Hats are fun. Some hats are practicable, and some others are fashionable. Interestingly, hats develop a relationship with the users who often fall in love with some hats and want to preserve their beauty for a long time. Therefore, it is essential to take proper care of hats so that the love can be long-lasting. The hat material plays a vital role in ensuring its longevity, but only adequate handling and care can help to retain the shape, looks, and appeal.
Whether it is leather hats, felt hats, or straw hats, you must know how to take its proper care instead of taking things for granted that would only discard the hat earlier than desired. You must take good care of the sweatbands, too, because these are most susceptible to staining due to their exposure to body soil, sweat, hair products, or makeup.
This article will discuss how to take care of hats according to the material and style.
Straw and fabric fashion hats
Some hats are for some special occasions and help women to make a statement. Hats are more than traditional headgears. Today, hats are fashion accessories that help women express their personalities. Natural and synthetic straw and various fabrics like wool, velvet, and brocade are the most popular hat materials for women, and feathers or a veil add some artistic touches to hats that turn hats into attractive pieces of artwork.
To maintain the smoothness of the fabric and the shine, remove the dust from the surface by using a lint roller or soft-bristle brush. Gently brush all around the brush by taking care to protect the decorative accessories. To make the brushing easier, it is better to remove flowers and ribbons that might be part of the hat decoration. To remove the stain, sprinkle talcum powder or cornstarch on the stained area, and after allowing it to sit for several hours, brush away with a soft brush.
Fedoras and flat caps
Fedora was essentially a woman’s hat when it made its maiden appearance while staging a play by the same name in Broadway 1882. Sarah Bernhardt, who played the fictional princess Fedora, wore the hat for the first time. Later, in the first quarter of the twentieth century, Prince Edward of Britain was the first man to wear a fedora, and after that, the hat became popular among men. The Hollywood actors helped to popularize the hat even more among men. Initially, felt or wool was the material chosen for fedoras, but now straw and other fabrics are popular.
Flat caps are ideal for the winter season, and their rounded shape with a stiff brim makes it a fashionable accessory for golfers, newsboys and longshoremen, and gentlemen. Wool, leather, and cotton are the materials for making flat caps.
For fedora hats made from wool or fabric, use the same technique for cleaning as mentioned above for fashion hats. For cleaning flat woolen caps, wash them with your hands by using a gentle wool wash. Soak the cap for 5-10 minutes in water collected in the sink and then swish and rinse the cap until all suds go away. Leave the hat on a towel to absorb some water and then let it dry in the air. But do not expose it to heat or direct sunlight.
Leather hats
Leather and faux leather hats look exclusively stylish and luxurious. They are typical winter hats as they protect the head from the cold weather. Leather and suede hats can last for many years only if you take proper care. To maintain the gorgeous looks of tanned leather so that it looks best whenever you wear it, you must treat it every time before venturing out. When buying leather hats, ensure that they have undergone a treatment of leather protector. It prevents staining and repels water while protecting the leather from any damage.
Apply the protector on the leather hat once a year or more, depending on the kind of exposure it receives. Do not attach any decorative items like pins, tape, badges, or stickers on leather as it will damage the finish. Do not wear the hat soon after applying cologne, perfume, or hair spray as these contain alcohol which will evaporate and leave a stain on leather.
Crocheted or knit caps
Knowing the fiber content in handmade caps, whether cotton, wool, or acrylic, should help decide the best method of cleaning the caps. Look at the label of bough caps to gather information about the cleaning technique. Hand washing in cold water is best for regular wool, but machine washing is possible for Super wool. Machine washing is suitable for linen, cotton, and ramie yarn, but in all cases, you must ensure a gentle washing cycle in warm or cold water. Synthetic and acrylic materials are suitable for laundry wash.
Since hats are much dear to its users, taking its proper care should prolong the life.
