Head grew? Or hat shrunk?

[ObscureRefMan]

People haven't been saying nice things about me lately, so my head hasn't gotten bigger. So... Can a hat shrink? If so, how to re-size it? I have a Scottish cap that I bought in Edinburough in 1977. I wore it a lot for a few years, then put it away. And now that I've taken it out of storage, it seems to have shrunk. It looks to be 100% wool. Is there any way to stretch it out again? Or do I just have to cinch it on, and hope for the best?

 

[BellyTank]

You could try wetting it, stretching it and letting it dry naturally.
Use some kind of 'form' to stretch it and leave it in as it dries.
If you wet it and stretch it by hand it might look a bit beaten and pulled and deformed when it dries.

BT.

 

[Kentucky Blues]

Has your hair grown any? That affects hat size alot. When my hair started to grow, my best fitting hat started to hurt when I put it on, and my larger hats would fit better. Now that I cut my hair a bit, things are back to normal.

 

[Matt Deckard]

I have actually been studying this for a few years. All modern felt hats shrink. I actually suggested in a previous thread on this forum regarding fit of hats for buyers to get a hat that fits a bit loose to allow for a bit of shrinkage.

The leather band is one issue and the felt itself is another.

Leather bands vary their fit with wear and conditions, moisture and cold or hot weather determine what happens and stretching will help short term, though the best bet is to get a hat that fits a little loose. You don't want a hat to be fitted off the bat.
Sweat hits the band and the leather soaks it in, the band dries out and the leather shrinks a bit.

Felt as I said is another issue. Todays felts cannot be compared with the felts used in the 30's and 40's because they just behave differently. Regardless of what the best hatters in the world will tell you, modern felt whether it be the most expensive high quality fur or the cheaperst will shrink and taper with time. Vintage hats don't do this.
Vintage felt doesn't shrink with normal wear or exposure to the elements. There is some technique that has been lost which from talking to hatter after hatter may not be found. You can retard the shrinking by using stiffeners in modern hats, though that would make it feel more like a cowboy hat than a soft dress hat, and the hat will still shrink over time.

One hatter I know is now starting to use an old technique on his hats called pre-blocking, this hasn't been done in about 60 years. Pre-blocking takes the semi finished felt body and (from what I understand) uses extra hot steam and evenly presses out the body relaxing the felt so that it loses some of the tention which causes it to draw in over time. After this pre-blocking is finished the body is blocked normally, then the hat is finished and shaped. I have a few friends who own the new pre-blocked hats and it will take time to see if this is or is not that lost process which kept hats from shrinking.

Buy a hat jack and buy your future hats a little on the big side. Look for vintage.

Joseph C. Brandstetter

 

[ObscureRefMan]

Thanks for the input, all. I suppose I'll have to find a hat stretcher. I used to have a styrofoam head that could have served the purpose.

And, no Kentucky Blues, my hair hasn't grown - if anything the opposite. It's thinner and shorter today than in 1977 (go figure!).

And thanks, Joe/Matt - that's a lot of info. Good to know. In fact, for the Lagomarsino I just bought (see avatar), I did opt for a little bigger in case of shrinkage.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Thanks for the input, all. I suppose I'll have to find a hat stretcher. I used to have a styrofoam head that could have served the purpose.

And, no Kentucky Blues, my hair hasn't grown - if anything the opposite. It's thinner and shorter today than in 1977 (go figure!).

And thanks, Joe/Matt - that's a lot of info. Good to know. In fact, for the Lagomarsino I just bought (see avatar), I did opt for a little bigger in case of shrinkage.

Nothing worse than having a hat that you love get too tight for your head.
Never go on a trip with a hat that requires stretching, you'll end up with a sore head or a hat left in the car.

Can we get more pics of your Lagomarsino? inside and out?

 

[ObscureRefMan]

Sure! Once you give me permission to post photos!

 

[Biltmore Bob]

We have found that the more one wears their favorite hat the more it will adjust to one's head. When we begin to wear a felt hat that has been put up for the season, we find it to be a little snug at first.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Post away.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=2667&highlight=pictures