When you survey the hat universe, you will realize that the fedora is a famous hat style! They got worn by several Hollywood celebrities. And surprisingly, the hat came into prominence after a play named after it that starred Sarah Bernhardt. That is not all! In 1924, even Prince Edward of Great Britain had started to sport this hat.
And if you consider the recent times, the famous fedora hat worn was by Harrison Ford in his films. If you look at an authentic fedora, it gets made using wool felt. However, today you can find the men’s fedora hat being made using straw, leather, and other synthetic fibers.
Taking care of the fedora hat – The fabric or wool care
If you have a felt fedora or a hat in any other fabric, you should start to remove the dust using a soft-bristle brush. Make it a point to brush from the fabric’s nap. You can use the lint roller to remove the dirt and fuzz if you want. Gently use it to avert any kind of hat misshape. If you have the straw material hat, you can wipe the surface using a damp, white cloth to remove the dust.
On the other hand, if the hat gets wet in the rain, first you need to shake off all the extra water. You need to air dry the hat and keep it away from any kind of high heat or artificial heater. If you can, use the large jar as assistance to ensure that the brim doesn’t get flattened. In case you perspire a lot, when you are wearing the hat, you should wipe the hat carefully so that there are nobody salts that might come with the sweat. You should turn out the hatband and enable the hat to get dry totally. In case there are salt stains on the felt hat, you should wipe it with a damp cloth. Make sure to dip the fabric in a mixture of water and vinegar. Go ahead and spot clean all the salt stains on the hat and let it dry by itself. Make use of the soft brush to restore the felt nap.
Taking care of the sweatband
In case the sweatband gets made from leather and it’s stiff, you should clean it with saddle soap and make use of the leather conditioner so that it’s supple. Be careful so that the conditioner doesn’t touch the felt as it might leave a stain. If you wish to take off any oily stains from the body oils, lotions, and hair products, you can use corn starch for the same. Sprinkle it in the stained area. Ensure that the corn starch stays on the hat for a few hours, and then you can brush it away. It will absorb the oil once you repeat it a few times.
It would help if you didn’t use any liquid cleaners on your hat till such time it’s not a synthetic fiber. You can opt-in for the mild detergent to spot-treat the stains if you want. But make sure to rinse by wiping using a cloth dipped in the plain water and enable it to dry naturally.
The elements of hat care
It would help if you stored the fedora inside a covered box so that it doesn’t get exposed to dust. Ensure to keep the hat upside down so that the brim stays in shape. Do you have to pack the hat when you are travelling? If yes, you should stuff its crown using clean socks. You can create a nest in the hat size inside your suitcase and keep the hat with the crown facing down. Also, if you wish to preserve the fedora shape, you need to grasp it using the brim. Ensure that the hands are very clean every time you touch the hat. At times, even when you have clean hands, the oils from the fingertips can result in discolouring the hat. Also, when you hold the fedora from the crown pinch, it might rip the fabric. Hence, you should take care of it as well.
You need to keep the fedora hat in form. Are you thinking about what to do if the hat gets crushed? It would help if you placed it on the hat and atop the rounded jar in such a situation. Use a handheld clothing steamer to steam the hat till it’s damp. It will enable you to reshape the hat to its original condition and allow it to dry. If you feel that the felt hat requires being dyed to refresh the colour, it’s best to get in touch with an expert dry clear specializing in leather care and hat care. When you use these basic tips, you can take good care of your hat. Also, if you want, you can always get in touch with your hatmaker for further guidance on taking care of the fedora hat.
