If you’ve ever pulled your favorite hat out of the airplane overhead only to find it’s been crushed by a fellow traveler’s rolly bag, we feel you. Or if you’ve been caught in a downpour and discover the next day that your hat has shrunk? We know that headache too. Don’t worry. Hat mishaps happen.
The good news: Reshaping a hat is part fix-it, part glow-up. Whether you’re rescuing a squashed crown or just in the mood for a brim with a deeper curl, steam and patience can save your topper. With a little steam and some hands-on love, you can shape a wool hat or reshape a cowboy hat so it feels as fresh as the day you bought it.
Here’s how.
Step 1: Get steamy
Steam is your best friend when it comes to reshaping. Grab a clothes steamer if you have one or carefully hold your hat over a pot of boiling water. Keep your steam source at least 6 inches away from your hat. Steam just long enough to soften the fibers. You don’t want to saturate the wool. Keep your hat moving, so the felt warms evenly.
Step 2: Tend to the crown
If the hat’s crown is dented or crushed, steam inside the crown. Slide your hand around inside and gently coax the felt back into place. With light pressure, push the sides outward, back to their original form. Be patient and work slowly in small sections to avoid overstretching. Use your fingers on the outside of the crown to massage dents and redefine creases.
Pro tip: Cowboy hats have signature crease styles (like the cattleman or pinch front). You can sharpen those lines or even try a new look. Same goes for shaping the brim, which is covered in the next step.
Step 3: Shape the brim
The brim sets the mood of the hat, be it bold curl, soft slope, or sleek and flat. If your brim has lost its curl, lightly steam the area, hold it between your palms and gently pull it into a curl. To flatten the brim, steam lightly, then press the brim against a clean, flat surface. (We do this a lot in-store for hat lovers who want to personalize their new hats.)
Step 4: Consider a hat stiffener
Want your work to last? A light mist of hat stiffener helps lock in the shape. Spray evenly, let it rest, then refine as needed. This step is optional, but it’s a good idea.
Step 5: Let it dry
Lay your hat on a cool, flat surface to dry. Don’t use a hairdryer, place your hat over a heat vent or put it out in the sun. These things can warp or shrink the felt.
