How to Choose the Right Hat for Your Face Shape

How to Choose the Right Hat for Your Face Shape
By Ruby · Pokijomba Hats Studio, Vic, Barcelona

 

Choosing a hat is not just about picking a colour or a style you love — it’s about finding the silhouette that works with your face, the one that makes you look and feel like yourself but turned up a notch. After years of crafting handmade hats and fitting them on hundreds of different heads in our Barcelona studio, I’ve learned one thing: the right hat doesn’t hide you. It frames you.
Here’s your complete guide to finding yours.

First: How to Identify Your Face Shape
Before you start browsing styles, stand in front of a mirror with your hair pulled back. Look at the overall outline of your face and ask yourself:
    •    Is your face roughly as wide as it is long? → Round or Square
    •    Is your forehead wider than your jaw? → Heart or Oval
    •    Is your jaw wider than your forehead? → Pear or Diamond
    •    Is your face significantly longer than it is wide? → Oblong or Rectangle
Not sure? Trace your reflection on the mirror with a lip liner or take a photo and draw the outline. Most faces are a combination of two shapes — just identify the dominant one.

 

Round Face
The goal: Add length and structure to balance the softness of a round face.
Best hat styles:
    •    Fedoras with a high crown — the vertical height elongates the face
    •    Cowboy hats with a tall crown — same effect, with more character
    •    Wide brim hats with an asymmetric tilt — breaks the circular symmetry beautifully
Avoid: Rounded crowns, cloche hats, and brimless styles that echo the roundness of the face.
From our collection: The Caribou wide brim fedora and the Apache western hat work beautifully for round faces — both have strong crowns that add the height you need.

Oval Face
The goal: Oval faces are the most versatile — almost any hat style works. Your challenge is not correction but expression.
Best hat styles:
    •    Virtually everything — fedoras, wide brims, cowboy hats, top hats, boleros
    •    Structured fedoras with medium brims are a classic choice
    •    Statement top hats look striking on oval faces
Avoid: Very oversized brims that overwhelm a balanced face.
From our collection: You have the freedom to explore the whole Pokijomba collection. If you want a starting point, try the Lagöm fedora or the Dorian top hat.

 

Square Face
The goal: Soften the strong jawline with curves and rounded shapes.
Best hat styles:
    •    Round crown hats — the curved silhouette balances the angular jaw
    •    Fedoras with a slightly curved brim — the soft lines complement the face
    •    Floppy wide brim hats — the relaxed shape adds softness
Avoid: Flat-brimmed hats and square crowns that mirror and amplify the angularity of the face.
From our collection: The Triana round crown hat and the Marbella wide brim floppy hat are both excellent choices for square faces.

 

Heart Face (Wide Forehead, Narrow Chin)
The goal: Balance the wider top by drawing attention downward and adding width at the jaw level.
Best hat styles:
    •    Medium brim fedoras worn slightly tilted — balances the proportions
    •    Cowboy hats with a medium crown — adds width in the right places
    •    Cloche hats and brimless styles — worn close to the head, they reduce the appearance of a wide forehead
Avoid: Very wide brims that sit high on the head and make the forehead appear even wider.
From our collection: The Arizona fedora and the Alive cowboy hat are both flattering on heart-shaped faces.

 

Oblong / Rectangle Face
The goal: Add width and reduce the apparent length of the face.
Best hat styles:
    •    Wide brim hats — the horizontal line of a wide brim adds visual width
    •    Floppy hats worn flat (not tilted) — maximises the width effect
    •    Short brim fedoras — keeps the hat from adding extra height
Avoid: Tall crowns and narrow brims that add even more length to the face.
From our collection: The Mediterranean collection — The Capri, The Santorini, The Amalfi — are all wide brim hats that work beautifully for longer faces.

 

Diamond Face (Narrow Forehead and Jaw, Wide Cheekbones)
The goal: Add width at the forehead and soften the prominent cheekbones.
Best hat styles:
    •    Wide brim hats worn tilted — adds width at the top of the face
    •    Fedoras with a full brim — frames the face and balances the cheekbones
    •    Beret or cap styles — worn to the side, they add width at the forehead
Avoid: Very narrow brims that emphasise the width of the cheekbones.
From our collection: The wide brim fedoras from our artisan collection work particularly well — the Montpellier and the Firenze are both good starting points.

 

One More Thing: Wear It With Confidence
The most important rule of wearing a hat is this — wear it like you mean it. A hat worn with hesitation looks wrong on every face shape. A hat worn with confidence looks right on all of them.
At Pokijomba, every hat is handmade in our studio in Vic, Barcelona. We craft each piece with the intention that it will become part of how someone moves through the world — not just an accessory, but an extension of who they are.
If you’re ever unsure about which hat suits you, send us a message at pokijombahats@gmail.com. We’re happy to help you find your perfect fit.

 

Explore the full Pokijomba collection at pokijombahats.com