Cowboy hats have transited from the ranches of the Wild West and now light up the wardrobes of men who want to emulate vintage fashion by adapting it to modern times. The wide-brimmed hat originally meant to protect the herdsmen from the blazing sun, and other weather elements has evolved with time. The quintessential hat has become a fashion accessory for today’s generation. Going ahead, it has also cut across gender lines as women are equally attracted to it for making an eye-catching fashion statement. Although the basic hat design remains the same, the style has changed because the purpose of wearing it today is more for fashion than for the functional benefits of leather cowboy hats. Regardless of the material, cowboy hats look great and add a unique touch to the wardrobe.
Choice of hat material
Although the styling is the main objective for wearing cowboy hats, you must be careful about choosing the material to ensure that you are entirely at ease when wearing it. For the sake of your comfort of wearing cowboy hats for a long time, the material must be suitable, or else it will defeat the purpose of showing off your style as you would feel like removing the hat often. Traditionally, felt and straw were the chosen materials for cowboy hats based on the season. Felt hats provided comfort by keeping the head warm in the winter season, while the straw hats were perfect for the summer season. If you choose any of these materials, you must be sensitive to the weather conditions for selecting the right hat. Leather is a material for all seasons and the reason for its fast gaining popularity.
Cowboy hat styles
Besides the material, you must choose a suitable style for your cowboy hat by knowing the options. Cowboy hats might look the same, but you should be able to distinguish between eight different styles on looking closer.
- The Cattleman is the most traditional cowboy hat that reveals the purpose of its use. Typically, the hat has three creases – one at the center and two along the sides with a slightly folded back brim.
- The Brick is another style derived by modifying the Cattleman to give it a square appearance. The crown is special with a rectangular top, and the square edges of the brim make the hat look unique.
- The Gus is a cowboy hat style that resembles the Cattleman, but the hat has a higher crown sloping in the front.
- The Pinch front cowboy hat style has crown-shaped like a teardrop or sharp diamond with two dimples, one on each side. The brim is similar to the Cattleman in that it has a slight curl.
- The Gambler hat has a low flat crown helmed by a circular indent at the top and a flat, wide brim. Telescope is the other name of the cowboy hat style.
- The Tom Mix, also known as Montana and even popular as the 10 Gallon Hat, has a crown that will remind you of the Gus but being taller creates a more dramatic effect, and the brim has a slight curl.
- The Open crown cowboy hat style has a flat round brim but bereft of any dimples and has a pretty loose crown fit.
- The Fedora has a teardrop-shaped crown, a slightly curved brim, and indents on the sides and top.
Besides the above styles, there are some more styles, but the ones mentioned here are the most popular.
How to wear a cowboy hat
To get the most from the hat styles, you must know the correct way of wearing them. Knowing the purpose of wearing the hat, whether for pleasure or business, will help determine the best way to wear it. To emulate the looks of a cowboy or rancher, you must pay attention to the placement of the sweatband, which should sit above your ears and eyebrows while staying in close contact with your forehead. Another way to wear the hat for fashion is to push back the hat further back, but you run the risk of the wind blowing off the hat if you are in motion, supposedly on horseback or aboard an open hood vehicle.
The best thing about wearing cowboy hats is that you need not follow any rule but can create your style by wearing it in the way you want to look at your best.
The universal style of cowboy hats makes any wearer look good but be mindful of the shape of your face to adjust the height of the crown to create the most proportionate looks. Eventually, it might impact the style of the hat that has a direct relation to the dimensions of the crown. However, always ensure that the edge of the crease on the brim should evenly balance with the outside of your face.
