Lock & Co. FAQs

In Dr. No and From Russia With Love, Sean Connery's James Bond is known for sporting the Sandown, a trim, snap-brim trilby.

The newsboy cap is a slimmer version of the well-known bakerboy cap. Perfect for those who like the shape of a bakerboy but prefer a less full cap.

Using a heated monogramming machine, we can personalise leather sweatbands with up to four initials. Please note that monogramming a hat makes it non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

Top hats are typically worn with tails. A top hat should be worn straight across the top of the head, about two fingers above the brows.

We recommend making an appointment at our London hat shop to have your head measured with a conformateur to ensure the perfect fit.

Whilst Lock & Co. items are stocked in shops around the world, these pieces are unique to our wholesale clients and are not a mirror-image of our extensive range on our website and in our shop. If you would like to become one of our wholesale partners we would love to hear from you. Please contact us to discuss your requirements and what we can do for you.

The distinctive dome of the Coke (pronounced “cook”), otherwise known as the Bowler hat, was first made in 1849 for nobleman Edward Coke. He ordered it from Lock & Co. as a type of hard to protect the heads of Coke’s gamekeepers at Holkham Hall, Norfolk, so that when they rode the horses and carts, their heads were shielded from the branches of any low-hanging or thorny trees.

A prototype was swiftly made by Lock & Co.'s chief hatmaker, Thomas Bowler, hence why it is more commonly known as the Bowler hat.

A trilby is a style of hat with a short brim that is customarily turned up at the back and down at the front.

A trilby is typically worn on the head either straight or slightly backward.

The porkpie hat has a telescopic, tapered crown and a distinctively small silhouette, made popular by Jazz musicians like Lester Young. Many of the most iconic jazz musicians were fans of the porkpie hat.

Constructed from one piece of cloth, typically wool, tweed, or cotton, a flat cap is a rounded cap that has a stiffened yet malleable peak. Lock & Co. specialises in offering a vast selection of flat caps in all manner of styles and fabrics, all year round – from supple yet hardy leather to cooling linen, through to exclusive Escorial wool and luxurious cashmere. 

Originally the humble headgear for Irish fishermen in the 1940s, the bucket hat has since transcended both generations and styles with its ensuing appeal. With the rise in popularity of streetwear in the 1980s and 1990s, this iconic accessory enjoyed tremendous popularity. Our selection of bucket hats, still in style today, can be worn with both casual and formal attire and will add flair to any look.

Rich in sporting history, the earliest baseball caps were made of wool with a leather bill and were worn exclusively by baseball players in the mid to late 19th century. It wasn’t until the late 1970s that the baseball cap was worn off the field and has since evolved into a wardrobe staple. Our collection of baseball caps has been designed with a timeless ‘British’ aesthetic in mind and incorporates both heritage fabrics as well as contemporary technical fabrics including UPF40.

Our Panamas are handwoven in Ecuador by artisans using techniques handed down through generations, each one unique with some even stamped with a cigar to denote the weaver's seal of approval.

Montecristi is a village that produces the finest Panamas, which can take up to six months to weave. The palm fibres they use are split extremely thin to achieve a silky texture and an extremely lightweight Panama. The high level of craftmanship involved in the making of a Montecristi Panama is what the price is based on.

A pillbox hat is a classic style that consists of a small, brimless, round hat with straight, upright sides and a flat crown.

Tweed hats by Lock & Co. are designed to be rolled for easy travel. Place the cap on a flat surface and roll the cap in half, tucking the peak under the cap band. Roll up your hat and store it in a hat tube or in your luggage. When you arrive at your destination, always unroll and reshape your cap to bring it back to its original shape

We have the solution to all your travel chapeau woes! Our Packable & Rollable collection of hats have been designed specifically for traveling and won’t lose their shape when packed into a suitcase, so there’s no need to leave your favourite hat behind.

Having a soft brim means that the fedora can be styled in several different ways; you can wear the brims angled down or turned up at the back or the front, but most tend to wear the up in the back and down in the front, as it gives the fedora that time-honoured, suave 'wave' shape.

A correctly sized fedora will not fall onto your ears and will sit comfortably above your brow without leaving a mark or feeling too tight on your head.

A fedora, also known as a snap-brim hat, is a hat with a shallow indented crown and a pinch near the front. It also has a wider round brim than the narrower-brimmed trilby hat.

The classic way to style your brim is flipped down at the front and curled up at the back. However, all of our brimmed felt hats can be worn with their brims turned up or down, back and front. Hats can also be worn on the back of the head, but make sure to go down a size if so.

Flat caps are designed to be worn centrally on the head and not cocked to the side.  To find out more, read our article on flat caps.

A good fitting flat cap will mean the cap hugs the back of the head nicely and does not feel too loose elsewhere.

Our Master Hatter’s recommendation: Wear it just above the eyebrows and style
it at an angle or level.

The Panama hat should sit comfortably on your head without needing too much pressure. Wear your Panama flat on your head for a classic look, or at an angle for a more jaunty look.

The pillbox hat is a versatile style that can be worn pinned or placed at different angles, complementing almost any style of dress, from formal and glamorous to informal and minimalist.

Bucket hats have made a comeback in recent years. Bucket hats are popular because they look good on nearly everyone. Wear them with their brims turned down or partially up. Our bucket hat collection will add flair to any look and can be worn with both casual and formal attire.

Bucket hats are ideal because they shield your scalp, face, and eyes from the sun's harmful UV rays. Our Nina yellow sun hat is the ideal lightweight summer accessory for those looking for effortless style and protection.

You don't have to be a hat person to appreciate a beanie. For obvious reasons, the beanie hat has withstood the test of time and is ideal for chilly mornings. The beanie's cuff can be folded over for a snug fit or left slouchy and loose. Another way to wear it is a little shorter than a regular beanie and sits just above the ears while still cuffed.

The way to wear a bowler hat is to place it evenly on top of your head about 2 inches above your ears. If the bowler hat touches your ears, it's too big for you.

So, how do you wear the classic beret in a way that reflects your personal style? Lock & Co. berets look striking when worn to the side or at the back of the head. Whether you wear it like a true Parisian, military-style, or with a hint of early '90s, a Lock & Co. beret will give you the edge.

When choosing a hat, consider the following factors to ensure it pairs well with your glasses:

• Fit & Comfort: Ensure the hat is not too tight and does not push your glasses against your head.
• Balance: Choose hats that balance the proportions of your face and glasses, rather than overwhelming them.
• Material: Lightweight, softer materials can provide comfort and flexibility when paired with glasses.
• Adjustability: Hats with adjustable straps allow you to find a bespoke fit.
• Balanced Styling: Ensure that the size, colour and shape of the hat complements your glasses frame and outfit rather than overwhelming or clashing with them.

Remember it is all about confidence – If there is a hat that you love, chances are that it will suit you and your glasses. Confidence is the most important guide when buying and wearing a hat.

Using a tape measure, measure around your head in either centimetres or inches just above your ears. All of our hats come sized and we've set the default on our website to European sizing (centimetres). Visit our hat sizing page for more information.

A hat filler may be an option if you like your hat to sit a bit tighter. It shrinks the hat size by roughly 1-2 cm.

Contact us and we would be happy to arrange sending out to you or you can pop into the shop for collection.

We do recommend going 'up' a size in a flat cap. The peak of a cap should be 'easy' and snug on the back of the head.

No. However, you should arrive at least an hour before we close to allow enough time for your fitting. If you have a specific request or wish to visit the store at a specific time, please contact us and we will make sure one of our hatters or stylists is aware.

Make use of a flexible tape measure. Wrap it around your head, just above the ears and in the middle of your forehead. Measure the circumference of your head in centmetres or inches. Then, using the hat sizing chart, figure out your hat size. For a comfortable fit, most of our couture hats fasten to the head with an adjustable elastic.

Take a soft tape measure and wrap it around your head, mid-forehead and just above your ears. Measure the circumference of your head in centimetres or inches. Then, using the hat sizing chart, determine your hat size.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to increase the size of a top hat. However, our hatters can alter the shape if there are gaps between the hat and your head by using our conformateur. For this, we suggest booking an appointment to visit us in the shop along with your hat so that we can take a look - use our online enquiry form on the contact us page.

If you aren't sure of your head size, please contact our customer service team.

Occasionally, we may run out of sizes online, but be sure to choose to be notified once it comes back in stock. You will then receive an email from us with a link to our website to buy the item when it is back in stock.

Unfortunately, you cannot order in advance if we run out of sizes online, but be sure to choose to be notified once it comes back into stock. You’ll then receive an email from us with a link to our website to buy the item.

Unfortunately, orders cannot be changed once they have been placed. If you wish to cancel your order and it has not yet been dispatched, please contact our customer service team at shop@lockhatters.co.uk and we will do our best to fulfil your request.

Once your order has been dispatched we're unable to cancel it but orders can be returned for a refund using our returns service. For more information on how to return your order, please read our returns policy.

We aim to dispatch all items within 3 working days of your order. Shipping times will vary depending on your location.

For further information on shipping, please head over to our shipping page.

To make worldwide shipping easy, we have made it optional for you to pay your relevant import duties and sales taxes at the time of checkout for worldwide shipping. If you choose to exclude duties and sales taxes at checkout, then the recipient of the order may be required to pay these duties and taxes directly to our carrier for your order to be released from customs.

We hope you will be totally satisfied with anything you buy from our website. If, for any reason, you are unhappy with your purchase, you can return it unworn and unused within 28 days of the date of dispatch.

If you require a different size, we would be pleased to exchange your item for the identical product, provided that the terms of our returns policy are met.

For further information on returns, click here.

Yes, but only for items purchased in our shop, not online. We have a small selection of mono- and multi-tone band and bows that we can attach to your hat. You can also supply your own band for the hat if your prefer. For the band and bow on your hat, we charge £50.

Although we will always personally inform you of the waiting time when you visit us, all band & bow changes can take up to 3 days.

Over time, the natural fibres in our hats and caps may reduce in size slightly, usually if the piece has been subjected to rain or any dampness. To stretch your hat back to its original size, we recommend using a hat jack - you can find our top tips for using a hat jack on our Hat Care page.

Do not place it on a radiator! You should always allow your hat or cap to dry naturally in a warm place.

Dust and dirt can be removed with steam from a household kettle and a soft bristle hat brush. Short strokes are used to brush the cap. If it gets wet, it should be dried at room temperature rather than on top of a radiator. Shake off the water and set the cap aside to dry at room temperature.

The earliest baseball caps were made of wool with a leather bill and were worn exclusively by baseball players in the mid to late nineteenth century. It wasn't until the late 1970s that the baseball cap was worn off the pitch, and it has since become a wardrobe staple. Our baseball cap collection includes both traditional and modern technical fabrics, such as UPF40.

Hats are best stored in a hat box, away from direct sunlight.

Panamas must always be handled by the brim and not by the crown. Handling a Panama by the crown will cause the material to irreversibly split.

Potentially. This is handled on a case-by-case basis. We would need to see the hat first to see if there is something we can do. You can send pictures to shop@lockhatters.co.uk, or you can come in with the hat and our Hatsmith will look it over.

Use a soft bristle hat brush to gently stroke the hat in short movements. This will remove any dust caught on the fur or silk fibres. Brush the hat using short strokes.

We recommend restoring your topper after every use. Lock & Co. offers a range of restoration services. Please contact us to discuss.

Steam from a household kettle and a hard bristle hat brush will help banish any dust and dirt from cashmere.

Dry your cashmere cap or hat by shaking off the water and leaving it at room temperature.

A soft bristle hat brush will help in the removal of dust and dirt from cashmere and wool beanies. Brush in short, even strokes.

Yes, each piece in the Lock & Co. couture collection is handcrafted by our talented milliners here at 6 St James's Street. These beautiful one-off designs are handcrafted using traditional millinery techniques and truly intersect both fashion and art.

Depending on the style of the hat chosen, typically a couture headpiece is fitted with a comb and/or a hair elastic. Elastics come in a range of tonal colours to suit the wearer's hair colour.

At the back of your head, behind the ears (not under the chin).

Women's couture hats that have been made to order and customised for the customer are not eligible to be returned for a refund.

A couture hat can be customised to match your outfit. To discuss, please contact us.

Please be aware that custom-made women's couture hats cannot be returned for a refund once they have been made to order for the buyer.

All of our bridal hats are made to order, so please allow eight to ten weeks after ordering.

A small, round, brimless hat with upright, straight sides and a flat crown is known as a pillbox. Depending on the size and shape of the hat, the pillbox is a style that can be worn pinned or at various angles.