How To Purchase, Sell, and Care For A Hat
The purchase of any hat anytime you aren't able to try it on or touch it on before purchase it a tough job. How do you know what size to purchase? New or Used? How much can I expect to pay? How do you know what the materials REALLY are made of? Are name brands REALLY better than a no-name brand? How can I tell a quality hat without feeling it myself? What do all those X's mean? What about purchasing a hat as a gift for someone else? Once I purchase a hat online, can I return it? If the hat is just a wee bit too small, is there a way to get it to fit me without taking it to a professional? How can I extend the life of my hat?
Purchasing a hat for yourself online, in most cases, isn't a problem. Look for sellers who sell more than one individual hat as a rule. For example: John is selling a single, used straw hat. Mary is selling 6 different kinds of hats, new and used. OK. Chances are that John is not going to be your hat expert. He is going to be less likely to answer your questions because he is familiar with one hat, not hats in general. Mary, on the other hand, is more likely to know hats as a product. Is Mary's product better? Not necessarily, but she is likely to know more about hats. The key is to look at the listing as though you were in a store where you could actually touch the hats. Is the description thorough? Are there enough photos to satisfy your curiousity about important areas (outside and inside)? Hat descriptions should include: New or Used; Brim and Crown measurements; Size; Color; Type of Material (wool, straw, plastic, etc.); Weight of the hat AND/OR the shipping weight (remember, most hats only a few ounces-so shipping should always be minimal); Where the hat was made when possible; These are all things that the seller should be putting in the original listing and you should be wary if none of these descriptions are present. Of course if one or two things are missing you should ask. Make sure you are comfortable before proceeding past the 'looking' stage. Check the sellers other listings. Check feedback scores AND comments. Ask questions if there are any lingering doubts. Or move on and find a seller you are more comfortable with.
Answers To Questions From The Opening Of This Guide
SIZE MATTERS
When purchasing a hat, either in-store or on-line, SIZE MATTERS. Finding out your hat size isn't hard. Take a tape measure and measure about an inch above your ear, or where you would expect a hat to sit at the 'sweatband', 'sweatguard', or 'hatband' level. Look at your tape measure. You have inches and centimeters. Centimeters provide the most accurate determination of your head size. Converting your measurement into a size isn't tough, but can be deceiving. Type 'Hat Sizes' into any search engine for a conversion of inches/centimeters to a basic hat size. As any woman knows, sizes vary by manufacturer. A size 9 by Kathie Lee isn't the same as a size 9 by Lane Bryant. Hats are similar this way. Just because you bought a size 7 1/4 last time doesn't mean your new hat will be a size 7 1/4 this time. There are a lot of factors, the most common being your hair or lack of it. Haircuts often inspire men to own more than one size of the same hat. This is an uncommon, but useful practice. So instead of using a 'size', use your head measurement. Once you have a basic size determined, use it only as a guide, not as gospel.
NEW OR USED?
New is always better if you can afford it. New hats don't have someone elses sweatband. New hats haven't been stretched out, tweeked, or messed with. In the event you've got to have a Stetson or Baileys and they're out of your price range, a second hand hat would be an alternative. WARNING: Hats, especially fine, namebrand hats like Stetson or Baileys, are like spouses. You want a good one and a good one is hard to find. Hats, like spouses, are something you become attached to and will hang on to for as many years as possible. Seeing a used quality hat online always make me wonder what is wrong with it. It could be that the seller wore it once for a special event, but it could be that something is wrong with it. Very rarely does it come down to a reason like 'I received a new one as a gift so I'm selling my old one'. I'm telling you, people - especially men - hold on to hats until they're trashed... and even then they seldom let go of them! Ask questions, lots of them, before buying a used hat!
HOW MUCH CAN I EXPECT TO PAY?
This depends on a lot of things. A name-brand hat, off-brand hat, new hat, used hat, type of hat, fabric, etc. For a Baileys or a Stetson, you can expect to pay some big bucks. Most of the hats by these two companies are fur blends and can be expensive. Look to pay an in-store price upwards of $250.00. Online, you should be able to find them for about a third of that for a new, unused one. This is a good rule for most hats. Online shouldn't cost you more than about a third of the in-store price. YES, even an inexpensive discount store hat should fall under this rule. If it cost $9 at wallyworld, you shouldn't be paying more than $2 or $3 dollars for it new online. That includes shipping! If you can buy a similar hat for $10 new at the local discount store, why would you buy a hat online that you bid a nickel for but shipping was $8? Trust me, saving two bucks won't do you any favors when purchasing a discount store hat.
HINT: Look for 'Seconds'!!! A 'second' is a hat that the manufacturer couldn't sell because of some error. Maybe it's off by a centimeter in size, maybe the color wasn't 'beige' enough, maybe the hatband was measured wrong and it is a 1/4 too short or too long... whatever it was, it isn't a big deal and it spells big saving for you!
NAMEBRANDS AND FABRICS
Other than the name, there is very little difference in hats. Some, like Stetson, Bailey, Resistol, etc. are superior, but as a rule this is not the case. A Fedora is a Fedora is a Fedora. The difference lies in the hat itself. A quality hat doesn't need to be namebrand. It needs to be made of a good, durable fabric (like wool, woolblends, cotton, cottonblends, natural fibers, etc). Like buying a can of veggies in the grocery store, the store brand provides a better deal for the same product in most cases. Don't pay for a label. Pay for a quality. Labels don't guarantee quality anymore than quality always comes with a label. A straw hat is a straw hat is a straw hat. Just make sure it's straw and not a coated plastic pretending to be straw.
XXX - WHAT DO THOSE X'S MEAN?
X's on a hat are 'grades'. The common belief is that the more X's, the better the hat. Once upon a time that may have been true, but consider this: Each manufacturer grades it's own hats according to their own specifications. EXAMPLE: Company A sells quality, long-wearing straw, canvas, and furblend hats, and uses a system of 1 - 10 X's to rate fabric or furblend content (which, by the way is what most X's represent on fine hats- the blends). Company B sells cheap, plastic coated straw hats and light cotton hats with open seams and uses a system of 1 - 100 X's because they know most people don't understand what the X-factor is and believe the more X's, the better the hat. Since there is nothing that regulates X's for everyone, this is a fair practice. Which hat are you gonna buy? It's hard to believe, but some folks still buy hats by the X-Factor alone... Don't let this be you! X's are important, but vary in ratings from company to company.
HATS AS GIFTS
Unless you know someone pretty intimately, a hat as a gift is a nightmare looking for a place to happen. If you know someone well enough to know their hat size and taste in apparel, you'll probably do okay. Don't guess. If you aren't sure, you're better off get them a gift certificate or to take them shopping for a hat. Take them to lunch too!
CAN I RETURN A HAT BOUGHT ONLINE?
This is a touchy situation. A hat bought online leaves the seller in, let's say new condition. The buyer gets the hat and tries it on. The hat doesn't fit exactly right. Can this hat be returned? Yes. No.Yes. No. In the best of worlds, Yes. In reality? Probably not. And it won't be the sellers fault. Let's be the buyer for a minute. I've received my box. I'm excited. I open it up, pick up the hat, admire it and put it on. Hmmm, it doesn't fit, just a little too big or just a little to small... I head off to the computer to re-check the listing for a return policy. 'Hat must be returned in same condition: No dirt No oil No sweat No smudges... etc.' I take a look at the hat. I've had it 10 minutes. Were my hands clean when I opened the box? Was my face and hair clean and free of dirt and oil? Did I try to mash it onto my head when it didn't seem to fit? Pull at the brim trying to get it on or off? Even in a hat store these examples are a problem, but online they're a nightmare for the seller. Chances are that the hat cannot be returned. Think of a hat sale like a car sale. The minute you drive off the showroom floor the car depreciates. A hat is sort of like that. Once you take possesion, once it leaves the sellers hands, it really belongs to you. Just like a car. It becomes a used item and therefore the resale value is lower. Some sellers will take them back, but only if the hat is returned in the same condition they sold it to you in. Reputable hat dealers won't send you a lemon, so again I say DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU BUY! Know your size in centimeters so that you know your hat will fit. Check out feedback scores and comments before buying!.
HAT CARE AND SIZING
OK. You've done everything right. You checked out the seller. You bought the right size. Your hands were clean when you opened the box. And yet, your hat is just a bit too small... The recommended method would be to have it sized by a professional. No time? No money? Got a teapot? Get the steam flowing and run the sweatguard and hatband area through the steam. Keep it moving and don't let it get saturated. Put the newly steamed hat over a clean coffee can overnight. No teapot? Next time you take a hot shower, put the hat on the back of the commode. Put the hat on and wear it for an hour or so. This should make the hat expand to fit you. It's too big? Look inside at the sweatguard. Tuck some cotton or tissue behind it. I do this with my hats anyway because I like the way they fit snug without being tight. Never have trouble in the wind either! As for caring for your hat? Always store the hat in a dry, moisture free area. Store it with the crown down, the opening up. If you wear your hat a lot, be sure to treat it kindly by setting it on the back of the commode every so often while you take a hot shower. This is a must for straw hats if you want to extend the life of the hat for years. Use a baby brush periodically on fine wool or furblend hats regularly.
These few hints will help you keep your hat nice for a long, long while...
The purchase of any hat anytime you aren't able to try it on or touch it on before purchase it a tough job. How do you know what size to purchase? New or Used? How much can I expect to pay? How do you know what the materials REALLY are made of? Are name brands REALLY better than a no-name brand? How can I tell a quality hat without feeling it myself? What do all those X's mean? What about purchasing a hat as a gift for someone else? Once I purchase a hat online, can I return it? If the hat is just a wee bit too small, is there a way to get it to fit me without taking it to a professional? How can I extend the life of my hat?
Purchasing a hat for yourself online, in most cases, isn't a problem. Look for sellers who sell more than one individual hat as a rule. For example: John is selling a single, used straw hat. Mary is selling 6 different kinds of hats, new and used. OK. Chances are that John is not going to be your hat expert. He is going to be less likely to answer your questions because he is familiar with one hat, not hats in general. Mary, on the other hand, is more likely to know hats as a product. Is Mary's product better? Not necessarily, but she is likely to know more about hats. The key is to look at the listing as though you were in a store where you could actually touch the hats. Is the description thorough? Are there enough photos to satisfy your curiousity about important areas (outside and inside)? Hat descriptions should include: New or Used; Brim and Crown measurements; Size; Color; Type of Material (wool, straw, plastic, etc.); Weight of the hat AND/OR the shipping weight (remember, most hats only a few ounces-so shipping should always be minimal); Where the hat was made when possible; These are all things that the seller should be putting in the original listing and you should be wary if none of these descriptions are present. Of course if one or two things are missing you should ask. Make sure you are comfortable before proceeding past the 'looking' stage. Check the sellers other listings. Check feedback scores AND comments. Ask questions if there are any lingering doubts. Or move on and find a seller you are more comfortable with.
Answers To Questions From The Opening Of This Guide
SIZE MATTERS
When purchasing a hat, either in-store or on-line, SIZE MATTERS. Finding out your hat size isn't hard. Take a tape measure and measure about an inch above your ear, or where you would expect a hat to sit at the 'sweatband', 'sweatguard', or 'hatband' level. Look at your tape measure. You have inches and centimeters. Centimeters provide the most accurate determination of your head size. Converting your measurement into a size isn't tough, but can be deceiving. Type 'Hat Sizes' into any search engine for a conversion of inches/centimeters to a basic hat size. As any woman knows, sizes vary by manufacturer. A size 9 by Kathie Lee isn't the same as a size 9 by Lane Bryant. Hats are similar this way. Just because you bought a size 7 1/4 last time doesn't mean your new hat will be a size 7 1/4 this time. There are a lot of factors, the most common being your hair or lack of it. Haircuts often inspire men to own more than one size of the same hat. This is an uncommon, but useful practice. So instead of using a 'size', use your head measurement. Once you have a basic size determined, use it only as a guide, not as gospel.
NEW OR USED?
New is always better if you can afford it. New hats don't have someone elses sweatband. New hats haven't been stretched out, tweeked, or messed with. In the event you've got to have a Stetson or Baileys and they're out of your price range, a second hand hat would be an alternative. WARNING: Hats, especially fine, namebrand hats like Stetson or Baileys, are like spouses. You want a good one and a good one is hard to find. Hats, like spouses, are something you become attached to and will hang on to for as many years as possible. Seeing a used quality hat online always make me wonder what is wrong with it. It could be that the seller wore it once for a special event, but it could be that something is wrong with it. Very rarely does it come down to a reason like 'I received a new one as a gift so I'm selling my old one'. I'm telling you, people - especially men - hold on to hats until they're trashed... and even then they seldom let go of them! Ask questions, lots of them, before buying a used hat!
HOW MUCH CAN I EXPECT TO PAY?
This depends on a lot of things. A name-brand hat, off-brand hat, new hat, used hat, type of hat, fabric, etc. For a Baileys or a Stetson, you can expect to pay some big bucks. Most of the hats by these two companies are fur blends and can be expensive. Look to pay an in-store price upwards of $250.00. Online, you should be able to find them for about a third of that for a new, unused one. This is a good rule for most hats. Online shouldn't cost you more than about a third of the in-store price. YES, even an inexpensive discount store hat should fall under this rule. If it cost $9 at wallyworld, you shouldn't be paying more than $2 or $3 dollars for it new online. That includes shipping! If you can buy a similar hat for $10 new at the local discount store, why would you buy a hat online that you bid a nickel for but shipping was $8? Trust me, saving two bucks won't do you any favors when purchasing a discount store hat.
HINT: Look for 'Seconds'!!! A 'second' is a hat that the manufacturer couldn't sell because of some error. Maybe it's off by a centimeter in size, maybe the color wasn't 'beige' enough, maybe the hatband was measured wrong and it is a 1/4 too short or too long... whatever it was, it isn't a big deal and it spells big saving for you!
NAMEBRANDS AND FABRICS
Other than the name, there is very little difference in hats. Some, like Stetson, Bailey, Resistol, etc. are superior, but as a rule this is not the case. A Fedora is a Fedora is a Fedora. The difference lies in the hat itself. A quality hat doesn't need to be namebrand. It needs to be made of a good, durable fabric (like wool, woolblends, cotton, cottonblends, natural fibers, etc). Like buying a can of veggies in the grocery store, the store brand provides a better deal for the same product in most cases. Don't pay for a label. Pay for a quality. Labels don't guarantee quality anymore than quality always comes with a label. A straw hat is a straw hat is a straw hat. Just make sure it's straw and not a coated plastic pretending to be straw.
XXX - WHAT DO THOSE X'S MEAN?
X's on a hat are 'grades'. The common belief is that the more X's, the better the hat. Once upon a time that may have been true, but consider this: Each manufacturer grades it's own hats according to their own specifications. EXAMPLE: Company A sells quality, long-wearing straw, canvas, and furblend hats, and uses a system of 1 - 10 X's to rate fabric or furblend content (which, by the way is what most X's represent on fine hats- the blends). Company B sells cheap, plastic coated straw hats and light cotton hats with open seams and uses a system of 1 - 100 X's because they know most people don't understand what the X-factor is and believe the more X's, the better the hat. Since there is nothing that regulates X's for everyone, this is a fair practice. Which hat are you gonna buy? It's hard to believe, but some folks still buy hats by the X-Factor alone... Don't let this be you! X's are important, but vary in ratings from company to company.
HATS AS GIFTS
Unless you know someone pretty intimately, a hat as a gift is a nightmare looking for a place to happen. If you know someone well enough to know their hat size and taste in apparel, you'll probably do okay. Don't guess. If you aren't sure, you're better off get them a gift certificate or to take them shopping for a hat. Take them to lunch too!
CAN I RETURN A HAT BOUGHT ONLINE?
This is a touchy situation. A hat bought online leaves the seller in, let's say new condition. The buyer gets the hat and tries it on. The hat doesn't fit exactly right. Can this hat be returned? Yes. No.Yes. No. In the best of worlds, Yes. In reality? Probably not. And it won't be the sellers fault. Let's be the buyer for a minute. I've received my box. I'm excited. I open it up, pick up the hat, admire it and put it on. Hmmm, it doesn't fit, just a little too big or just a little to small... I head off to the computer to re-check the listing for a return policy. 'Hat must be returned in same condition: No dirt No oil No sweat No smudges... etc.' I take a look at the hat. I've had it 10 minutes. Were my hands clean when I opened the box? Was my face and hair clean and free of dirt and oil? Did I try to mash it onto my head when it didn't seem to fit? Pull at the brim trying to get it on or off? Even in a hat store these examples are a problem, but online they're a nightmare for the seller. Chances are that the hat cannot be returned. Think of a hat sale like a car sale. The minute you drive off the showroom floor the car depreciates. A hat is sort of like that. Once you take possesion, once it leaves the sellers hands, it really belongs to you. Just like a car. It becomes a used item and therefore the resale value is lower. Some sellers will take them back, but only if the hat is returned in the same condition they sold it to you in. Reputable hat dealers won't send you a lemon, so again I say DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU BUY! Know your size in centimeters so that you know your hat will fit. Check out feedback scores and comments before buying!.
HAT CARE AND SIZING
OK. You've done everything right. You checked out the seller. You bought the right size. Your hands were clean when you opened the box. And yet, your hat is just a bit too small... The recommended method would be to have it sized by a professional. No time? No money? Got a teapot? Get the steam flowing and run the sweatguard and hatband area through the steam. Keep it moving and don't let it get saturated. Put the newly steamed hat over a clean coffee can overnight. No teapot? Next time you take a hot shower, put the hat on the back of the commode. Put the hat on and wear it for an hour or so. This should make the hat expand to fit you. It's too big? Look inside at the sweatguard. Tuck some cotton or tissue behind it. I do this with my hats anyway because I like the way they fit snug without being tight. Never have trouble in the wind either! As for caring for your hat? Always store the hat in a dry, moisture free area. Store it with the crown down, the opening up. If you wear your hat a lot, be sure to treat it kindly by setting it on the back of the commode every so often while you take a hot shower. This is a must for straw hats if you want to extend the life of the hat for years. Use a baby brush periodically on fine wool or furblend hats regularly.
These few hints will help you keep your hat nice for a long, long while...
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