Don’t throw away a hat that doesn’t fit. Instead, learn how to shrink a hat so it perfectly fits your head. 

Have the Perfect Hat in the Wrong Size? Here’s How to Shrink a Hat

Hats that fit too large are often a problem for women. Unfortunately, most hats are designed for men. Ladies hats that fit women specifically are becoming more common, but if you have an old hat that is too big, you can use a few easily found household tools to resize it.

Steps to Shrink a Hat

You can use heat and moisture to mold your hat to your head size. The olive green Nebo hat, for example, has a somewhat tall crown so you may want to shrink it. 

1. Heat a pot of water. It should be spacious enough for a hat. Set the pot to medium heat. Heat until there is a bit of steam, but do not bring to a boil. 

2. Submerge the hat completely. Force it down until it can stay submerged on its own. You can use your hands or a pair of tongs. 

3. Allow the hat to soak for several minutes. The heat causes the cotton fibers to constrict, shrinking the hat.

4. Ring the hat of excess liquid and wear the hat until it dries. This will allow it to fit to your head. This will likely take all day. 

With high quality cotton, the stretched out shape should last but these steps can be repeated periodically if necessary.