Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

is the hat too small?

Detective_Noir

One of the Regulars
Messages
174
Location
Kansas
i wear a size 7 stetson fedora i recently got from an ebay win. and i was wondering if the hat was the right size. based on height and resting positions it sits 1/2 to 3/4" above my eyebrows (doesnt touch my eyebrows and wont fall down and stays in that spot.) its a finger to a 1 1/2 finger widths above my ear and i can pull it down to my ears but after a while it gives me a head ache. photos below to have some what reference if the resting height on my head seems ok. im getting a hair cut soon this weekend and seeing its factor in my hat feeling tight. although when my bangs are down it feels a little tighter but slides on and off easily. but when i pull or comb my hair back it releases some tension.
7LS2y.jpg

fXi4R.jpg

uL40n.jpg
 
Last edited:

ottawa_adam

One of the Regulars
Messages
192
Location
Ottawa, Canada
Looks a little bit small. The dead giveaway should be that it begins to give you a headache. Also, if you were to wear it in the wind, do you think it would stay firmly on your head or would it be picked up easily? If the latter, that's a good indicator a hat is too small or too large.
 

Detective_Noir

One of the Regulars
Messages
174
Location
Kansas
it can still blow off but it has to take a good gust to get it. i never pull it down to touch my ears because thats the only time it would cause strain on me. so i usually let it sit right above my ears and above my eyebrows. can i tip it to the side to create an illusion of it fitting better?
 

Detective_Noir

One of the Regulars
Messages
174
Location
Kansas
and to add to hat size problems is that i recently had a 7 1/4 but it was wobbling on my head and was not firm... so i feel as if im a 7 1/8.. i have another size 7 stetson but its not tight around my head... which is odd
 

tealseal

A-List Customer
Messages
380
Location
Tucson, AZ
it can still blow off but it has to take a good gust to get it. i never pull it down to touch my ears because thats the only time it would cause strain on me. so i usually let it sit right above my ears and above my eyebrows. can i tip it to the side to create an illusion of it fitting better?

Detective, it looks fine to me. Where a hat should sit depends on your personal taste. Some like their hats to sit on their ears, and some like their hats to rest above. The picture you've shown is exactly where I wear my hats. It works for my face and, if I may say, I think it works for yours too. I see nothing wrong with that fit, and would encourage you to try it out for a wile. Experiment with tilting it back as well as to the side.
For me, when I see a hat that sits on top of someone's eyebrows and 1 cm above their ears, I see a hat that's too big.
FWIW,

TS
 

LoveMyHats2

I’ll Lock Up.
Messages
5,196
Location
Michigan
I like the hat and it looks O.K. on you. If you have a hat jack, you may tweak that hat just a bit to get it to sit a bit lower, but it is not all that small on you.
 

Detective_Noir

One of the Regulars
Messages
174
Location
Kansas
Hmm... I guess it does matter with each persons preferance because with most of my hats they end up going above my ears any ways especially with modern day hats but only when I force the hat all the way down is when ill get a headache but above my head it hat sits firmly
 
Messages
10,930
Location
My mother's basement
Viewed from the front it looks right. From the side, well, it looks to be riding high. But some people like 'em that way. Others prefer 'em touching the tops of their ears.

It looks good on you, man. It's a nice style that works well with your face.
 

Detective_Noir

One of the Regulars
Messages
174
Location
Kansas
I'm getting a haircut today and will immediately update the status of my stetsons fitting from there. But I think its because these hats weren't meant for thick long hair because back then most people had their hair cut short and some tapered in the back and definitely had combed their hair to the side or back. When I wore the 7 1/4 it fit on my head with a little bit of wobble but when i got a hair cut the thing was really loose...
 

Detective_Noir

One of the Regulars
Messages
174
Location
Kansas
Hmm if I can find a place to stretch it maybe I can get it by a 1/16 - an 1/8 but the problem is my hatred of the tapered look it woudnt look right with my face and the structure would be a cone. I could sink the crown lower squaring it out but it would make the hat sit high up
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
It looks like it's sitting on the proper spot, or height, on your head. If it feels comfortable there then it's fine.

I know that when I take a hat that fits me, and pull it down to my ears, it's too tight. Without seeing you in person, I'd say the hat size is correct for you.
 

Detective_Noir

One of the Regulars
Messages
174
Location
Kansas
It looks like it's sitting on the proper spot, or height, on your head. If it feels comfortable there then it's fine.

I know that when I take a hat that fits me, and pull it down to my ears, it's too tight. Without seeing you in person, I'd say the hat size is correct for you.
and when i pull it down to my ears is when it feels too tight so i just let it rest right where it is and it has no problems
 

Brian Niebuhr

One of the Regulars
Messages
150
Location
Iowa
I like a snug fit when pulled down. Gives the option for a tighter fit if the wind should pick up. Then when the wind is gone I can slide it back to where it's comfy.
 

Detective_Noir

One of the Regulars
Messages
174
Location
Kansas
This is another stetson hati have but post hair cut and it sits the same way on my head but no tightness or head ache... i find it really odd now for my other size 7
fubOY.jpg

this is a dobbs modern day fedora a long time back that i wore and it sat above my ears and wouldnt touch them either, it sat at the same height my size seven sits at.... maybe i just have smaller ears than most people :D
012yb.jpg
 

howardeye

Practically Family
Messages
569
Location
NW Indiana
I think the hat looks great! Sounds like you have the same problems I do. The best for me is 7 1/4 sort of. My Borsalino and Dobbs are on the small side which I can still wear. My 7 1/4 Stetsons are on the large side and so is my Dobbs Lords Hat. If I go to 7 3/8 they are way too large. I am interested in one of them stretchers that are talked about. What brand and where do you buy them? Thanks
her
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,096
Messages
3,074,065
Members
54,091
Latest member
toptvsspala
Top