ScalaMen's Wool Felt Derby Hat

Some people wear ball caps or cowboy hats, mine is a derby and I couldn't be more happier with the one I own. I have long desired a derby, but never had enough money to buy one, when I bought this one I was weary, thinking I made a mistake buying it.and ALMOST soon canceled my order, but I didn't and I am so glad.The hat is very nice and made. When I got it, it was a tad small - but that wasn't an issue at all, I took it to the shower, wearing it on my head and running it in some hot warm water and flung it dry so not to drip and put it on my head and stretched it, by pulling it outward from the edge of the rim. And sizing it to meThe hat DID NOT loose color or drip dye into the shower or onto me.I have worn my hat when it was hot with no discomfort at all. I have worn it in the rain, no issue there either, and I have worn it in the wind(strong gust), and it stuck to my head, suppose it was since it is conformed to my head.I am really glad I have this hate, I wear it every day, even when just sitting around.The image included is of myself changing a friends tire for her, hat may look dirty, but it is on my head.. No wind from the big trucks or the ones that blew threw the trees moved it, no worries..

My husband bought this for our Kentucky Derby party. He said it was very comfortable. He wore it all night so I guess it was. It looked very nice. It is very sturdy.

I have liked the look of bowler hats for quite a while, but I was unconvinced how good i would look in one. The pics, favorable reviews and inexpensive price convinced me to take a chance.Quick delivery, isn't that why we shop Amazon? I ordered on Thursday afternoon and hat arrived on Monday. Would have been sooner if I had not waiting to order until late in the week.Hat came in the correct sized rugged cardboard box and was undamaged.Quality of hat appears to exceed expectations. The outside is very attractive and of quality. The inside has a nice inner band and equally nice lining.Due to nature of bowler hats, the off the shelf, inner shape is very round, so unless you have a melon shaped like a soccer ball, look at investing in a hat stretcher. I ordered a large, which out of the box was tight on my forehead and back of the head, with gaps on the sides. I little steam and a little stretching will solve this issue.Small note: I was somewhat disappointed that the accent feather was not attached. I was on the fence anyway if I would wear with feather or not. An email to the seller was returned in 15 minutes, advising they would mail a feather to me directly. Good customer service!

I like the hat. It is my first Scala hat and I am pleased with the quality. The feather cam a bit messed up however and I was not able to fix it. Also the hat was tight in front to back and had a lot of extra space on the sides. I was not able to fix this by stretching it on a hat jack so I tried a large C clamp pressing inward on the band on both sides. This did the trick nicely. Please note that if your hat is too large you can adjust this most affordably and effectively by buying some black open cell foam weather stripping at a home supply store (about $2.50 for a 17 foot roll of 3/16" X 3/8" foam strip) and sticking it on the inside under the hat band (the foam is self adhesive). This results in a very comfortable hat.I wear my hats while dancing and I will be buying several other Scala hats in the near future. Their degree of quality, authenticity and affordability is exactly what I am looking for.

I'm a 7 3/8" and the large fits. My head is oval shaped and the hat is a bit more rounded shape so that there is a little bit of a gap at the temples. This makes the fit at the forehead a little tight but some steaming and wearing the hat transfers the extra room at the temples to the fore and aft dimensions.I have the same Scala Derby, model 506 in black, from another source and the hats are identical. I also have a Scala Bowler, model 507 in black. The 507 has a slightly lower crown than the 506 Derby but the brims and remaining shape of the hats are the same. In addition, the 507 wool felt is not as heavy or stiff as the 506 Derby. The Bowler is still a solid hat but I prefer the robustness of the Derby over the Bowler. That being said, the Bowler is lighter in weight and feel and more immediately conforms to your head.If you're looking at this hat you're probably looking at other brands as well. I had a Bollman 1890 Bowler that I sent back. The hat was twice as expensive and the felt was not as heavy as the Scala Derby or Bowler. In addition the shape of the hat was round and the brim was not as wide and had a constant upturn. I prefer the Scala and how the brim is upturned on the sides and shallows to the front and rear. I also prefer the "rocker" ( my term ) of the Scala where there is a noticeable dip to the front and rear of the hats brim. I also have a Jaxson Derby decorated with beads. The Jaxson crown is stiff like the Scala but the brim is slightly less so. This might be due to the handling while the hat was beaded. The Jaxson shape is very similar to the Scala Derby. I'll try to post pics later.

I have a sizeable melon on my shoulders - buying hats is always a chore, and doing it online is downright scary. However, as I needed a derby hat in a hurry I ordered this one and crossed my fingers. It arrived swiftly, it was really well packaged, and in immaculate condition.The materials are all of excellent grade - wool felt has a splendid texture as well as good thickness and firmness; the inside lining is white satin with a very comfy leather headband, and all the other bits and pieces of construction feel well made and solid. The construction is likewise really well executed - the hat feels firm and sturdy, without being uncomfortably rigid. The inside headband provides enough room to tuck in strips of padding if the hat should be too big, and the proportions and overall look of the hat are just right.All in all, I bought it for a specific occasion as an emergency solution, only to find myself with a new favorite hat. It's perhaps a bit too warm for the Colorado summer, but I foresee it seeing a lot of use in the colder winter months.