Wide Brim Fedora Hat Guide
There is no question that fedoras offer a clean, slick, classic look that few other hat styles or accessories can match. However, fedoras come in a wide range of designs and sizes. Some have tall crowns and stingy (short) brims, while others have flat, short crowns and medium, upturned brims. However, one kind of fedora that is particularly popular is the wide brim fedora. In today’s guide, we will discuss what a wide brim fedora looks like, how it is meant to be worn, what you can wear with one, and how the wide brim fedora compares to other fedora brim styles. So, let’s get started!
What Is A Wide Brim Fedora?
As the name implies, a wide brim fedora has a brim that extends farther out from the crown of the hat. The average fedora brim width is somewhere between 2 and 3 inches. Brims that extend less than 2 inches from the edge of the crown are usually considered “stingy.” Alternatively, brims that have a width beyond 2.5 to 3 inches can be categorized as a wide or large brim fedora.
Though there is no set limit for a wide brim fedora, most wide brims will typically be between 3 to 5 inches in width. Anything larger than 5 inches will likely be labeled as an extra wide brim. These are more common for fedoras that also function as sun or beach hats. In any case, wide or extra wide brims can be stiff or malleable, depending on your personal preference.
When shopping for a fedora, it is always important to check the actual measurements, as different providers and retailers may use different categorization standards. For example, you may come across a fedora with a 1.5-inch brim that is not labeled “stingy” or “short.” Alternatively, you could find a hat with a 2.5-inch brim that is labeled as a “wide brim fedora.” Therefore, always make sure to look beyond the title and description, particularly if you are ordering your hat online. Fortunately, Bellissimo Hats makes it easy to customize your own fedora and get the exact measurements and specs for a wide variety of fedora styles.
How To Wear A Wide Brim Fedora
The way to wear a wide brim fedora will vary based on several different factors. Generally, a wide brim is worn the same by both men and women, however, the exact width is one of the most important factors to consider. The traditional way to wear a fedora is “flat,” which means that the brim is perpendicular to the ground. The base of the crown should be placed just above the top of the ears to avoid any irritation or rubbing from the brim.
While this is the “standard” way to wear a fedora, regardless of the brim width, there are a few other acceptable positions and styles. The declined style puts the front of the hat lower, which often provides more face protection from the sun or wind. Alternatively, the inclined style puts the front of the hat higher, which allows for greater visibility.
If you have a wide brim fedora, then you are a bit more limited in how you can feasibly wear your hat than you would be with a shorter brimmed hat. With a wide brim, there is less flexibility to use the declined style, as the widened brim can end up covering too much of your face and impairing your visibility to an excessive degree. Therefore, the standard or inclined styles are best suited for wide brim fedoras.
You will also need to take the rigidity of the brim into consideration. Malleable or “floppy” brims often require you to wear the hat at a steep incline so that they do not slump too far in front of your eyes. These hat types also should be worn a little higher on the head, as the brims are more likely to droop and come into contact with the tops of your ears. While this may not be an issue for some people, it could cause discomfort.
If your wide brim fedora has a rigid brim, then you have a little more freedom to position the angle of the brim as you see fit. That said, it is still best to avoid the declined style for the same reason we have already discussed (limited visibility). Thus, the standard or declined styles work best.
What To Wear With A Wide Brim Fedora
One of the best parts of getting a fedora is coordinating your wardrobe with your new accessory. Fortunately, wide brim fedoras can go with both formal and informal wear, though they function a little differently than stingy brimmed hats. With a stingy brim, you can wear formal attire, semi-formal attire, business casual attire, or even casual attire. They really work in just about any environment, making it easy to coordinate your entire outfit.
As brims get wider, they become a little more limiting. Wide brims can still be worn with all of the aforementioned clothing styles, but extra wide brims become a bit more complicated. This is due to the fact that extra wide brim fedoras are often associated with outdoor activities. As a result, it would not be uncommon to see a man or woman going on a hike through the mountains or a vacation to the beach with an extra wide brim fedora. This means that casual outdoor wear can easily work with fedora brims that extend beyond roughly 5 inches in width.
Naturally, you will also want to think about how the colors of your clothing look with your fedora. Unless you plan on matching all of your colors exactly, you will likely want to have contrasting tones. In other words, if you have a dark colored fedora, you might want to wear lighter colors, and vice versa.
Wide Brim Fedora Hat Vs Other Brim Styles
Thus far, we have touched on the fact that there are many different brim sizes to choose from when shopping for a fedora. Wide brims are very popular for a wide range of circumstances, but they may not always be the best fit for you. For example, you may want to consider the best hat for your face shape before making a purchase. Heart or diamond shaped faces often pair well with wider brims, though many people find that the height and shape of the crown are more important when shopping for a fedora that fits well with certain face shapes.
In any case, finding the best fedora brim style for you requires a bit of research and experimentation. If you know you want to keep the sun out of your eyes or have greater overall coverage, a wider brim is probably best. Alternatively, if you don’t want to have extra material on the sides and are more focused on the style of the crown, you may want to opt for a stingy or even regular brim.
We hope you found this guide on wide brim fedoras both fun and useful! If you’d like to buy a high-quality, wide brim fedora to add to your collection, be sure to check out some of the options available at Bellissimo Hats today!