Help decreasing for a hat

[Bundled]

I've been making a few hats in a puff rib pattern and can't decide the best way to decrease the top. I know I won't be able to keep the pattern all the way up, but have been struggling with making it look decent while keeping the math straight. Going to plain knit stitches makes a flat top because it's such a drastic change from the puffiness of the ribbing. Any suggestions?

Here's the stitch pattern, just change it to be in the round:
http://knittingonthenet.com/stitches/puffrib.htm

Thank you so much!

[salmonmac]

What if you decrease in a rib pattern? You need to complete the 4 pattern rows so that the increases in row 1 are decreased in row 4 but after that you could go to p2k1 and then p1k1 before ending with stockinette or reverse stockinette. It'll be flatter than the puff rib, of course but eventually you'll have to go out of that pattern.
Another possibility, depending on how many stitches and the yarn weight you're using, is to work the pattern as long as you need, do the initial decreases for the crown and then just gather the stitches together and pull up tight.