The best men's fedora overall
I've been a Bailey of Hollywood fan for a long time. The brand has been around since 1922 and continues to make an outstanding product while managing to stay relevant over its nearly 100 years in business. The Blixen is made in the US from wool felt, is water repellent, and keeps its shape. It's crushable, making it perfect for traveling. It comes with a nice-looking feather that sits in the Japanese grosgrain band. I've found they fit true to size.
I have several Bailey's wool fedoras that I've owned for 10 years or longer and I've never noticed any shrinkage or tendency to lose their shape, but the color has faded in a few of the older ones, especially in the darker colored hats. I'm not super fastidious with my fedoras. I don't store them in hat boxes, for instance, so I can't say for sure whether the fading could have been prevented.
Pros: A well-made quality fedora, a nice range of colors
Cons: Not as long-lasting as fur felt, colors can fade over the years
The best fedora on a budget
9th Street Hats is the value line of the Levine Hat Company, a St. Louis, Missouri-based hatter with a 100-plus history. It's made from Australian sheep's wool and features a 2.5-inch snap brim in a range of colors, from cognac to a dark blue, and is lined in satin. It ships in a hat box to prevent it from being crushed in transit — a nice touch for the price. Some customers found the hat to run slightly large; here's a size guide. It's our only option that's not made in the US.
Pros: Great value, nice range of colors, satin-lined
Cons: Not US made
The best fedora for summer
Dobbs is another heritage brand that's existed since 1908 and is known for its high-quality hats. I have two Dobbs fur felt fedoras from the 1950s, purchased on eBay, that still look amazing. The Rosebud is made in the US from florentine Milan straw and comes in a choice of colors including a rich burgundy. While some customers said the hat runs about a half-size large, I found it to fit true to size. The inside features a leather sweatband.
The Rosebud is versatile enough to give you a lot of use from spring to early fall. I've worn mine with a summer suit for a wedding as well as with a linen button-up and shorts while on vacation. It's a sturdy straw hat that's still lightweight and comfortable enough to get you through the hottest part of summer. The Rosebud has a higher crown (4 inches) and shorter brim (2 and 1/8th inches), which doesn't necessarily complement a heavier face.
Pros: Durable yet lightweight summer fedora with a variety of color choices
Cons: Not suitable for all face types
The best fedora for dressing up
Biltmore Hats has been around for more than a century and has maintained its legacy for creating elegant and well-crafted hats. It began life as a Canadian company but has since moved to the US. I've found their hats run true to size, but come with a sizing insert that goes under the sweatband in case it's a little too roomy.
The Camden Ark is a classic fedora with a 4-inch crown and 2.25-inch snap-brim that has a satin-lined interior and leather sweatband. The rabbit-fur felt has a luxurious hand-feel and subtle sheen and comes in seven colorways, from "pecan" to a rich blue. Many fedora aficionados prefer fur felt over wool felt because of the former's long-wearing properties, tendency to retain its shape, and its colorfastness. Fur felt is also thinner than wool felt, giving this hat a sleeker look and feel. While there are benefits to fur felt, some people are averse to buying fur products. Additionally, this is a pricey hat.
Pros: Beautiful high-quality, fur-felt fedora
Cons: Some people may be averse to buying fur, pricey
The best Western-style fedora
Western-style fedoras have become popular of late and are great for giving you a subtle Western feel that isn't over the top. And who better to go to than Stetson, the legendary brand that's been around for more than 150 years? Western fedoras also work well with longer hair — think Jack White or Harry Styles (before he cut his hair).
The Cruiser is 100% wool, made in the US, and combines the best of the fedora and Western hat styles. It has a 2.5-inch snap brim and features a thin leather hat band. It's also crushable, making it perfect for travel. Stetsons can be expensive but the Cruiser has a good price point. On the downside, there are limited color choices. You'll find Stetson's fit guide here.
Pros: Made in the US, great for travel, good price
Cons: Limited colors
What else we considered
There are so many great hat companies and fedora styles available that it was really hard to choose which ones to include on the list. Here are three fedoras that nearly made the cut.
- Country Gentleman is an American heritage brand owned by the Pennsylvania-based Bollman Hat Co. It's been around since 1921. Its Dunmore fedora is made in the US from wool felt, has a 2.5-inch snap brim, and a beautifully detailed leather hatband. It's around $46. I've had a Country Gentleman wool felt fedora for about 15 years and while it's still in decent shape, there's been some fading and it's lost its shape a bit. I still wear it, as it's an incredibly comfortable hat.
- Brixton is a newer California brand launched in 2004 that does a nice job riding the line between classic and innovative hat styles. Its Coleman fedora is a good-looking Western-style fedora with a 2.5-inch brim and clean design. The fit was loose enough that I had to put in a hat size reducer, a strip of foam material that adheres under the sweatband. It comes in three colorways: aluminum, washed black, and black mix, for around $60.
- Sunday Afternoons is a family-owned hat company out of Oregon that is best known for its adventure hats but the company also makes fedora-style headwear as well, including a version called the Havana hat. I wore one a lot this past summer while hiking and at the beach. This is where it shines thanks to its wider brim that nicely shades your face. It has a 50+ ultraviolet (UV) protection factor rating — the highest available. One nice addition is the adjustable sweatband that gives you a better fit. It's made from a paper-poly blend material. The company guarantees its materials and workmanship for life. It's a good price at just under $30.
