The right hat, the right look

[MDphoto]

Finding the right hat

Hello everyone.

Newbie here, so please excuse my ignorance on the this subject, but how do I go about finding the right hat for my face shape?

I don't have a hatter in my area (that I can find anyway), there is one upscale mens clothes store in town, but they only stock only one style of Dobbs. I've tried checking local thrift stores/vintage clothes stores with no luck.
I have gone through different websites and looked at there "finding a hat" pages, but without really trying a hat on, I'm a bit hesitant in buying it especially with the high price of few of them have.
I finally just decided to buy a couple of cheap hats off of Ebay that I liked so I can see how they look on me. At least I know I've got the right size coming. Well, as long as the seller described the hat size correctly.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[KY Gentleman]

I seem to find the right hat waaaayyyy to often!

 

[Yohanes]

Hello there, welcome to the lounge. Is there any way for you to ist a hat store in another city nearby? That would be most ideal.

Anyway, me myself is also a hat / fedora fans who never goes to a hat store because there is none in my country. All I bought merely from speculation and I only failed once (the hat doesn't suit me - and can't be rebashed - it's crushable wool)

First thing for sure you need to know your size. I'm not experienced, all knowledge I know about hats are mostly from this forum anyway, but in general, if your face is more of roundish, plump, or "full" then get a wide brim fedora (2.5 inch brim or above). But if your face is thin, stingy brim would look better (brim 2 in or smaller). Myself, though I'm short, I have big head but stingy brim suits me better (or maybe haven't found a good wide brim yet).

if your size is 7 or smaller you'll get better chance in ebay. Get vintage, definitely. Small size hat price usually remains in bargain price - even in 15-25 range. Better than say, USD 40 wool fedora. So you myust define your budget also, how much is cheap and how much is expensive.

But if you're 7 3/8 or bigger it's harder to get a bargain in ebay - takes time and too much energy, though still possible.

 

[MDphoto]

Thanks for the input.

I'm cruising Ebay on the look out for hats that I like especially looking at vintage.
I do have a Stetson fedora now that I'm not really sure how I look in it. The hat is (I believe) the Temple. It was a cheap buy and figured, why not? Although it is a bit tight at 7 1/8.It may just need to be worn a little since it looks/feel brand new. I did try on a couple of Dobbs in town and the 7 1/8 was again, a bit tight and the 7 1/4 was more comfortable, but definitely a little loose.
I have a oval/triangular face shape. I think definitely more triangular though. I've been looking at hats with a med height crown and not too wide of a brim.
Anyone know if this is correct?

 

[indycop]

Welcome to the lounge! If you could post a pic of you wearing the temple it would help people to give you advice. Also on Miller hats site (I think) their is a guide for face structure and hats.

 

[Stoney]

You're opinion is the only one that counts

I think you are on the right track getting a few low cost lids off of e-Bay is a good place to start. If you don't like the look of them you can always sell them here in the classifieds section or resell them on e-Bay. Another option as others have said is to go to a hat store and try on as many as it takes to find the look that pleases you, not someone else. If you have any Burlington Coat Factory stores up your way , you may find a few, genuine fur felt, labeled fedoras there to try on. Most of these 'genuine fur felt" fedoras are made by the Czech hat giant Tonak, whose felt is every bit as good as that being used by most American production hat makers, who charge in excess of $100.00 for a poorly made, IMHO, production hat. The BCF Tonak hats that I have seen are more carefully crafted than their American counterparts and sell for typically $25.00 or less at Burlington Coat Factory.

I think you'll find that your taste in hats will change with time as most hats wearers taste does. Thats OK for it to be that way, it's only natural for your taste to change with time and be different from others. It's your opinion of what looks good on you that counts and no one else's opinion ever really matters.

Once you decide on the style that really suits your personality and likes. You may consider going to one of the custom hatters who advertise here on the Fedora Lounge for a high quality custom made lid. IMHO again... you will not find a better value than a custom hat, unless you're lucky enough to get a high beaver content vintage hat at an e-Bay auction for less than $100.00. I've been lucky several times, but I also wear a 6 3/4 LO.

I would much rather pay over $300.00 for a single hat that is exactly what I wanted, in pure beaver felt no less, than buy two or three marginal quality hats that are less than ideal. Bear that in mind before you fork over some cold hard cash for any new production hat.

At any rate this is my opinion, for what it's worth. Everybody has one..

And Welcome to the Fedora Lounge. I'm sure you're journey into classic styled clothing will be an adventure that will bring much enjoyment to your life.

 

[Charlie Noodles]

I remember a website having a neat little picture of what shaped face goes best with what shaped hat... I'll see if I can find it.

EDIT: Found it.

 

[MDphoto]

Thanks a lot for the help guys. The Miller hat link helped me out. Also, I wasn't aware that Burlington sold hats. I'll be heading up to Manassas, VA in a couple of weeks and I know there was one there a couple of years ago...hopefully it's still there.

Ha Ha, I like the "More hats than brains club". I have that problem with baseball caps and my wife didn't like it too much. Wait until I get a good hold on collecting these hats!

Thanks again

 

[Rick Blaine]

Thanks a lot for the help guys. The Miller hat link helped me out. Also, I wasn't aware that Burlington sold hats. I'll be heading up to Manassas, VA in a couple of weeks and I know there was one there a couple of years ago...hopefully it's still there.

Ha Ha, I like the "More hats than brains club". I have that problem with baseball caps and my wife didn't like it too much. Wait until I get a good hold on collecting these hats!

Thanks again

Hiya MD, glad to see another neighbor & fellow photographer, welcome aboard this is a super place.
It's my observation that in our part of the world, with a little time, gasoline & persistence, you can find vintage that'll knock yer whatzit into your watch pocket. I recently went up on the plateau and scored three vintage lids for $30 plus a box. Not all fit, but these eventually get eBayed & turned into hats that DO fit. Just my .o2.

 

[T Jones]

When we consider our face shapes and body types are there any guide lines to finding a hat that looks right?

 

[cchgn]

This is a good subject and goes along with the other thread about that to wear with a Fedora. IMO, the same could be said about the suit. Look at all the old( and new) ads for both, the models are skinny, with chiselled faces. Same with movie stars(like Bogart, Grant, Gable, Estair, Stewart, et al) who rocked suits and Fedoras. I'd think folks should honestly look at the shape of their face and look at ( movie stars,et al)folks who've got the same face shape and see what they're wearing.

Btw, it interesting that you seem to lean towards a wide brim with a tall crown, is that what you think you look good in?

 

[T Jones]

Btw, it interesting that you seem to lean towards a wide brim with a tall crown, is that what you think you look good in?

I'll never be satisfied with what I have. I'm still looking for the perfect hat.

 

[hatsRme]

That's OUR problem, T.

Don't forget the "Golden Ratio" to guide you on brim width.

 

[cchgn]

I'll never be satisfied with what I have. I'm still looking for the perfect hat.

You look like Randy Quaid or Jason Clarke playing Howard Bondurant in Lawless.

 

[Greyryder]

I'll never be satisfied with what I have.

Story of my life....

I'm still looking for the perfect hat.

Aren't we all?

 

[Joao Encarnado]

That's OUR problem, T.

Don't forget the "Golden Ratio" to guide you on brim width.

I think I have found my brim width.

 

[TOuten2]

Thanks a lot for the help guys. The Miller hat link helped me out. Also, I wasn't aware that Burlington sold hats. I'll be heading up to Manassas, VA in a couple of weeks and I know there was one there a couple of years ago...hopefully it's still there.

Ha Ha, I like the "More hats than brains club". I have that problem with baseball caps and my wife didn't
like it too much. Wait until I get a good hold on collecting these hats!

Thanks again

I'm told there is a decent hat store in Winston Salem, NC but I haven't been there.

 

[Genuine Classic Gangster]

At least I know I've got the right size coming. Well, as long as the seller described the hat size correctly.

When I used to buy factory-made hats, my experience was that different hat makers would list hats with the same exact size, but the actual size of hats listed as being the same size would differ.

On top of that, leather sweatbands can and will shrink to some extent, which will probably change the size of used hats to smaller than their original factory specifications.

Alternatively, used hats may have been stretched to a size larger than their original factory specifications.

My point is this: if you get the wrong size of hat, that may not necessarily be the seller's fault for describing the size incorrectly. As far as I know, even the most responsible of sellers would have no reasonable way to be aware of all those factors that play into what a hat's true size actually will be.

how do I go about finding the right hat for my face shape?

1. Visit hatters in person and ask them that question.
2. Email photos of yourself to hatters and ask them that question.
3. Post photos of yourself on this site and ask the other members here that question.

 

[T Jones]

That's OUR problem, T.

Don't forget the "Golden Ratio" to guide you on brim width.

hatsRme, I try to get something else other than Silverbelly ORs. Everytime I see something on the bay I'm always outbid by people who must have pockets full of money to spend. I've just about given up on ebay. I go to another site where it's just bin prices. At least there the field is more level. Another "rule of thumb" I've seen is that you measure from the point of your jaw to the tip of your chin and that measurement should be your crown height.

You look like Randy Quaid or Jason Clarke playing Howard Bondurant in Lawless.

cchgn, I haven't seen that movie yet. I like the casual attire and the hat styles in that one. I may have to rent that movie. Looks interesting.

Story of my life....

Aren't we all?

GreyRyder, Definitely....and when I find it I'll start searching again for another perfect hat.

 

[TheDane]

Another "rule of thumb" I've seen is that you measure from the point of your jaw to the tip of your chin and that measurement should be your crown height.

Please tell me, that's a very loose rule, TJ. Otherwise I have a bunch of fedoras to sell - and a bunch of flat caps and low boaters to buy