Mallory by Stetson - 1990

[pdbollinger]

Well, I introduced myself back on 18 December of last year, and it has been a whirlwind year since that post. Moved from Germany to Texas, and then back to Germany, so the hat in question has been packed up most of this year.

Anyhow, I bought a brown felt Mallory by Stetson in October 1990 at the Georgia State Fair. Price at the time was $45, but the guy heard my parents tell me I didn't need a hat since I was heading to Parris Island a few days later, so he gave it to me for $15, if I recall. It is/was a size 7 1/4 and used to fit quite well. I would wear it horseback riding and it would stay put unless the horse was at a full gallop (very rare in the California desert). I would also go out dancing with it. At some point after leaving active duty in the mid-1990s, I put the hat up, and only got interested in wearing them again recently.

Now, the hat is snug. I know my head didn't get larger, so assume all the times wearing it and sweating in it caused shrinkage in the sweatband since I knew nothing about hat care back then. Can the hat be blocked back to a size to fit my head?
Pictures are not the best, but the liner says Mallory by Stetson. The sweatband is probably fake leather, or something composite from the late 80s (just my guess). The liner appears to be rayon or some other cheap material.

Looking for any information on this hat for resizing as well as whether this is a real Stetson, etc.

Thanks in advance!
Paul

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Paul, your hat is pure wool, not even a wool blend. You can attempt to stretch it but it will soon return to it's current size & may continue to shrink even further. Not much you can do with it, perhaps stretch & store it over a block.