Whether you've bought your first nice hat or have a closet full of fedoras, everyone is asking about appropriate hat storage. Hat maintenance and proper care, after all, are an important factor to keep your hat as fresh as the day you bought it.
So, if you are wondering how to store your hat the right way, you've come to the right place. We've compiled these tips on storing hats from generations of hat lovers - those who have so fiercely gone before us. Through trial and error, mistakes have been made and knowledge has been learned. Now we're ready to pass those secrets onto the next generation of hat enthusiasts.
Remember that nifty box your hat came in? You thought about keeping it. “It'd be perfect for my action figure collection," you argued. But your anti-hoarding wife took over and made you toss it. She blamed the useless collection of empty shoe boxes you never use.
This one's your own dumb fault. You should have hung onto that box. Your hat would thank you.
The right way to store a hat in a box is to keep the hat upside down in the box it came in. A proper hat box is designed with a circular cut out to stick the crown through. The crown of your hat should be suspended in midair, never crushed. The brim is then suspended, holding the hat upside down in place.
Good news is you have new ammunition for buying more stuff and a valid excuse to visit The Container Store. Go get some boxes.
Every proper man's hat comes with a snap brim. We're not talking about snapback hats either here, don't get it confused. No one cares about your baseball hat collection, just toss it on a hanger.
A true gentleman's hat consists of a fedora, bowler, pork pie, trilby, or even a Western hat will suffice. All these hats have brims which can be filled up or down. Ideally a fedora should be worn with the front brim flipped down. For the hat to retain its structure, when storing, it's best to be flipped back up.
This rule is useful whether you are storing the hat in the box or not. Having the brim rolled back up is the only way to prevent it from warping into a strange shape. The hat maker molded the wool that way for a reason, so keep it that way.
Moths love to munch on animal fiber. The wool in that swanky felt fedora is definitely a target. Take proper precaution to guard against Mother Nature's nasty winged creatures with a handful of mothballs.
If the smell of mothballs reminds you of Grandma's attic, there are alternatives. Lavender scented moth balls are available. Others swear by cedar chips as a safe natural deterrent.
As with all chemical weapons: Read the label. Mothballs are poison. It's a pesticide. Make sure you're using them properly. More importantly too it will kill eggs and larvae. Eww, I know, right? But imagine that stuff eating your favorite top hat. They're better off dead.
Ideally mothballs should only be used with airtight containers. If the smell is present outside the box, it means the airtight seal has been broken.
Another notorious hat killer no one thinks of is the sun. Frankly, the main reason you bought a hat is to protect yourself from the sun. That's what hats are for, right?
For starters, you shouldn't be wearing a thick wool hat in the summer months. There are plenty of lightweight and straw alternatives to beat the heat. But thankfully a few sweltering August strolls in the park won't destroy that pork pie hat. However, leaving it out to bake at home will.
You need a closet for your hat storage. Tossing them on the wall may look great on Pinterest, but for longevity, shut the door. A closet is ideal, but if space is at a premium, any dark area will do. Under the bed, attic, basement, are all adequate options.
If you're using hat boxes to store each hat, the space can get swallowed up quickly. Use someone else's house if you need too, they won't mind, much. The key is to get them locked away like your prized mint Pokemon card collection. The lasting vibrant colors and original hat creases will thank you.
“Cedar Closet" by Kendyl Young is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Get a cedar closet. A culmination of the mothball and storage discussion is to use a cedar closet for your hats. You've already sunk substantial funds into your hat collection, why risk that investment? If an entire closet is too expensive for you, then a closet lined with cedar panels will do the trick.
The benefits of cedar have been around forever. King Solomon used cedar when constructing his palace, and he's like wicked old. Cedar helps by pulling moisture out of the air, having the natural ability to resist mildew, a true fabric killer. It's also a natural insect repellent. Bugs are deterred by that strong characteristic smell.
Besides, it just smells great. If you're really searching for that Victorian hipster vibe, storing your hats in a cedar closet is the way to go.
These are the best ways to store hats to keep them looking newer, longer.
What's your favorite way to store a hat? Let us know in the comments below.
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