Brim Size

[Machine Ager]

How can  I determine a brim size that looks good?

[steppenwolph]

You're going to have to try on a few hats with different brim widths and see what appeals to you.  There are no hard and fast rules regarding brim width, but since you are looking here, one might assume that you are looking towards a lid with vintage proportions, e.g. a taller crown and a wider brim.  There are some style guides to be found on the web with a bit of persistence in the searching.  You might could find links for them easier at the Fedora Lounge.  I find that these guides are a nice stepping off point, but no substitute for looking at yourself in a mirror wearing a hat.  If you like it, then it looks good!  Even if the hat is of a completely different material than the one you really want, if it has the proportions you like (or close), then you know more about how the hat you eventually buy will look on you than you'd get reading a style guide.  Good Luck!

[TumwaterHat]

Steppenwolph hit it square on the head, Machine Ager. There are indeed some rules of thumb on these matters, but the proof is always in the wearing.

You might find, as I did quite some time ago, that you can indeed pull off a look you may have thought just wasn't right for you at all. There was a time I wouldn't wear a hat with a brim narrower than 2 1/2 inches and a band ribbon wider than 9 ligne (about 3/4 of an inch), and I generally preferred the brims wider yet and the bands narrower yet. In other words, I had several Stetson Open Roads and hats of that style (Mallory Dallas, Dobbs Westward, etc., etc.). But then some irresistible deals on vintage hats in other styles came my way and, well, you know how it is -- you get a "new" hat and you just have to wear it.   

[1961MJS]

There's a few copies of the standards for brim and crown size.  It uses the terms round face, oval face, large chin etc.  I looked at it and I can't decide which face I have.  I went to Hatman Jack in Wichita and he said that I needed a 5.75 inch crown and a 2.5 inch brim.  I commonly get 2 7/8 inch brims, but the next Tumwater will have a 3 plus inch brim.  It's more of a Western style though. 

The Best open Crown size varies by the crease too.  I'd bet that a tear drop takes up more felt than a center dent with two side creases.

Later Y'all

Mike
Moore Oklahoma

[Machine Ager]

My favorite Vintage Fedora My "Knox Twenty"

It has a 21/2" Brim and I bashed it.

[steppenwolph]

Nice looking lid, M.A.  I have one with a brim that wide, and it's great.  I'm planning my next Tumwater lid and it will have a 2 3/4" brim, kind of open road-ish

[Machine Ager]

Nice Steppenwolf

Being a Texan I have many westerns open road is a good style