Hat Size Chart: How to Measure Your Head and Find Your Size
The average men's hat size is 7 1/4 to 7 3/8. Here is a full size chart in inches and centimeters, and how to measure your head in about a minute.
A good hat should sit level, just above your eyebrows, and stay put in a breeze without leaving a line on your forehead. Getting there takes one measurement and about a minute.
The quick answer
The average hat size for men is 7 1/4 to 7 3/8, which is a head circumference of about 22 3/4 to 23 1/8 inches (58 to 59 cm). Measure your own head before you buy, because a quarter inch is the difference between perfect and pinching.
Where most men land. The shaded sizes are the most common.
How to measure your head for a hat
You need a soft tape measure. No tape? Use a phone charging cable or a piece of string, mark where it overlaps, then lay it flat against a ruler.
Wrap it
Run the tape around your head across the middle of your forehead, where a hat's sweatband would sit.
Keep it level
About 1/8 inch above the tops of your ears, and level all the way around the back. Snug, not tight.
Read and round up
Measure twice. If you land between two sizes, take the larger one. A hat can be snugged up; it can't be stretched much.
Hat size chart: inches, centimeters and letter sizes
Most of our hats are sized one of two ways. Felt and straw hats from makers like Stetson use fitted sizes (7 1/4, 7 3/8). Caps and outdoor hats often use letter sizes. This chart converts between all three.
| Hat size | Head (inches) | Head (cm) | Letter size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 3/4 | 21 1/4 | 54 | S |
| 6 7/8 | 21 5/8 | 55 | S |
| 7 | 22 | 56 | M |
| 7 1/8 | 22 3/8 | 57 | M |
| 7 1/4 | 22 3/4 | 58 | L |
| 7 3/8 | 23 1/8 | 59 | L |
| 7 1/2 | 23 1/2 | 60 | XL |
| 7 5/8 | 23 7/8 | 61 | XL |
| 7 3/4 | 24 1/4 | 62 | XXL |
| 7 7/8 | 24 5/8 | 63 | XXL |
| 8 | 25 | 64 | XXXL |
How a hat should fit
Just right
Sits level about a finger's width above your eyebrows and ears. You can slide one finger under the sweatband at the back. It doesn't move when you turn your head quickly.
Too tight
It rides up, leaves a red line on your forehead, or gives you a headache within the hour. Go up a size.
Too loose
It drops toward your ears or spins when you adjust it. If it's only slightly loose, a foam hat sizing tape behind the sweatband will take up the slack.
Between sizes
Size up and fine-tune with sizing tape. Leather sweatbands also relax a touch with wear, so a hat that's barely snug on day one usually settles in nicely.
What is the average hat size for men?
Most men fall between a 7 1/8 and a 7 3/8, with 7 1/4 the single most common size. In centimeters that's 57 to 59, or roughly 22 3/8 to 23 1/8 inches around. Women's sizes usually run a size or two smaller, landing around 7 to 7 1/8 (56 to 57 cm).
Average is only a starting point, though. Head shape matters too. Some heads are more oval front to back, others rounder. If a hat in your size presses at the front and back but gaps at the sides, the shape is the issue, not the size, and a slightly larger size with sizing tape usually solves it.
Shop the look
Now that you know your size
A few of the Stetsons our customers keep coming back for.
Stetson Frederick Felt Fedora$124.99Wool felt fedora, made in the USA
Stetson Powder River 4X Buffalo Felt$169.994X buffalo felt, pinch front
Stetson Seneca 4X Cowboy Hat$169.99A classic 4X cattleman
Stetson Gus Crushable Wool Hat$144.99Crushable, so it packs
Stetson Jackson Fur Blend Outdoor Hat$174.99Fur blend for real weather
Stetson Roxbury Shapeable Leather Hat$104.99Shapeable leatherDoes hat size change by style?
The number doesn't, but the feel does. Here is how different hats tend to fit in the same size.
| Style | How it fits | Our tip |
|---|---|---|
| Felt cowboy hat | Firm crown, leather sweatband | Size exactly; use sizing tape if between |
| Fedora | Shallower crown sits higher | Make sure it covers the top of your ears |
| Crushable wool | Softer, a little more give | Your true size is usually perfect |
| Fitted cap | Stretch band in many styles | Check the maker's range (S/M, L/XL) |
| Adjustable cap | Snapback or strap | Size barely matters |
Hat size questions, answered
What is the average hat size for a man?
The average men's hat size is 7 1/4 to 7 3/8. That equals a head circumference of about 22 3/4 to 23 1/8 inches, or 58 to 59 cm.
What is a 7 1/4 hat size in cm and inches?
A 7 1/4 hat fits a head that measures 22 3/4 inches, or 58 cm, around.
What is a 7 3/8 hat size in cm?
A 7 3/8 hat fits a head that measures 59 cm, or about 23 1/8 inches, around.
What hat size is a 23 inch head?
A 23 inch head is between a 7 1/4 and a 7 3/8. Go with the 7 3/8 and add sizing tape if it feels a little loose.
What size is a large hat?
Large usually covers 7 1/4 to 7 3/8, or 58 to 59 cm. Letter sizing varies by maker, so check the size chart on the product page.
Should a hat be tight or loose?
Neither. It should be snug enough to stay on in a breeze with room to slide one finger under the sweatband.
Found your size?
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