Felt Hat Accessories: Bands, Pins, Brushes and Storage
3 min read
A hat band changes the hat more than anything else you can buy for it. The rest of the list is care equipment — and two items on it save a hat that would otherwise be ruined.
Hat accessories split into two groups: the ones that change how the hat looks, and the ones that keep it alive. Most people buy the first and neglect the second, then replace the hat two years early.
Bands
The single biggest visual change available. A grosgrain-banded fedora and the same hat with a plaited leather band read as different hats.
- Grosgrain ribbon — the traditional choice, 35–40 mm wide, with a flat bow at the left side. Cheap, formal, replaceable in ten minutes.
- Leather — plain, braided or tooled. Adds weight and warmth; suits brown and tan felt.
- Horsehair plait — the western standard, usually with tassels.
- Woven and beaded bands — regional patterns; keep the rest of the hat plain if you use one.
To change one: lift the bow, find the single stitch or tack holding the band, unpick it with a seam ripper, and fit the new band with a couple of stitches through the band only — never through the felt itself, which leaves permanent holes.
Pins and feathers
- Hat pins — 5–10 cm decorative pins pushed through the band, not the crown. Anything through the felt makes a hole that never closes.
- Feathers — tucked under the band at the left side. Pheasant and guinea fowl are the standards; keep to one or two.
- Pin badges — pin through the band, and check the clutch back regularly.
If you want a soft trim you can make yourself, small needle felted flowers tuck under a band well and weigh nothing.
Sizing and comfort
- Sizing tape — self-adhesive foam or felt strip fitted inside the sweatband. Half a size per strip, and reversible.
- Replacement sweatbands — leather sweatbands are stitched in and can be replaced by a hatter when they harden or stain.
- Hat clips and cords — a cord to a coat button, or a clip to a bag strap, for wind. Worth having in coastal weather.
Care kit
Four items, none expensive, that between them extend a hat's life by years:
- Soft hat brush — natural bristle, used after every wear, always in the same direction.
- Cleaning sponge or block — a rubber crepe sponge lifts surface marks that a brush leaves behind.
- Steamer — a handheld garment steamer relaxes felt so a crease can be reset. A kettle spout works and is more awkward.
- Lint roller — mandatory on a black hat, near-pointless on a mid-brown one.
The full sequence for marks, rain damage and sweat stains is in how to clean a felt hat.
Storage and travel
- Hat box — rigid, slightly larger than the brim, ideally with a crown support. The one accessory that pays for itself.
- Hat block or head form — keeps the crown shape between wears and lets a damp hat dry in shape. A polystyrene head is a workable substitute.
- Travel case — a crushable hat travels in a bag; a stiff fedora does not. For flying, a box in the overhead locker or a hat carrier strapped to the case.
- Hooks and racks — a peg through the crown is how crowns get worn through. Hang by the brim or store upside down.
What to skip
- Waterproofing sprays on quality fur felt — it is already water-resistant, and silicone sprays can darken and stiffen the surface.
- Stiffening sprays on a soft hat — the softness is the design.
- Steam-shaping kits beyond a plain steamer. The rest is a block and your hands.
If the hat you are trimming turns out to be synthetic rather than wool, most of this list still applies except the steam — polyester felt will not reshape, and heat melts it. The burn test tells you which one you have.
Frequently asked questions
Can you change the band on a felt hat?
On most hats, yes. The outer band is usually stitched at one point or held under a bow and lifts off with a seam ripper. Leather and ribbon replacements are sold by width — 35 mm and 40 mm cover most hats.
What brush should I use on a felt hat?
A soft natural-bristle hat brush, used in one direction only — anticlockwise for most hats, following the nap. A clothes brush is usually too stiff and roughens the surface over time.
How do you make a felt hat smaller?
Sizing tape — a foam or felt strip that adheres inside the sweatband. One strip takes up roughly half a size, and it is reversible, which shrinking the hat is not.
Do you need a hat box?
For storage and travel, yes. A felt hat stored on its brim distorts within weeks. A rigid box, or a shelf where it sits upside down on its crown, keeps the brim flat.
