Hats are no longer a part of everyday wear for people. However, there is a renewed interest in hats among the fashion-conscious in recent times. The cowboy hat, an icon of the American western culture, particularly, is finding favor among both men and women for their style statements in outdoor events, especially in summer. People love cowboy hats for their signature styling and ability to protect the wearer from bright sunshine, which causes sunburn and skin cancer. To carry off a cowboy hat with panache, you need to buy the right kind of cowboy hat from the many styles available and know how to carry it off with the right attire and attitude. Some insights:

Choose a Hat Style That Suits You

To the uninitiated, a cowboy hat is a hat, but fans of this classic western hat will know there are quite a few variants, all distinctly different in their appearance. The Cattleman exemplifies the traditional cowboy hat that sports a relatively low crown with three creases on the top and a curved brim. The Dakota cowboy hat, favored by rodeo riders, on the other hand, has a distinctive rectangular and broad dent on the top of the crown and a slightly curved brim. The Gambler hat that has featured prominently in many Western movies possesses a distinctive flat low crown and a large brim for maximum sun protection. The Gus cowboy hat has a high crown with three deep dents and a brim that slopes to the front. According to Thread Curve, the indentations are where the cowboys used to grasp the hats to remove them to tip their hat to a lady or when entering a building. The Nevada hat looks similar to the Gambler but is more sophisticated with a flat crown and brim perfectly set off with a woven hatband. Women, in particular, prefer the Pinch Front hat because its pinched and sloped front makes their face look thinner.

Choosing the right style is requiring you to experiment, which can be a time-consuming process but necessary if you want to get one that suits you. In addition to the hat style, you need to pay attention to the fit because otherwise, it will be uncomfortable and not sit properly on your head. While the original felt cowboy hat looks classy, it is better suited to cooler climates. Straw cowboy hats are lighter and more comfortable than leather hats when the weather is warm and humid.

Be Your Own Judge

If you are thinking of buying a cowboy hat, think hard about why you want to and if it suits your style. Do not decide because actors in films look dashing wearing cowboy hats. You should remember that they are films and there is a whole team of people trying to make them look good on the big screen. A cowboy hat is more than just a hat to keep your head protected from the sun. It is, in fact, a statement about the kind of person you are and helps to underline your attitude and style. You must take your own time to find out if a cowboy hat suits you. It is best not to go around asking people whether you should buy a cowboy hat, which style and shape you should buy, and whether you look good in it. People are likely to give you wrong advice or influence you with their biases unless they know a lot about cowboy hat styles. If you must take advice, you should consult a professional hat maker. Buy a good quality hat from a reputed brand; make sure it fits you, learn how to match it with your clothes, and how to take care of it. When you choose wisely, it will help you to highlight your attitude, personal style, and confidence.

Know How to Wear a Cowboy Hat Properly 

If you are wearing cowboy hats for the first time, you must know how to wear them properly to avoid looking awkward. When you put the hat on your head, it should be a snug fit. If it is tight, it will chafe the sides of your head and the forehead, and if it is loose, it will keep falling off. If you are accustomed to wearing baseball caps, you need to appreciate that while you can wear baseball caps backward to show your attitude, doing the same thing with a cowboy hat will be disastrous as it will ruin your looks. You will know which is the front of the hat by examining the position of a small bow typically provided on the inside lining. You need to make sure the bow is at the back of your head. If there is no bow, the narrower part of the hat should be at the front.

The brim of the cowboy hat plays an important role in its styling. Most cowboy hats come with a flat brim to allow you to give them a shape of your preference. You can tell your hat maker the shape of the brim you want, or you can do it at home. The method of shaping the brim depends on the material used in your hat. Some straw hats have a wire in the brim that you can easily bend into the desired shape, but if there is no wire, you will need to soak it in water to give it the shape you want. If the hat is made of felt, it will need steaming before shaping. The angle of tilt of the brim is also a reflection of your attitude. You can be as serious as you like with a brim pulled down or look like a gangster with a rakish brim.

Conclusion 

One of the most important things about creating the right impact with a cowboy hat is to wear outfits that complement it. Though the cowboy hat is all about highlighting and enjoying a Western lifestyle, you must not appear to be trying too hard. Most of the time, you will look dashing wearing a simple white or solid-color shirt with a pair of skinny jeans without any embellishments.

Jane