The Mysterious Rack

“Cock your hat – angles are attitudes.” – Frank Sinatra

I’ve always loved a good hat and admired men who wear them, whether it’s Abraham Lincoln and his stovepipe or Indiana Jones and his seasoned fedora. If the right man wears the right hat then that man has a certain swagger, style, and confidence that other men don’t.

My problem, I’ve never been that man. In all my years, I’ve worn many baseball caps but I’ve never found “the hat” for me. The hat that’s going to put me a step above everyone else and make people notice me. The good news, I found a place in Louisville that can change all of that for me, and you too.

Located at 558 South 4th Street is The Mysterious Rack. Opened in 2015 by Olivia Griffin and Rick Quisol, all the hats are made by hand in-store using the same equipment and techniques that have been used for generations. The highest quality rabbit and beaver felts are used and everything is blocked by hand, very little is done with a machine. Olivia and Rick pride themselves in making custom hats; taking the time to find the perfect style and color to go with someone’s lifestyle and personality.

So what makes the perfect hat for a guy? According to Olivia, head size and proportion.

She says, “Fit is super important, each hat size actually jumps by 1/2 inch, so a lot of people are in between hat sizes.” She went on to tell me that body type and face shape is important too. “If you have broad shoulders you can get away with a longer brim, if you have a long face or square jaw you want a tall hat with sharp angles. If you have a round face or a beard you might want something more round, like a bowler, or a porkpie.”

So if you’re looking for your perfect hat or just wanting to upgrade your current headwear then check out The Mysterious Rack, and keep your baseball cap for a River Bats game.