Caring for & Wearing Your Hat

This hat was made by hand to be worn and to last. Beaver felt is tough — it sheds rain and holds its shape — but it's still fur. Treat it like a good pair of boots and it'll outlast you. Here's how to care for it, and a few words on wearing it.

Caring for It

Favor the brim. A pinch of the crown to set it on and off is fine — we all do it. Just don't make the front pinch your everyday handle; lift it by the brim, front and back, when you can, and it'll keep its shape longer.

Brush it weekly. Use a soft horsehair brush if you wear it regularly. Brush the crown and the top of the brim counterclockwise, the underside of the brim clockwise. Go with the nap, in light strokes — that keeps the sheen up and the felt smooth.

Rest it crown-down, store it in its box. Set it upside down on its crown, never on the brim. Keep it boxed when you're not wearing it — off the hook, out of the sun, and never on a hot dashboard.

If it gets wet, shake it off, turn the sweatband down, and let it air dry on its crown at room temperature. Never near heat — that shrinks the felt and the sweatband both. Shape it by hand while it's damp, then brush it up once it's dry.

Air the sweatband. Now and then, turn it down and let it breathe, so sweat doesn't work its way into the felt.

Bring it to me. A stubborn mark, a tired shape, a deep clean, or a full reblock — that's my job, not yours. And your first year of shaping tune-ups is on the house: bring it by anytime it needs a touch-up.

Wearing It Right

A few courtesies, not commandments:

Off at the table. Take it off for a sit-down meal. At a bar or a counter, leave it on — that's always been fine.

Off when it counts. A home, a church, a funeral, the national anthem — hat in hand.

On most everywhere else. Outdoors, the street, a shop, a lobby. A working hat is made to be worn.

Never set it on a bed. Bad luck by the old code — and a sure way to flatten it besides.

Crown-down when you set it. Rest it on the crown, never the brim. They say set it brim-down and your luck runs out.

Tip it to greet. A touch of the brim says hello to a lady, or thank you. You needn't take it off to be courteous.

Hands off another man's hat. Don't handle it or try it on without asking. Oldest rule there is.

Wear it your way. These are courtesies, not commandments. A hat worn with a little confidence beats one worn by the rulebook.