Cowgirl Rules for Wearing Western Hats

I've titled this blog a little bit "tongue in cheek". There really are no rules for wearing your western hat - your hat is an expression of who you are and should be worn to reflect that.

However, having said that, there are some traditional do's and don'ts to wearing western hats.

Well, first of all, you never, ever want to be caught wearing your cowboy hat backwards. It's not pretty, or cool, and on top of that it's bad luck (well, so they say). On the inside of the hat, look for the small ribbon bow, that is the back of the hat. Also, the hat band on the outside of the crown will most likely have a bow, feather, a buckle or some other adornment and that always sits on the left side when the hat is worn. Also the hat will usually look narrower to the front.

Originally felt hats were intended for winter wear (protecting from moisture and cold) and straw for summer (protecting from heat and sun) which is logical. The fashion rule seems to be felt between Labour day and Memorial Day, and straw in between. Now however, both are seen worn either time of year depending on where you are. I tend to follow the general rule of heat & sun=straw, night or cooler weather=felt. Of course, I was raised on that motto of black patent shoes in the winter and white for summer and I still find myself thinking of that when dressing.

Now there seems to be two areas of thought on handling hats. One side says when putting on or removing your hat, you should hold the brim near the crown in the front and the back. The other side says to never handle by the brim, to always lightly grasp the crown. Actually it boils down to this: Any handling which causes flexing or bending of the brim or crown will gradually weaken the body of your hat. The more you bend the crown or brim, the more likely it will lose its natural ability to maintain its shape.
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To travel with a hat, you can make use of Travel Hat Boxes with Handles. These are solid containers that protect the hat from physical and environmental damage, especially if it's a more expensive hat.

Well, there you have it. Everything you wanted to know about proper hat wearing! Just remember how great cowgirls look in hats and go and find one that fits your style!