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.

Top 3 Ways to Protect Wool and Felt Hats from Rain

July 6, 2026

A sudden shower can alter the shape of a favourite wool or felt hat, softening brims, collapsing crowns, and stiffening trims. Whether you favour a bakerboy cap, flat cap, or fedora, understanding how fibres, felt, and traditional blocking respond to water helps you take simple, effective steps to protect your hat.

This post explains how to identify a hat's fibre and felt types, apply appropriate water repellents and protective coverings, then dry gently, reshape, and store to preserve form and finish. Follow clear, practical steps to retain the brim and crown profile, limit unwanted felting, and extend the life of a treasured hat.

The image shows one adult male standing outdoors in front of a building with neon green letters spelling "SAVOY" in the background. The man wears a dark fedora hat with visible water droplets, a brown tweed coat, a blue suit jacket, a light blue shirt, and a tie. He has a beard and mustache and touches his chin with his right hand while looking slightly to his left. The lighting suggests an overcast or rainy environment, with subtle reflections on surfaces and raindrops visible. The shot is a medium close-up, eye-level angle, with the subject centrally framed and the background slightly out of focus.

1. Assess the fibres, felt, and construction for durability and finish

Begin by distinguishing fibre type and construction. Wool felt feels coarser, its overlapping scales encouraging water to be absorbed; fur felt, from finer fibres such as rabbit or beaver, interlocks more tightly, so moisture tends to bead and the shape holds. Bakerboy caps and flat caps are often woven from wool rather than felt and therefore behave differently in rain compared with felt. Assess felt density and nap by pressing a thumb into the crown and along the brim edge. If the felt dents easily or the nap lifts, expect faster water penetration and distortion; dense, smooth felt resists soaking and recovers shape more predictably. Confirm likely behaviour with a small water test on an inconspicuous spot: beading indicates surface repellency, while rapid darkening shows absorption and a greater risk of shrinkage or marking.

Inspect construction details that affect wet-weather performance. Check the sweatband material and the stitching, note whether the brim is stitched or glued, look for taped seams or exposed raw edges, and run your fingers to detect any hidden stiffeners. These clues indicate where water will gather, how the hat will dry, and whether you can safely reshape it on a hat block or with steam. Translate those observations into care decisions: densely felted pieces tolerate gentle steaming and drying on a block to restore shape, while loosely felted or woven caps, and hats with absorbent linings, require immediate blotting and slow air-drying away from direct heat. Use a light water test together with the physical signs you observed to decide whether to shelter and blot, or to plan reshaping, rather than relying on guesswork.

The image shows a middle-aged man wearing a grey tweed bakerboy cap and a beige bench jacket with a buttoned flap pocket on the chest. He is standing outdoors on a city street with blurred buildings, shop windows, and a street lamp in the background. The man has a serious expression and is captured from mid-chest up, looking slightly off to the side. The lighting appears natural and diffused. Text overlays identify the clothing items and the model's name.

2. Treat with water-repellent and keep under protective covers

Topical water repellents increase a fabric's surface tension so rain beads and runs off. They do not make wool or felt hats fully waterproof, so check any treatment with a simple water-sprinkle test and reapply when beading ceases. Clean and brush the hat before treating, and perform a discreet patch test beneath the brim or on an inner seam to check for colour change or finish alteration. Hold the spray at arm's length and apply to the crown and brim in light, even passes rather than soaking one area. Allow the hat to dry on a rounded form or hat block to preserve its shape. Inspect the finish before wearing: some repellents can darken, matt, or stiffen the nap. Trims such as leather bands or silk ribbons may react differently, so test them separately or shield them during application.

In wet weather, protect the crown with a thin, breathable, waterproof cover, or use a foldaway hood or an umbrella. After exposure, store the hat in a breathable bag or hatbox to avoid trapped moisture and mildew. Natural lanolin-based water resistance diminishes with wear; heavy saturation can cause felting, shrinkage, and loss of brim roll. To maintain bakerboy caps, flat caps, and wide-brim styles, combine regular, light water-repellent treatments with immediate blotting of wet spots and gentle reshaping while the hat remains damp. These practical habits reduce rain damage while preserving shape and finish without relying on full waterproofing.

The image shows one adult man standing indoors near a staircase. He has a gray beard and wears a brown wide-brimmed fedora hat tilted low over his eyes. He is dressed in an olive-green wool jacket with four buttons and two large, buttoned front pockets, paired with brown trousers and a visible leather belt. The man stands with both hands in his pockets, looking downward. The background features dark blue walls adorned with framed art prints, including cocktails. There is warm, diffused lighting creating a cozy atmosphere, and some greenery is visible further behind him.

3. Air-dry on a towel, reshape, and stow to retain the hat's form

Blot rather than rub, using an absorbent towel to press excess water from the crown and brim, because rubbing distorts the nap and can tighten fibres. Air-dry the hat on a rounded support, such as a hat block, a bowl, or a gently inflated balloon, and stuff the crown with acid-free tissue to retain its profile. Drying on a form preserves crown height and brim curve far better than laying a wet hat flat, and it leaves a damp, workable surface for careful reshaping.

Relax wool fibres with steam from a kettle or a clothes steamer held at a safe distance, then reshape the hat by hand or on a block while it is still damp. Steam renders fibres pliable, allowing the crown and brim to set precisely. Avoid direct heat, which causes shrinkage and hardening, and do not seal a damp hat in plastic, since trapped moisture encourages mildew and can produce permanent distortion. Protect a hat's form in storage by using a breathable hat box or a cotton bag, supporting brims with a ring or tissue, and checking sweatbands for stains so you can treat them promptly. Once fully dry, brush the nap gently with a soft brush. Rotate your hats so repeated wetting and drying do not continually stress the same seams and crown, a cycle that will alter fit and shape over time, whether the hat is a bakerboy cap or a flat cap.

Summing up, protecting wool and felt hats from rain begins with a careful inspection, protective treatment, and considered drying to preserve shape and finish. Start with a light water test: sprinkle a few drops on an inconspicuous area and watch how the fibre behaves. If water beads, the fabric is accepting a repellent; if it soaks in, apply a suitable topical water repellent compatible with hat felts. After exposure to moisture, blot gently with a soft cloth to remove surface water, then use steam to relax the fibres and reshape the crown and brim. Steam-assisted reshaping reduces felting and brim distortion, helping the hat retain its original line and finish.

As a final checklist, examine a hat's fibres and construction before treating it; different materials react differently to moisture and cleaning, so select the appropriate method rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Use a suitable water-repellent and a protective cover for routine protection. If a hat becomes damp, blot gently, then dry and reshape it on a hat form to preserve the profile and extend its life. Rotate wear and store hats correctly. Together, these steps will keep bakerboy caps, flat caps, and fedoras looking their best, ensuring a single shower will not ruin a favourite piece.

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