Getting the choice of a cowboy hat is not the easiest of tasks since they come in a bewildering assortment of shapes, styles, materials, and colors. However, it is important to get it right, because more than sun protection, the cowboy hat is now a defining symbol of Western culture and fashion. While it is easy to find a store selling cowboy hats, getting the shape and size right is often more than trying a few off the rack. Because cowboy hats define your style and personality, you need to consider several factors like the shape of the crown and height, the style of the brim, the material, the occasions on which you will wear it, and of course, the price tag.
Different Materials Used For Making Cowboy Hats
Modern cowboy hats are available in quite a few materials; fur felt, straw, wool, suede, and leather are the most common ones. If you are buying a fur cowboy hat, keep in mind that the quality and price depend on the type of fur used. The common ones are rabbit, beaver, and milk buffalo. Fur hats are ideal for wearing when the weather is cool but not great during the summer when the temperatures are soaring. Wool hats are a good choice for cold weather. One of the things you need to keep in mind is that while you can fold and crush fur and wool cowboy hats to pack them in your bags, you cannot reshape them using steam. Suede and leather are also conventionally used in the manufacture of cowboy hats, but while they are water-resistant and durable, making them good for rain protection, they can be uncomfortable in hot weather as they do not breathe well. Undoubtedly, the most popular material for cowboy hats is straw. Since the material is light and breathable, you can wear them comfortably for extended periods, even during the hot summer. Another advantage of straw is you can reshape them as you want, however, you cannot crush or fold them.
Cowboy hats typically have a sweatband on the inside and a decorative band on the outside wrapped around the base of the crown. The two components of mens straw cowboy hats are the crown and the brim. You can get the crown in many heights and the brims in several widths. Even though straw and felt cowboy hats can be custom shaped, a lot depends on the shape of your face.
Suiting the Hat to the Shape of Your Face
If your face is oval-shaped, you are lucky since you will look good in just about any combination of the crown and the brim. You will get a better effect by leaving the crown open and raising the brim slightly to create a large frontal dip. A hat with a high crown and a tilted brim works best for people with round faces. By buying a hat with a “Brick” or “Canadian” crease, a sharp square brim with a deep dip in the front, and shallow side vents, you can compensate for the facial roundness. You must not buy a hat with a tall crown if your face is long and thin since you will end up accentuating the length of your face. It is better to go with a medium crown height with a “Cattleman’s” crease and a tight square brim. If you have a square face, you should consider a rounded hat with a curved brim, according to Beardbrand. A cowboy hat with the “Cool Hand Luke” crease, shallow side vents, and a brim curving a little, suits square faces the best. If you have a heart-shaped face, you should try a hat with a short and flat brim, with a medium to large frontal dip, and a teardrop crease. If your face is diamond-shaped, you can try a cattleman’s crease and a severely angled brim without a dip in the front.
Conclusion
To look good in a cowboy hat, you should keep the brim limited to the outside of your eyes, but the dip in the front of the brim can be as you like. If you notice a red mark on your forehead after you try on a hat, it is likely too tight, and you should choose a larger size for all-day comfort. Even though many people prefer a snug fit, you need to decide if the hat will sit high or low on the head. You will get a good fit if the size is such that the hat makes contact all around the head. If you can’t make up your mind, go a size up because hats tend to shrink over time due to humidity and sweat, and also, you can pad it with strips of foam for a better fit. The color can make a significant difference to how you look in a hat, so you should try out various colors to find one you look good in.
