Hats Buying Guide

Ever since people crawled out of their caves and got their first scalp sunburns, they've been wearing hats. Hats originally showed one's social status. Currently, hats are used for fashion, warmth, protection from the sun, religious reasons, and as part of an uniform. Fashion has started making even the most traditional hats out of funky materials.  Whatever you want to wear, you can find it in chenille, metallic, and plaid with leather trim. Definitely. And don't worry about men's and women's hats anymore; those conventions are out the window.

Hat Size

Usually more expensive hats require you to know your hat size. In the United States, your hat size is the circumference of your head (measured half an inch above your ears) divided by pi. The equivalent hat size in the U.K. is an eighth of an inch smaller than the U.S. size.

Parts of a Hat

• Crown: the part of a hat covering the head
• Brim: Stiff material is projected under the crown and continues horizontally around the circumference of the hat.
• Peak: Primarily found on baseball caps and visors, the peak is a stiff projection at the front of the hat that is used to protect eyes from rain and excess sunlight.
• Sweatband or hatband: A ribbon or band running around the bottom edge of the hat.

Check out some of the most popular styles below.

Hat Styles

Hat Styles
Baseball Cap   Great for everyday wear. Stylish. Can be customized.	Visor   Great for men and women. Blocks out the sun. Nice in the summer.	Beanie   or Stocking Hat   Keep that head warm and snug. Great for winter. Stylish.	Bucket Hat   Hip and cool. Great for college. Keeps the sun out.	Polo Hat   Stylish but not loud. A good all around hat. Very durable.

Classic Hats
Berets   French, American, Canadian, and other militaries wear these. Essential for proper pretension, masculine or feminine. Tight around the head with flat, floppy material that you can slouch any way you choose.	Fedoras   Felt ,  straw ,  or twill ,  these hats have a circumferential brim, and a crown with a V-shaped pinch in the front. Often the front brim curves down and the back curves up. Popularized in the 1920s, but particularly cool people can still wear them.	Straw Hats   To keep the sun out of your eyes and your head cool. Really woven out of straw. Panama Hats   are circular, white, and with an indented crown. Very chic.	Cowboy Hats   Keeps your eyes safe while toiling in the Wild West. Brims can point down or up in the front and down in the back and curl up on the sides. Traditionally leather, but can be made of felt ,  straw ,  or fuzzy, glittery, and silly .	Camping / Outdoor Hats   Lightweight and breathable Fast-drying Shades head and neck from sunlight

Lesser-Worn Hats
Bowler Hats   A middle-class adaptation of the Fedora .  Very "Unbearable Lightness of Being"-esque.	Deerstalker Hats   A plaid hat with brims in the front and back and tie-up flaps on the sides. Like Sherlock Holmes.	Porkpie Hats   Like a Fedora ,  but with a circular top surrounded by a groove all the way around. Very Buster Keaton.	Top Hats   Often silk, nowadays fancy, varying heights, and sometimes hinged for collapsing. Essential if impersonating Abe Lincoln or housing a bunny rabbit.	Tricornered Hats   Wear it with a point in front. For the classic, Puritan look, get one in black with white and gold trim.

Less Formal Caps
Baseball Caps   Support your teams, schools, and favorite ironic causes. If the back panels are mesh, it's a trucker hat .  Can be fitted or adjustable.	Pageboy Caps   With a little brim in the front and fitted all around. Can be worn facing any direction. If you plan on being Samuel L. Jackson, you must wear a Kangol hat   backwards. And you must be awesome.	Bucket Hats   Cotton, collapsible hats with eyelets for cooling. Downward-facing brim protects your face from the sun and rain. These days, they can be made out of anything and you can even fold the brim up.	Knit Caps   For winter warmth, cover yourself in some knit wool, cotton, or other fun fabrics. Want a pompom? Want earflaps? Want a logo? Go for it! The latest trends say you can wear these babies indoors, and on warm days.	Visors   Like a baseball cap without the top. Big in golf, poker, and cheerleading. The ponytail goes out the top, not under the bottom.

Specialty Hats
Baby Hats   Smaller sizes, cuter styles. Make sure Junior is warm.	Religious Hats Looking for a head-covering to suit your religious needs? Better to search it independently or go to our Ritual Gifts gift guide.	Scarves   Not quite hats, but still cover your head. Want a Do Rag ?  A Bandanna ?	Toupees   Losing your hair? Think no one knows? Try these. Or go all out with a wig .	Ladies' Dress Hats   Dressing up for church, synagogue, or the Kentucky Derby? These can be any style, fabric, or material, but they look best with lots of feathers, bows, ribbons, and fake flowers.

Additional Links

• Wikipedia - Awesomely informative. This is terrific. I love hats and wear one in every season. I will be using your great site as I shop for my spring bonnet.

International Resources

For this resource in your home country, please see:
FR: Chapeaux, Guide d'Achat
DE: Hüte