blocked on a True Round block so I had to finesse the crown into a regular oval block without distorting crown or brim. I did it but like an extra long oval I am glad I don't have to contend with a True round oval either.

 

[Yancy.41]

I appreciate the feedback. Really I do. What would be helpful to me and other hat “rookies” is a Fedora Lounge sticky explaining head shapes including graphics or photos to illustrate the differences. Again, I own exactly a hat and a half so to speak.

Several knowledgable experts have responded here with information that clearly states that there are challenges to overcome to get a hat that fits for some people.

I wish I’d have been smart or wise enough to ask this question before I left my home to drive to a hat shop. Someone who just wants the first hat merely thinks going to a brick and mortar hat store will surely do.

With the advanced expertise present here, there could be a step by step tutorial on what to do when considering a first hat purchase for the interested novice. It could address production hats and customs. We rookies would eat that up.

This is all to say fit means more that how cool a hat looks. A cool hat that doesn’t fit well is less cool.

If such a thread exists then I’m the idiot so feel free to point it out and pile on. Wouldn’t be the first time I made a mistake.

When I have something worth exhibiting I’ll figure out how to post it.

Thanks.

 

[belfastboy]

I appreciate the feedback. Really I do. What would be helpful to me and other hat “rookies” is a Fedora Lounge sticky explaining head shapes including graphics or photos to illustrate the differences. Again, I own exactly a hat and a half so to speak.

Several knowledgable experts have responded here with information that clearly states that there are challenges to overcome to get a hat that fits for some people.

I wish I’d have been smart or wise enough to ask this question before I left my home to drive to a hat shop. Someone who just wants the first hat merely thinks going to a brick and mortar hat store will surely do.

With the advanced expertise present here, there could be a step by step tutorial on what to do when considering a first hat purchase for the interested novice. It could address production hats and customs. We rookies would eat that up.

This is all to say fit means more that how cool a hat looks. A cool hat that doesn’t fit well is less cool.

If such a thread exists then I’m the idiot so feel free to point it out and pile on. Wouldn’t be the first time I made a mistake.

When I have something worth exhibiting I’ll figure out how to post it.

Thanks.

 

[belfastboy]

One aspect of the Lounge that could be more clearly stated is to use the Google search rather than the internal Lounge search engine. Just type into google....."Fedora Lounge" and the topic you seek . You will likely get multiple threads that address your question. There are many many threads on ALL things fedora (Plus) posted by men far more knowledgeable than I. There is a thread going back to 2005 that covers much of what you seek. The other way to go is to post a specific question in the "Ask a question" thread and at least you will be directed to a thread that likely delivers an answer.

It is not a complex issue. As I stated 90% of all men are either Long Oval or Regular Oval or a hybrid. There are a few outliers of True Ovals and Extra Long but luckily few. For $10 a carpenter's Flexible Curve will get your head shape and if you post the north/south and then east/west dimension Lounge members can tell you where you sit in the great head shape realm. After that it is a question of aesthetics of crown height/shape, brim width and treatment and that is about as subjective a topic as you can get.