What is the average hat size for men?

The average men's hat size in the UK is 59 cm, typically a size Large. Measuring your head ensures the most accurate fit.

How do I measure my head for a hat?

Use a soft tape measure and measure around your head just above the ears and across the forehead. Keep the tape level and snug to determine your size in centimetres.

A flat cap is a rounded cap with a small stiff brim at the front, traditionally associated with British heritage style.

What is the difference between a fedora and a trilby?

A fedora typically has a wider brim and softer shape, while a trilby features a shorter brim and a taller crown, offering a sleeker silhouette.

Can a felt hat get wet?

Felt hats are naturally water-resistant but should not be exposed to heavy rain for extended periods. Allow them to dry naturally at room temperature.

Do you offer in-store collection?

Yes, orders can be collected from our London, Cambridge, or Oxford stores within 3-5 working days.

How to Choose Fedora Fabrics That Repel Rain and Hold Their Shape

August 21, 2026

A waterlogged fedora, its brim collapsing and crown softened, can undo an otherwise considered ensemble. Water loosens raw felt and distorts loose weaves, so opt for rain-resistant felts and tightly woven fabrics to preserve shape and line.

This post outlines how to select felts and fabrics that resist moisture, construct internal millinery structure, apply water-resistant finishes, and pack and care for your hat so it preserves its shape and comfort. Follow these practical steps to keep a hat weatherproof, comfortable, and ready to wear.

The image shows a dark blue felt fedora hat displayed on a yellow wooden hat stretcher clamp. The background is a hat shop or millinery store interior, primarily black and white, with shelves filled with various hats and hat boxes. The focus is on the hat and clamp in the foreground, which is in color, while the surroundings are monochromatic and slightly blurred. The lighting is natural to moderate artificial, casting soft shadows. The shot is close-up and eye-level, centering the hat in the frame.

Select felts and fabrics that withstand rain and preserve shape

Compare fur felt, wool felt and blended felts by their fibre structure and felt density. Finer, smoother fibres and tighter felting reduce porosity, so water will bead on the surface rather than soak in. Inspect labels for fibre content, handle the crown to judge its density, then perform a simple water-drop test: place a small drop of water on the crown and watch whether it beads or soaks in. Also check internal reinforcements — horsehair braid in the brim, sewn-in millinery wire, a structured sweatband, and a fully blocked crown. Neat, even stitching and a firm hand point to construction that will resist distortion.

Choose hats finished for water resistance or those that accept reproofing. Always test any treatment on an inconspicuous area first, apply it evenly, and repeat after prolonged exposure to restore beading without over-stiffening the felt. When a hat becomes wet, blot away excess moisture, place it on a hat block or similarly shaped support, and brush the nap in one direction to lift the surface fibres. Use gentle steam over a wooden block to re-mould the crown rather than applying direct heat, which risks hardening or distorting the felt. Store hats consistently on a form or in a hat box to preserve their original shape. Match style to function: lower crowns and close weaves, as found in a bakerboy cap or a lined flat cap, shed rain more readily and pack better; stiffer brims and fully blocked crowns give the Peaky Blinders silhouette and offer greater coverage. Consider coverage, breathability, and how easily the hat can be re-blocked at home when you choose.

Brush counter-clockwise to lift nap and maintain water beading.

A man indoors is trying on a hat in a store or display area. He faces towards a wall covered with many hats of different styles and colors. The man wears a dark colored shirt with a reddish open button-up shirt over it and a dark hat he is adjusting on his head. The environment is warmly lit with ceiling lights and appears to be a hat or clothing boutique. The background shows shelves and other possible apparel items out of focus.

Image by RDNE Stock project on Pexels

How to build millinery structure and apply water-resistant finishes

Build a concealed skeleton of buckram or traditional horsehair canvas in the crown and brim. Hand-baste and steam to mould the shape, then stitch the interlinings into the seam allowance rather than glue them so the structure endures when the fibres get wet. Choose linings and sweatbands that wick and protect the structure, such as cotton or silk facings paired with a leather or treated cotton sweatband, and stitch the lining so it overlaps the structural layer to prevent moisture reaching the interlining. After shaping, gently reblock the form on a wooden block to check the roll and crown lines; this preserves the fitted silhouette whether the piece is a trilby, bakerboy cap, or flat cap.

Match the waterproof finish to the hat fabric. Use lanolin or wax-based dressings on wool felt, and water-repellent sprays formulated for textiles on twill or straw, but always test a small scrap first, since waxes can darken felt and some repellents alter the hand. Reinforce vulnerable points by stitching an underbrim or adding binding to the brim edge, and seal stitch lines with a breathable seam sealer or tipped stitching to prevent capillary wicking along seams. Dry wet hats naturally on a block, and reblock to restore roll and crown lines rather than rely on non-breathable laminates that preserve shape but trap moisture and encourage odour. Keep a spare fabric scrap for future testing, and reapply waterproofing when water no longer beads so you maintain performance without irreversible alterations.

Pack a waxed-cotton hat for dependable wet-weather protection.

The image shows a dark blue fedora hat placed on a wooden hat stretcher clamp, centered on a circular metal table or surface. The background is mostly grayscale, featuring shelves filled with stacks of hats or hat forms. There is another hat visible in the background on the right side, slightly out of focus. The setting appears to be indoors, likely a hat shop or millinery workspace. The lighting is soft and diffused, with a moderate contrast highlighting the hat as the color focal point against the monochromatic backdrop.

How to pack and care for your fedora, preserving shape and comfort

Pack hats by fibre and construction. Pad the crown of wool or felt hats with soft garments to support the shape, then lay the brim flat on top of packed clothing. Place straw and other crushable materials in a rigid hat box or sturdy container to prevent compression and warped brims. Store hats in breathable boxes or cotton dust bags, include silica gel sachets to control moisture, and rotate your collection so linings can dry between wears. Use cedar blocks or lavender pouches to deter moths without chemical residues, and choose support and storage methods that match each hat’s construction—structured fedoras respond differently from bakerboy caps and flat caps.

If a hat gets damp, dab excess moisture with an absorbent cloth, reshape it gently by hand to preserve its blocked shape, and, only if necessary, relax the felt fibres with cautious steam. Dry the hat on a curved form or over a rolled towel, keep it away from direct heat to prevent shrinkage and nap damage, and avoid radiators, which can harden liners. Brush wool and felt along the nap with a soft-bristled brush, and spot-clean cotton and synthetic blends with a mild detergent and water. Reproof waxed cotton by warming it and working in a compatible dressing, testing first on an inconspicuous area. Maintain fit with a wooden stretcher or rolled fabric in the crown, reshape brims with controlled steam or a curved form, and adopt a regular routine of brushing and airing so sweat and oils do not permanently soften the structure.

Rain-resistant felts and tightly woven fabrics, supported by a hidden millinery skeleton and appropriate waterproof finishes, allow a fedora to shed water while retaining its brim roll and crown lines. Try a simple water-drop test: place a few drops on the crown; if they bead and run off, the surface resists moisture, but if they sink in, the material lacks a weatherproof finish. Run your hand over the felt to feel for firm, dense felting, and inspect the interior for horsehair braid or buckram interlinings, which stabilise the brim and help preserve its shape in wet conditions.

Begin with the guide's three headings: choosing felts and fabrics, building millinery structure and finishes, and packing and care, to focus effort where it has the greatest impact. Test treatments on a spare scrap, dry and reblock on a wooden hat block, and rotate storage so the hat stays protected from moisture and the elements, retains its shape and fit, and is available for immediate use.

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