Fedora hats are defined simply as, “a soft felt hat with a curled brim, worn with the crown creased lengthwise.” Vague? Yes. I disagree with this definition quite a bit. The term fedora encompasses many different styles and shapes, and often leads to confusion with my customers.
Let’s start with the first problem I have with the standard definition: the part about fedoras being soft felt hats. Don’t get me wrong – if you came into the shop and asked for a classic fedora, I would certainly lead you to the wide brim, soft fur felt varieties first. But then I would make sure you saw the wool felt, leather, fake leather, straw, and cloth fedoras as well.
Then there’s the part about the crown having a lengthwise crease. If by lengthwise, they mean the crease more or less runs from back to front, then I’m on board. But don’t think that means fedoras must have a straight center crease. In recent years, many pre-shaped hats sport a teardrop or diamond crown. Styles change with the times, folks.
Fedoras can have any size brim, from ultra wide to quite small (sometimes referred to as a stingy brim.) The brim can be worn down in the front for a classic look, or popped up all around for a modern take. If you are going for a formal look, you should probably stick with a wider brim. If you want to rock your fedora with a pair of jeans, grab a narrow brim.
While we’re at it, let’s discuss crown height. Sure, there are certain guidelines you can follow – Some say the crown height should be the same as the distance from your eyes to your chin. I say, styles change and everyone has different taste. You’ll only wear your hat if you feel confident in it, so choose what’s good for you.
To determine what looks right on you, I recommend the highly complex and tedious act of trying on the hat in front of a mirror. Shocking, I know. Take Mr. Sinatra’s advice, and play around with the tilt of your fedora. Take the feather out if you want. It’s your damn hat, so wear it however you wish.
