How to Choose a Cowboy Hat? – Decoding the Cowboy Hat Maze!

Are you also looking for the finest cowboy hat out there to elevate your style and look? Don’t worry; we have covered you with a detailed description to get your hands on the perfect cowboy hat. 

You might love wearing a cowboy hat everywhere if you are a genuine cowboy. Whether it be your garden, farmstead, or a shopping spree. No matter the occasion, cowboy hats have been in fashion for a long time.

The historical estimate is definitely a difficult task; nonetheless, you only need to know that cowboy hats originated from the wide-brimmed hats worn by the cowboys of Mexico who wore such hats while taking their cattle out to graze. 

While buying a cowboy hat,  you need to evaluate various aspects, such as the type and size of the hat. Your face shape is also crucial when buying a cowboy hat. Along with these, your budget and the kind of material you are looking for is important.

In this article, we will examine in detail the different factors that will lead you to your perfect choice of cowboy hats. 

1. The Factors to Look for While Buying Cowboy Hats

Here are some of the factors that you must know before shopping for a cowboy hat –

• The material of cowboy hats.
• The nomenclature of cowboy hats.
• Different varieties of cowboy hats.
• Choose cowboy hats based on face shapes.

2. How do you Choose a Cowboy Hat Based on the Material Used?

Two kinds of cowboy hats are available in the market, and two different materials are used to make them. These are- Straw Cowboy Hats and Felt Cowboy Hats. 

Let us see what the two types are and what kind of material is used in those. 

2.1. Straw Cowboy Hats

Straw cowboy hats date back to more than hundreds of years back. Because of the lightweight straw used to make these hats, they have been popular and in fashion to date.

Straw cowboy hats are chic and the best ornaments you can use to accentuate your style in summer. 

2.2. Felt Cowboy Hats

Felt Cowboy hats are a traditional trademark of Western style. Felt cowboy hats are warm and used during colder nights or winters.

The fur used to make felt cowboy hats is usually rabbit or beaver. These hats are naturally repellent to moisture. Hence, felt cowboy hats are the best option for regions with a temperature dip. 

3. How do you Comprehend the Nomenclature of Cowboy Hats?

There are the right parts of a cowboy hat that you will need to know about. These are the brim, under the rim,  crown,  crown height, crease,  hat band,  sweatband, and inner lining. These will be explained in elements in the coming segment. 

3.1. The Brim

The hat’s brim is also known as the Bill and is the ridge extended from the crown. Sometimes, the brim is upturned; other times, it may be turned downwards. 

3.2. The Under Brim

The underbrim is the underneath or the base of the Brim of a cowboy hat. 

3.3. The Crown

The top portion of the hat that sits on your head is known as a cowboy hat’s crown. 

3.4. The Crown Height

The crown height is a measurement of the length from the brim to the dip in the crown. It is measured upwards from the hat band. 

3.5. The Crease

The crease on a cowboy hat identifies the curve or the plunge in the crown. 

3.6. The Hatband

The hat band is an embellishment style that encircles the crown’s base. Different types of materials or fabrics can be used to make hat bands. 

3.7. The Sweat Band

As the name suggests, the sweatband is located on the hat’s inner side or under the brim. It is used to give some silhouette to the hat. 

3.8. The Inner Lining

 The inner lining is made on the inside of the crown to keep it sweat and dirt-free; however, it is only found in cowboy hats, not straw cowboy hats. 

4. How do you Choose a Cowboy Hat Based on the Style?

The crown’s shape decides your hat’s contour, and many cowboy hats are available in the market. We have discussed some of the popular styles prevalent even today.

4.1. Minnick

The Minnick cowboy hat is a little less defined, with the creases and angles not as sharp as the other types.

4.2.  The Telescope

The telescope is designed so that the brim is wide enough to safeguard you from the sunlight while also encircling most of your head.

4.3. The Biggs

The creases of a Biggs cowboy hat are comparatively diminutive and are tweaked on the flanks.

4.4. The Cattleman

The cattleman is one of the oldest and most conventional styles of cowboy hats. The cattleman is comparatively taller than most. 

4.5. The Cutter

The cutter cowboy hat is a modified version of the cattleman cowboy hat. It is characterized by the crease that swells out of the crown. 

These were some of the most common and popular styles of all time. You can try these styles of cowboy hats or always look out for other references and see what other styles of cowboy hats are obtainable in your region. 

5. How do you Choose a Cowboy Hat Based on Your Face Shape?

You might be wondering how your face shape plays a crucial role in deciding the kind of cowboy hat you should wear. So let us tell you that not all cowboy hat styles suit all face shapes; all human faces’ contours, silhouettes, and structures are different.

The facial shapes of humans are vividly divided into three types: oval, round, and oblong. Let’s see which category you fit into and what would be the best cowboy hat style for you.

5.1. Oval Face Shapes

A cowboy hat with a wider brim will be the most appealing for oval-face shapes. A taller crown with a broad brim will appear bigger than the face, making your face more complementary and proportional.

5.2.  Round Face Shapes

Cowboy hats with more defining features like strong creases and sharp or geometrical brims are the fairest for round-face shapes. 

5.3. Oblong Face Shapes

For oblong face shapes, cowboy hats with a medium height would work best, as they will help you break the monotony features of your face.

You should consider these things while going out to get the perfect cowboy hat.

6. How to Maintain Cowboy Hats?

Now, this is the kind of question that every beginner has. While you might want to know how to maintain cowboy hats, we, too, want to answer your questions with much eagerness.

Let us start with discussing the basics of maintenance.

First of all, you might want to know how to store your cowboy hats off-season, and the answer is that you need to store them upside down because of the substantial nature of the crown, which can hold the hat. While laying it on the brim may only deplete the brim to a shapeless form.

However, the best thing would be to get a cowboy hat stand or a container to store your hats, and you must also make sure to store them in cool and waterless places only. 

The next question on your mind would be how to clean your cowboy hats. You must always remember that no matter what material is used in your hat, do not wet it in water directly. You can always use hat brushes to get the dirt out of the way for cleaning hats.

For straw hats, you can use a sponge that is slightly dampened in water to clean and wipe the dirt collected on the hats. However, getting your hats cleaned by a professional cleaner is always advisable. 

We wanted to discuss these fortes with you, and we hope you can get the best cowboy hat now. But you also need to know that there is nothing wrong with wearing cowboy hats that do not match your face shape.

It all comes down again to your personal priorities and the fashion you want to follow. Also, your budget is an important factor in deciding the kind of hat you should get.