One of the first elements we tend to notice in a hat is the shape. It defines the character of the whole piece, how it looks on the head, and whether it’s something we might easily recognize and recall.
If you’re working on your first hat or trying out a new style, understanding how shape works can make the design process a lot simpler.
Start With the Purpose
Before thinking about ornamentation or color, ask yourself why you’re designing this hat. Is it an everyday piece? A piece for special occasions? An outdoor hat, or something that’s designed to be worn only for show?
All of these questions can have an impact on the size, structure, materials, and overall silhouette of your design. An everyday hat should probably have a more comfortable and less complex shape than a more conceptual piece.
Explore Basic Shapes
There are many hat shapes you can design, but they often fall into a few basic categories: crown, brim, height, width, and proportion.
Each of these can be adjusted individually, or all together, to create a very different look. A high crown gives the hat a more dramatic silhouette, while a wide brim makes it look softer and more expressive. A smaller hat has a more modern, minimal feel.
Play With Proportion
Don’t assume that the first proportion you come up with is the best one. Make the crown slightly taller. Cut back the brim. Make it larger. Make it asymmetrical. Even a slight change could open up a whole new path of design.
Consider Who Will Wear the Hat
The perfect hat doesn’t just need to be a great-looking piece, but it should also complement the person who is wearing it.
Consider how the shape fits with the proportions of their head, face, hair, and clothing. And of course, comfort is always important, especially if it’s a hat that’s intended to be worn for a long period of time.
It doesn’t necessarily mean there are “rules” about what kind of hat people can wear, but it helps to keep this kind of consideration in mind.
Let the Material Suggest a Shape
Material and shape go hand in hand.
A soft, lightweight material might suggest a more fluid and flexible shape, while a stiffer material lends itself to sharper lines and more rigid forms. Some materials lend themselves to rounder shapes, while others work best with more angular shapes.
Instead of choosing a specific shape and then having to make a material fit it, try letting the material help inform the design.
Use Shape to Convey an Idea
A hat can have personality without needing any words at all.
Rounded shapes can convey softness and friendliness, while stronger geometric shapes might look more modern and even architectural. Extreme proportions might convey a theatrical or artistic idea. What do you want your hat to say to the world?
Ask yourself these three questions
Before settling on a particular shape, consider:
- Does the shape match the idea I’m trying to convey?
- Is it suitable for the material I’ve chosen?
- Will it be comfortable to wear?
If you can answer yes to all three, you’re heading in the right direction.
Don’t Be Afraid to Break the Rules
Once you’ve got a grasp of basic proportions and construction, experimenting becomes a lot more exciting.
You can try out unusual combinations, exaggerate certain elements, or play around with angles or asymmetry. One of the simplest ways to create a hat that stands out is to start with a well-known design, and change one aspect of it.
Remember, the goal isn’t to make a weird hat just for the sake of being weird. The goal is to make a creative choice.
Conclusion
Choosing a hat shape is an exercise in balancing creativity, construction, material, and function. There’s no one silhouette that works for every project.
Keep experimenting with different proportions and ideas, and you’ll start to get a sense of which shapes best express your own creative vision.
At HatForm, learning to think about hat shape is one of the first steps to creating a piece with a distinctive character.