How to Know Which Hat Size You Are

Do you have have trouble determining your hat size? Is determining your hat size not a top priority for you when buying a hat?

We occasionally have trouble finding hats that fit since, as we all know, our heads aren't all the same size.

It may fall off or be overly tight or simply uncomfortable to wear at times. And then it's aggravating to see those hats thrown away or forever hung in some corner. It's either a waste of our hard-earned money or a source of dissatisfaction for the style we desire.

So, if you want to buy hats and/or already have a hat collection, this is the place to be! We are going to dedicate this blog post to a very important aspect of a hat: sizing.

The size of a hat is one of the most important details. If you don't know your correct size, you run the risk of the hat being too tight and bothering you or too loose and falling off your head, so let's go over how to figure out your hat size.

How to Measure your Hat Size

Measure the Circumference of your Head

The first thing to do is to measure the circumference of your head with a flexible measuring tape (tailor’s tape) or a piece of string (or something similar) that can wrap around your head until it overlaps. For the most accurate measurement, keep it about 1/8 of an inch above your ears.

Don't Over-tighten the Measuring Tape

When measuring with a piece of string or a flexible measuring tape, don't pull it too tight once it's wrapped around your head. You also don't want it to be so loose that it hangs down, but pulling it too tight can change your measurements and result in an inaccurate fitting.

As a general rule, draw the thread as tight as you'd like the hat to feel around your head. Remember that some hats should be looser than others, so keep that in mind when pulling the thread tight.

Start at the Center of the Forehead and End at the Same Point

If the result is between two sizes, it is always advisable to choose the larger size. Don't forget to keep into consideration your haircut/hairstyle and if it'll be changed.

Refer to the hat size guide below. 

Illustration of a woman's head and a measure tape

Size guide

Hat sizes are usually expressed in inches, centimeters or the regular sizes you see for clothing. In the United States the measurements are in inches, and elsewhere the measurements are in centimeters.

Use the hat sizing chart below to convert measurements from inches to centimeters as well as to just generally know what the equivalency between the different sizes are in the different systems.

Chart explaining different hat sizes

Note: The above guide is based on industry standards and can vary depending on the manufacturer.

How to adjust a hat

All the hats in our shop have a band lining the inside of the hat so that you may put a Velcro fastener inside to correct small size differences. This can allow the hat to be reduced up to one size down. You may also find hats in our shop that have an elastic band on the inside to adjust the size.

HatInside a hat

Now that you know the size of your hat, you just need to choose the model!

At Latin's Hand, you will find hats for men and hats for women in different types, styles and color tones to match your outfit for all kinds of occasions. You can browse the huge range of hats available on the website. Once you've chosen your specific hat size, your new, perfectly fitted favorite hat is only a few clicks away!

We have Panama Hats as well as Palm Leaf Hats. Here are some of the styles we have available: fedora elegant, fedora premium, cordova, wide brim fedora, wide brim floppy etc. For more information please visit www.latinshand.com!

And if you are ever in the New Orleans, down south of Louisiana, come visit our store in person! We are located in the French Quarter, right outside the French Market. Swing by and try on our hats! You'll also find we have a lot more to offer instore.