Selling Tools & Tips

The following tools are useful for any hat shop to assist in the selling process and are essential if you provide an after sales service.

Tools

Steamer

Electric Jiffy. Provides steam for removing marks on hats and for freshening up stock. A quick shot of steam together with a brush will remove marks caused by packing rings, rain and will also remove crease marks from crowns and ribbons. It also has many other uses, such as removing creases from clothes and ties and various other accessories.

Hat Brushes

These are slightly curved and narrow in shape to facilitate the brushing of brims. Essential for the removal of any dust from hats. Brush stock regularly and always the item being sold.

Hat Pads

Made from felt, these are useful for reducing the size of a hat which maybe just that one size too large. 4 pads inserted underneath the inner leather band, will reduce the hat in size by approximately one centimetre.

Hat Stretcher

Will stretch most hats by up to two sizes. An essential tool, for retailers who limit their offer of sizes to S, M, L and XL, by enabling them to stretch the hat to the size in between.

Initial Machines

Offered by only a few of the more specialist hat retailers, but is still a much valued personal service.

Hat Separators

Placed between hats will ensure that your hats are neatly displayed and will avoid any unnecessary damage.

Hat Boxes

Useful for storage of last seasons hats. Always place the smaller hats inside the larger hat sizes, to avoid marking the crowns and creasing the ribbons.

The colour, shape and size of hat worn will depend on the complexion and size of the gentleman.

Round Full Face

The brim should be relatively wide and the crown fairly full.

Short and Plump

Requires a brim of medium width.

Tall and plump

Should wear a hat with a full crown with a fairly wide brim.

Slim Face

Requires a brim of medium width and ideally with a tapered crown and the brim slightly rolled at the side.

Short Thin Man

Should wear a hat with a relatively high crown to give him added height.

Hat Colour

The colour of the suit or outerwear will determine the colour of hat required. Furthermore certain coloured hats will suit certain colourings more than others.

Colour of Hat

Colouring

Colour of Suiting / Outerwear

Light Grey

Fair skin, blond and brown hair.

Blue, Navy, Dark Grey and Black.

Dark Grey

As above

Grey and green.

Navy

Good with blue eyes and any colour of hair but particularly suits auburn and red heads. Dark navys with fair skin is not recommended.

Navy blue and grey, brown and tan.

Brown

Suits dark and ruddy skins and auburn and red heads, although can be worn by any complexion.

Brown, green, olive and tan. Can be occasionally worn with navy.

Green

Favoured by blond and brown haired gentlemen, although can be worn by any colour hair.

Green, olive, brown. Sometimes worn with navy.