Flanges give shape to both men and women's hats.
Flanges are used by hatters to give shape to the brim of a hat. The flange itself is a stationary mold which holds the unfinished piece as it is pressurized and dried into shape. There are as many types of flanges as there are hats.
Cowboy Hats
A roper flange creates hats that are flat in the front and back with gently upturned sides and a square front. The rough-stock flange has more dramatic curvature with a low brim. A rancher adds a curve to the entire brim peaking in the middle over the ears and dipping towards the front and back of the hat.
Fedora
The fedora is a classic men's hat that has made several returns to high fashion. Fedora flanges feature a dipped brim and upturned edge. They are often shaped asymmetrically and worn at an angle.
Flange Variations
There are hundreds of standard flanges used by hatters and thousands more that are created for limited production runs. Each flange varies in size (width and depth of curves), shape and brim termination. The size of the flange and shape is determined by the style of hat. The brim may be shaped to produce folded, upturned, rippled, droopy or rolled brims. An asymmetrical flange creates a brim with one side that is wider or more pronounced. These hats may be worn to the front, back or side.
Tags: front back, flange creates, give shape, shape brim, used hatters
