Collection: Cowboy Hats

The main cowboy hat crown shapes are the Cattleman, the Gus, the Gambler and the open crown, and the crease in the crown is what changes the whole look. The Cattleman carries three creases and a tall, narrow crown, and it is the classic cowboy hat you picture first. The Gus slopes down from back to front and reads as the older, working shape. The Gambler keeps a low, round crown with a flat top. The open crown arrives uncreased, so you shape it yourself. You will also see the teardrop, a deep pinch at the front, on hats that sit between those.

Brim is a separate axis from crown. A wide brim gives you the traditional cowboy hat look and shades more of your face, which is why it stayed the standard for ranch work. A short brim is narrower and reads as a modern cowboy hat that sits better in a city. A flat brim is about curve rather than width: it stays uncurled instead of rolling up at the sides. If you are not sure which one suits you, our guide on how to wear one goes through it.

Almost every western hat is unisex by construction. The crown crease, the brim and the way the hat is blocked are the same, so the real difference between cowboy and cowgirl hats is head size, color and trim rather than how the hat is made.

Cowgirl hat styles tend to come in smaller sizes and lighter colors, often with a braided band or a decorative buckle. One in ivory, tan or pink will read as feminine even though the block underneath is identical to the men's version. Go by the number, not the label: there is no men's or women's section here, so any hat that matches your measurement will work.

A cowboy hat should sit level on your head, roughly one finger width above the ears and eyebrows. It should feel snug enough to stay put in wind, but loose enough to leave no red line on your forehead when you take it off. If it rocks front to back, it is too big. If it starts to ache, it is too small.

To find your size, run a soft tape measure around the widest part of your head, just above the ears and across the middle of the forehead, and keep the tape level all the way around. Measure twice and use the larger number. Ghelter lists every cowboy hat by head circumference in centimeters rather than by hat size, 56-58 cm being the most common fit, and sells many models as an adjustable range. On a handful of hats the measurement sits in the description instead of in a size selector.

One thing worth knowing before you choose: felt gives a little with wear and straw does not. With felt, a snug fit will settle in. With straw, buy the size that fits on day one. If you need the wider end of the range, our guide to sizes for bigger heads covers it.

Felt for cold weather, straw for summer heat, and genuine or vegan leather when you want a heavier, structured hat. There is no single winner: it depends on when you plan to wear it.

Felt, usually pressed from wool, is the traditional cold-weather choice, because it holds a crease, cuts the wind and keeps its shape with a bit of care. Straw and other plant fibers are woven rather than pressed, so they breathe, which makes them the summer pick for sun and outdoor work. The trade-off is that straw is more brittle and will not reshape once the weave cracks. Our article on wool or straw by season compares the two properly.

With leather, check which kind you are buying, because the two behave differently and this collection carries both: genuine leather alongside vegan leather and suede finishes, with the material stated on every product page. If you specifically want animal hide, our genuine leather hats collection gathers those. Cotton and blended models sit in between for everyday wear.

Store it upside down, resting on the crown, on a shelf or inside a hat box. Leaving a cowboy hat brim-down flattens the curl, and the brim will not spring back on its own. Keep it out of direct sun and away from radiators, because heat dries felt out and turns straw brittle. When you take it off, handle it by the brim front and back rather than pinching the crown, which is what wears the crease out first.

Cleaning depends on the material. For felt, brush counterclockwise with a soft brush and lift surface marks with a dry sponge. For straw, wipe it with a barely damp cloth and never soak it, because water loosens the weave. If a hat gets caught in the rain, let it dry at room temperature standing on its crown, never with a hairdryer.