Long Oval Solutions: To Stretch, or go up a Size?

[MisterGrey]

In the absence of a long-oval hat, for someone who has a long-oval head, would the Lounge consensus be the best solution is stretching an extant hat, or simply buying the next size up and padding accordingly?

 

[skyvue]

I have an extra-long oval head, and I don't find that stretching generally works terribly well, because as one stretches the hat front to back, reshaping it, the brim gets malformed.

A reblocking would be a another matter.

 

[Lexybeast]

I'm a 7 1/2 LO, but I've found that over time vintage fedoras in a regular 71/2 will stretch and conform to the LO shape. It takes some time and many wears. I tried sizing up once, and the hat was falling over my ears.

 

[Bebop]

I have had luck using a hat stretcher without too much pressure on it so the brim does not disfigure and the hat does not grow by one whole size, and steaming around the hat band area (on the outside of the hat, not the inside where the sweat band is). I leave the hat stretcher on for a day or so until the hat becomes reasonably wearable. After quite a few outings with the hat, it becomes formed to my L/O head. I just accomplished that on a new Stetson Roadster with great success.

Buying a size larger and stuffing the sweat band can look a bit awkward to me. The sweat band fits but the crown base looks wider than your head.

 

[JimC]

It's my understanding that the make up of the felt affects "stretchability". I'm between 7 5/8 LO and 7 3/4 LO. I've successfully stretched straws, granted we're not talking about a lot here. However I've just ordered a semi cheap felt in 7 5/8 and will work on it over the week end and will post my experience. Thanks for the post, timing was perfect for me!

 

[Alex Oviatt]

I, too, am a 7 1/2 LO and have had hats successfully blocked/stretched to a LO at Baron's Hats in Burbank, CA.

 

[ScionPI2005]

For me, I generally end up buying the next size up, and then placing some tissue underneath the sweatband. Being a regular long-oval, I sometimes can wear some hats that aren't intended for long-oval heads.

 

[The Good]

My vintage homburg is 7 3/8 long oval, and it fits fine; comfortably and not tight. Maybe I haven't quite broken the homburg in yet, but my size 59 Akubra is tighter feeling by comparison, although wearable. Difficult to describe, but I can instantly tell the difference. Perhaps I am long oval after all. If so, I'll be keeping my eye on this thread for the advice.

 

[Wildblue]

I'm another cursed Long Oval, 7 3/4 to be exact. My first fine hat, (Stetson Temple) I bought in a 7 7/8 regular. Too much gap on the sides of my head, and putting felt underneath the band, while it does make an improvement, makes the sweatband wrinkle up, which I can then feel on the side of my head uneavenly instead of smooth. So yes, I'm all for reshaping whenever possible, and have done so with my others.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

Interestingly, my Resistol says on its tag that it is a size 7 Extra Long Oval! It is a tad loose on me.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Long oval: Go one size up and pad the sides. I have a few long oval vintage hats, and the difference is amazing on my long oval head.

Ask Scotrace. I forget how many extras he has before the oval these days. It used to be 3 or 4 (XXXXLO). I think he finally decided to go up a size and drop an X.

bk

 

[Ed13]

I am a 7 3/8 LO-XLO and I find the only real solution is to have the hat re-blocked to fit. Sizing up results in the crown looking to wide for my head while stretching to a long oval causes the brim to ripple. I didn't realize how noticeable even the slightest rippling was until I started to have hats made for me. I have since been having most of my vintage fedoras re-blocked.

 

[BanjoMerlin]

I've re-shaped quite a few hats to long oval. It isn't really a stretch since the circumference doesn't change.

The brim almost always needs to be reshaped as part of the process. The front and back will bend up or down more and the sides will either get a bit wavy or take on a pronounced bend.

I put the hat on the stretcher and hit the crown with a bit of steam to relax the felt. Then I let the hat sit on the stretcher for a few days to see what the brim is going to do. Once everything has settled I work the brim with steam and encourage it to the long oval shape. Then it sits on the stretcher for a few more days. The brim work might be repeated a couple more times depending on how the hat behaves.

A hatter with the right equipment could definately do it faster and probably better but I can do it cheaper.

 

[scottyrocks]

Im a 7 3/8 LO. Ive done combinations of the methods spoken of. Generally, I buy my size and place padding in the hat so I can wear it without it wobbling on my head. If its warm (hot) weather, I just wear it and let the natural heat and sweat eventually make the hat conform to my head. I then remove the padding, or bits of it as necessary.

I have used a stretcher but it is not my preferred method. I like hats to conform on their own terms, without being stressed all at once.

I reblock only when I feel the crown needs it, but if it converts a non-LO inot an LO in the process (which it does), all the better.

 

[Spats McGee]

I'm a 7 1/2 LO. Buy a size larger, I think. I've stretched a couple to LO, but I always wind up having to re-stretch them from time to time. I'd rather have a hat shrink up a bit and conform to my head that way.