Top Tips For Breaking In Your New Baseball Caps

Are you a fan of baseball caps? Do you prefer the bill straight across or, as with the latest style of dad hats, nicely curved? If you like the more relaxed look of dad hats, the flat, straight across bill of a new hat may seem daunting. We’re going to take a look at some tips when it comes to breaking in your baseball caps so that, without damaging the hat itself, you can do it correctly.

Specifically, let's concentrate on fitted caps. Some caps come with the bill already curved, while others have a bill that is straight across and flat. By curving the bill yourself, you are breaking in your new cap for a look that is more comfortable and casual.

Forming Your Hat to Your Head

Your head is unique to you. There are heads with lots of hair, a little bit of hair, and no hair. How a hat fits has everything to do with your hairstyle and the shape of your skull. Fitted hats in particular are meant to do exactly that – fit. You should measure your hat size before purchasing a fitted cap.

Some suggest that a fitted cap should be purchased that is slightly larger than needed. With moisture and heat, cotton and wool tend to shrink. While you're wearing your hat, it's hard to avoid moisture and heat. That’s why their effect on your hat must be considered. So that it will fit your splendid dome right down to its finest contours, allow a little bit of room for shrinkage.

On the other hand, you don't have to worry about this as much if you're purchasing one of the newer ball caps made from polyester.

Once you have purchased your fitted cap, it's time to break it in.

Getting Started

Depending on where you live and where you will be wearing your hat, one of the first things you might want to do is remove any stickers. However, in certain circles, cap wearers tend to leave the stickers in place. It's a fashion thing.

The Best Way to Break Your Cap In

Wear it! That's right, simply wear your cap. Over time, the hat will break itself in. But if you're in a hurry, here are some suggestions.

• In hot water, soak the crown of your cap. Keep in mind that this only works on cotton or wool hats. Now, until it dries, just wear your cap.
• As long as your cap doesn't have a cardboard bill, you can also wear it in the shower to give it a decent soak. Don't take it off of your head until it's dry.

Curving the Bill

If your hat came with a flat, straight bill, here's how to curve it.

Much as with shaping clay, you will shape the bill with your hands until you have achieved the perfect curve. You may have to do this for a few days, frequently, to get the bill to stay in the desired curved position. Be careful not to end up with a V shape, but rather, the perfectly centered U shape.

Other methods include the following:

• Take a soup can and curve the bill around it. Use a rubber band or string to secure the process.
• Fold the bill, curved, backwards, into the hat. Again, this may take more than just overnight for the bill to stay in the desired curve.

What If Your Cap’s Too Small?

Oh-oh, you got the gift of a fitted cap from a friend, but it doesn't fit. Your head's too big. (Or the hat is too small – whichever.) As long as it's only slightly small (maybe ½ size), there might still be hope. Here are some suggestions:

• Sweatband cuts – At the back of the hat, in the sweatband, make two cuts. Don't cut the hat itself, but this should loosen things up a tad.
• Stretching – With the bill facing you, place your hat on your knee. With both hands, grab the bill firmly. Slowly and simultaneously push out with your knee and pull the bill with your hands. Eventually, you should hear a loud pop. That means that your hat’s stitching is coming apart. It's essential that you control your movements. You will rip the hat itself if you yank too hard and fast. Stop stretching as soon as you hear the pop.

The more baseball caps you own, the more choices you'll have when it comes to matching accessories. Wear one the next time you attend a sporting event or throw one on as you fly out the door on your way to a casual meeting. The best place to find baseball caps is, of course, Hat Heaven. We've got seemingly endless styles and colors of baseball caps including dad hats, five panel caps, snapbacks, and much more.