A lot of guys come into the shop and have never worn a dress hat. They have always wanted a fedora, pork pie, bowler or homburg, but they are surprised that the crowns are 3 1/2- to 5-inches tall.

“Does this look too big on me?” or “Why is this so tall?” they ask.

The height of the hat is the result of two primary factors. The style of the hat is among the key reasons. The crease of the crown is also a significant factor.

Oils from your head or hair care products can damage the lining and fur felt of a hat’s crown over time. So the crown of your hat needs to be high enough to keep from being damaged. Pork pie hats and bowlers have flat or gently rounded tops and are generally shorter crowns because they don’t need as much space to avoid touching your head. Fedoras and homburgs with a creased crown  have to rise up slightly higher to keep the crease from being too deep and touching your head.

So if you are new to hats, remember that the crown’s height serves a practical purpose and that it really isn’t as big as you might think. Then kick back and recognize how good you look with a hat.