How to Wear a Cowboy Hat: 6 Cowboy Hat Etiquette Tips

A cowboy hat, also known as a cowgirl hat or Western hat, is a wide-brimmed hat designed to protect cattle ranchers from the elements. Though people have worn wide-brimmed hats for centuries, the modern-day American cowboy hat was invented by John B. Stetson in 1865. Initially marketed as the “Boss of the Plains,” this hat was likely styled after the hats worn by cattlemen, or vaqueros, in Northern Mexico. It was a fur-felt hat that had a tall crown with straight sides and a wide brim. It was designed to be durable, waterproof, and fashionable. The cowboy hat has since evolved into many different styles but, along with cowboy boots and belt buckles, it remains an icon of Western style.

The right cowboy hat mostly boils down to personal preference, but shopping for a hat based on the shape of your head is a tried-and-true method for finding the best cowboy hat for you.

1. 1. Choose the best cowboy hat shape for your head shape. Before selecting a cowboy hat, determine your face shape. People with oval-shaped faces can choose any type of cowboy hat. People with round faces can benefit from a hat with a slanted brim and tall crown. Long, narrow faces tend to look best in hats with a medium-height crown. Those with square faces may wear hats with round crowns and curved brims. If you have a heart-shaped face, opt for a hat with a teardrop-shaped crown and shorter brim.
2. 2. Measure your head for the perfect fit. Cowboy hat manufacturers have published hat size charts that are fairly reliable, but nothing beats using a measuring tape to find the perfect cowboy hat fit. To find your cowboy hat size, place the sizing tape or tape measure in the middle of your forehead so that it’s just above your ears. Hold it firmly in place and wrap it all the way around your head. If your measurement falls in between available hat sizes, choose the smaller size.

Cowboy hats come in a wide variety of styles, meaning there’s an appropriate hat for every occasion. You can wear a black cowboy hat to formal occasions and a palm-leaf hat or straw hat for informal occasions. You can choose to pair your cowboy hat with other classic pieces of Western wear, such as cowboy boots. For a more modern look, opt for a pair of black Chelsea boots. Cowboy hats are traditionally worn with blue jeans and a button-down shirt but can easily be worn with a T-shirt and shorts or a blouse and a skirt.

Cowboy hats have a long history steeped in Western culture and tradition, so they come saddled with a list of cowboy hat etiquette guidelines. Consider some of the rules proper cowboys live by when it comes to wearing cowboy hats:

1. 1. The bow on the inside of the hat band goes to the back of your head. First-time wearers might be confused as to which part of their cowboy hat is the front and which is the back. The trick is to look for a small bow tied to the sweatband on the inside of the hat. Make sure the bow is in the back.
2. 2. Give your hat time to break in. First-time hat buyers may not realize that just like a new pair of cowboy boots, cowboy hats need to be broken in. A properly fitted hat is likely going to be uncomfortably tight until you’ve worn it for a while.
3. 3. It’s customary to remove hats indoors. One of the most basic cowboy hat rules is to remove your hat when entering a public building or private home. If you’re attending a formal occasion, your hat should remain off while indoors. If it’s an informal occasion, feel free to put it back on.
4. 4. Place your hat crown side down when you’re not wearing it. When sitting down to dinner, it's tradition to take your cowboy hat off. Before sitting down at the dinner table, place it down on the crown with the opening of the hat facing upwards. This protects the hat brim from getting flattened over time. Alternatively, hang it on a hat rack.
5. 5. Show respect at weddings and funerals. Remove your cowboy hat in church and at indoor weddings and funerals. During funeral processions, it's customary to remove your hat as the casket passes.
6. 6. Wear the right hat for the right season. Typically, straw cowboy hats are worn from May until Labor Day. Felt cowboy hats are worn the rest of the year. This is subjective and depends mostly on the climate and weather where you live.

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