Choosing a Top Hat

However handsome your top hat, the wrong fit or size can ruin the overall look. Get it right by following our step-by-step guide to measuring for a top hat and achieving the perfect fit.

1.  Take a soft tape measure and place it around your head.  Ensure it’s half an inch above your ears and straight.

2.  Measure in centimetres or inches, and use this measurement to find your hat size on the chart here.

3.  A correctly fitted hat should rest comfortably half an inch above the ears, sitting completely straight. Not titled to the side, or to the back. 

Or watch our handy video here

Oliver Brown stocks a range of antique and modern top hats for hire or purchase - both of which can be worn to any formal occasion. Black antique silk top hats are conidered the height of beauty and elegance because of their impressive shine, shape and lightness, which is second to none.

The modern versions we carry are the fur felt top hat in black and grey, and although these styles tend to be bulkier they do last well. In addition we have the Melusine Top Hat and its taller counterpart the Heatherington Top Hat which are the closest alternative to an original silk top hat, but finished with ‘melusine’ fabric, they don't have the same impressive shine, look and lightness as an antique silk top hat.

The shape and height of antique silk top hats evolved somewhat over the years, with the crowns gradually becoming taller in height and the brims narrower. The most common shape of antique silk top hats is the ‘bell-shape’ which has slightly curved sides, but there are also examples such as the ‘stove-pipe’ which has straight sides and is particularly tall. The shape you opt for is a personal choice, for example if you have a smaller head you may want to opt for a crown that’s lower in height to keep everything in proportion.

Antique silk top hats are largely found in black, but can also be brown or grey (which is often referred to as ‘white’ even though they are in fact grey), and although extremely rare, from time to time we have these colours available at Oliver Brown. In addition, we always carry the modern top hat made of fur felt in grey. Whilst black is sometimes thought of as more formal, any colour can be worn to finish a morning suit or tails, and worn to all occasions.

If you’re looking for Royal Ascot top hats and have access to the Royal Enclosure, the dress code requires gentlemen to wear black or grey top hats without adornments such as coloured ribbons. The dress code is less restrictive within the Queen Anne and Windsor enclosures, however you’re welcome to adhere to the Royal Enclosure dress codes if you so wish. Oliver Brown is also in attendance at Royal Ascot each year, so you can be measured for - and purchase - your Ascot top hat on the day itself.

Any dust on an antique or modern top hat can removed by lightly brushing it with a pure bristle brush; when dusting an antique silk top hat it’s important to brush in the direction of the nap to keep it smooth. You can treat it with steam if needed or bring it into the shop to have it cleaned.

Antique silk top hats were designed to be buffed and this will need to be carried out from time to time to keep their polished appearance. Using a velvet pad, sweep over the surface in the direction of the nap a few times until the hat’s deep, glossy shine is reinstated.

If you need to dry your top hat, for example because you were caught in the rain, it’s important you let the hat dry in a naturally warm and airy environment - never over direct heat such as a radiator which could distort the shape of the hat.

Keep your top hat in a box, away from moths, and cover the whole hat in silk to protect it. Oliver Brown stock a range of leather top hat buckets, both new and antique, and Oliver Brown top hat boxes made of cardboard, which protect your top hat during storage and travel. The hat should fit comfortably in the bucket or box so it doesn’t move around too much during transportation, but must also be tall enough so the edges of the hat do not rub and cause wear to the crown.

When wearing an antique top hat, special care should always be taken when setting it down on a flat surface. Always set the hat down upright, with the brim of the hat on the table. This maintains the condition of the crown, which is vulnerable to damage, and once worn can never be repaired, only blackened to minimise the effect of the damage.