Felt hats are accessories made from wool using the felting technique. Rabbit or sheep wool is best suited for these purposes. The use of high-quality raw materials during production makes the headdress soft. In addition, the accessory keeps its shape perfectly.
The process of creating a good felt hat is quite complicated and long, but, fortunately, the price of the finished product is more influenced by the quality of the material from which it was made. Felt hats can be found both in the collections of elite brands and in the affordable niche of the mass market. But first things first.
Men's felt hat is a headdress that will make any look more elegant. If a young man wants to feel like a real dandy, then he must select the appropriate outfit. The hat plus the whole suit should complement each other well.
What models of men's felt hats have survived to this day?
Modern fashion highlights several options:
- trilby;
- fedora;
- bowler.
All these hats belong to the category of hats withmargins are wide enough. Let's consider each model in more detail.
Men's fedora hat
This model has been on the glossy pages for years. The headdress is considered classic. It has medium brims and a dent in the crown. There are practically no decorative elements on the accessory. The only thing that is allowed is a ribbon that matches the color of the product in tone.
Men's trilby hat
Specialists consider it a kind of Fedora. It is distinguished from the latter by fields that are shorter and raised here. This accessory is quite democratic and will suit lovers of hooligan style.
Cowboy hat
The main feature of the accessory is the wide fields bent on the sides. Tula here has an average size. This is a headdress for lovers of Westerns and the Wild West.
Men's bowler hat
This headdress in the majority causes associations with the legendary image of Charlie Chaplin. The accessory has a characteristic rounded shape and small folded-up margins. The bowler hat is one of the symbols of the English elegant style of clothing. The traditional color for the accessory is black.
How to add a bowler hat? Stylists recommend wearing it with a double-breasted solid coat, classic shoes, a shirt, a jacket. Complement the look with an umbrella-cane and an expensive classic watch on your hand.
How to make a felt hat for men with your own hands
You can make a hat with your own hands. Forthis will require some special tools.
Styrofoam blank. Take a few squares of Styrofoam (3-4) and glue them together. The height of the workpiece should be approximately equal to the size (height) of the crown.
Now you need to cut off all the excess to form a blank on which we will stretch the felt. Please note that the diameter of the workpiece should be equal to the volume of your head.
Now the workpiece needs to be covered with a thin layer of PVA glue. When it dries, wrap it with cling film. This is necessary so that the inside of your future products always remains clean. At the bottom of the blank, fix the film with tailor's pins.
Go to the hat pattern. From the felt you need to cut 2 circles. Add 7.5 cm to the diameter of the blank. This number will be the diameter of each circle. You can make hat patterns on paper or draw circles on felt with a pair of compasses.
Forming a hat
Now we need to shape the top of the headdress. We can achieve this by stretching it over the foam blank.
First, wet the felt strongly, the water should just drip off the fabric.
Place the heavily moistened felt in the center of the workpiece and fix with a pin. Stretch the material over the blank. This should be done with care so as not to tear the fabric. In the process of forming the hat, fix the felt around the perimeter of the blank.
Now the top pin should be removed. Then the fabric must be covered with a layer of PVA glue. To do this, usetassel 2.5 cm wide.
Going to use the second felt circle. Just like the first one, it must be moistened with water and applied to the first felt blank. Repeat the entire procedure that was done with the first circle. The last step - coating with glue - should be skipped. Leave the crown of the future headdress to dry.
After the fabric is completely dry, remove it from the blank. Use scissors to cut off any excess that remains at the bottom of the crown.
Making hat brim
Now we need to make two identical crop circles. Whatever width you want them to be, add another 5 cm to this figure.
Wet the blanks. Cover the first part with a thin layer of PVA. Place the second on top of the first. Go over the top with a hot iron. Ironing should be through the fabric. This will protect the felt from the soleplate.
Cut a circle-shaped hole in the center of the pieces. Make the diameter of this circle 2.5 cm larger than the diameter of the crown of the felt hat.
Pull the tulle over the blank again. Put on brim on top. Secure them with pins. Take a woolen thread and connect it with a crown and fields. Remove pins. The product is ready!
