Cowboy Hats and More

Style is important, but fit is critical. Ever notice how well a cowboy’s hat stays on during rodeo events?  Even bull riders rarely loose their hats.  Of course, all hats go flying sometimes, but a good snug fit is essential … and it all starts with proper measurement.  Quality hats keep their size and shape. Here are a few tips on how to make sure that you choose the right size for your your head.

* Measure around your head approximately one finger above the ear and one finger above the eyebrow.
* Measure without any free space.
* Pull measuring tape comfortably snug. Remember, your hat will fit only as tightly as you measure.
* Note the inches and determine the right size using the sizing chart of the brand you intend to buy.
* If your measurement falls between sizes, choose the next largest size.
* To get the right fit, Measure Carefully!

A loose fitting hat is annoying and may blow off easily. If only a small adjustment is needed, placing cardboard or Styrofoam behind the hat’s inner band in the front and rear can sometimes correct the sizing.

Similarly, hats that are too tight may be stretched … a small amount.  Professional hat makers/ shapers can sometime make minor adjustments of one size or less. 

The key is to get the size right the first time. Always pull the measuring tape snugly against your head. Take measurements when your hair is in its usual condition. That is, if your hair is usually thick & curly, don’t measure your hat size when it is thin and straight for a special occasion (unless of course, the hat is for that special occasion).

If you want to see what real cowboys wear, check out a rodeo. There you will see cowboy hats of every style and fashion. Most often you will see a Timeless Cattleman style (a cattleman crown with southwestern brim).  You may see a few like the Big Duke Bull Rider  (duke crown with a bull rider brim). You may even see a few ladies sporting a Cowgirl Cattleman (cattleman crown with a southwestern brim and a candy pink bound edge). 

The variety of hat styles, trims and colors will give you an idea of what’s possible & what might fit you… the real world view of what a hat looks like when it’s worn.  Remember each cowboy hat should match the wearer’s style, personality and facial features. People watching at a rodeo can give you some new ideas.

If what you like isn’t shown in a catalog, design your own custom hat. It’s easy and you can have it at your door in just 4-6 weeks.

You see them on other people, and they look pretty good. In fact, they look kind of cool. But can you pull it off? You work in a downtown skyscraper, you drive a hybrid car and eat out every night. Is a cowboy hat really feasible in your lifestyle?It can be. But make sure to follow a few guidelines before you go out there and purchase the first gaudy, ostentatious hat you see.

Remember, smaller is always better. The bigger the hat, the more out of place you’re going to look. And keep your colors simple. Brown, black, beige and grey are classics. Don’t go for something multi-colored or neon. And avoid any kind of tassel, bow and braid. Keep your cowboy hats simple and classy, and you just might pull the look off.

Few hats invoke the same image of suavity and coolness as the fedora. Who didn’t feel a surge of emotion when Indiana Jones peered out from under his trademark brown one, or when Humphrey Bogart quietly wore the hat in a sea of fog? Even Freddy Krueger had enough fashion sense to don one. But the charming hat has been around a lot longer than these World War era icons would lead us to believe.Its roots are planted in an 1882 play by Victorien Sardou titled “Princess Fedora.” The title character wore a hat similar to the modern-day fedora, and lent it her name. The hat gained a stronghold in the early 20th century when it became a favorite accessory among the upper classes, and a staple of many Orthodox Jews. The hat took on another personality when it got involved with Prohibition-era gangsters and detectives, and became a symbol of scoundrels and rogues.
 
But as the century reached the ‘50s and ‘60s and progressed into middle-age, the hat fell out of favor and became a symbol of an older generation. It has been surging back in popularity in recent years, due in part to Hollywood’s use of fedora hats, and partly due to teenage fascination with the trendy felt hat.

Building your own cowboy or Western, fedora, or Outback (Aussie) hat is a special treat for someone who wears a hat often.  Cowboy Hats and More allows you to choose your style and color, give your head measurements, and choose the brim style, crown height, or fabric finish of the hat if applicable.  The inner hat band can also be personalized free of charge if you prefer.

A custom cowboy hat is the perfect way to get a hat that really fits you and suits your style and your needs.  Whether it is a dress hat you need or an everyday hat, Cowboy Hats and More can provide the perfect accent to your ensemble.

You might be wondering what exactly an Aussie hat might be.  Your first instinct is probably to think of the Indiana Jones movies, and the hat Harrison Ford is rarely seen without.  Aussies are cowboy-type hats that are modeled after a hat that was worn in the Australian military.

An Aussie hat has a wide brim, and may have the capacity to fold on either or both sides.  Sometimes the Aussie hat is not completely flat.  Indy is not the only one who sports this style–many men have adopted this stylish look.

You’ve got a great cowboy hat that fits you just right & you want to keep it looking and wearing its best for years to come. To do that you need to take care of it. Here are some simple steps will keep your favorite cowboy hat looking good for many years.

1. Collect good luck in your hat. Never set it down on its brim (it could flatten its shape). Always set it down on top of its crown.
2. Store it in a clean dry area. A hat rack or in its original hat box are the best places.
3. Keep your hat away from very very hot and humid locations (like the inside of your truck in July). The heat may shrink the sweatband.
4. If your hat gets wet, always let it dry with the sweatband up to let the moisture evaporate rather than soak in. Air drying is best– never use heat to speed up the process.

In the United States and England, this hat is also known as a derby hat (which, in itself, is derived from a style of outback hats), after Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby, founder in 1780 of the Epsom Derby. The cultural significance in the United States was slightly different. Though certainly not exclusively so, the derby tended to be associated with urban culture, and particularly with the well-to-do that had risen from the working class. Hence, it was often seen on the heads of “machine politicians”, urban Irish-descended “ward heelers” and others, and so often appears in movies, comic books and comic strips of the 1930s and 1940s as a silent signal that the wearer is of this group.

Al Smith, who exemplified the urban Tammany politician of the 1920s, was often seen in his distinctive derby: typically, men’s full-sized derbies are black, but Al Smith always wore a brown derby.

The cowboy hat is a defining piece of attire for farm and ranch workers in the western and southern United States, Canada and northern Mexico, for country-western singers, and for athletes in the North American rodeo circuit. It is recognized around the world as part of Old West cowboy lore.

Today, classic designs are available in muted colors such as black and various shades of beige, brown and gray, notably a warm light gray known as “silver belly”. Styles for men and women are virtually identical, though women’s cowboy hats are available in a much wider variety of colors, including bright, vivid shades.