All About Mens Cowboy Hats
The cowboy hat is popular as a fashion piece as well as functional apparel for people who work on ranches or farms. With its wide brim, high crown, and crease styles, the hat is great and keeping sunlight and dust out of your eyes. eBay has an extensive variety of new and used mens cowboy hats to choose from.
How do you choose a cowboy hat?- Size - It is important to get the right size of straw or woolen cowboy hat. Sizes of these hats come in 1/8-inch increments and can range from 6 7/8 inches to XL. One-size-fits-all options are also commonly available.
- Material - Material options run the gamut from straw to fur.
- Brand - Brands that make cowboy hats for men include Harley Davidson, Stetson, Resistol, and Serratelli.
- Color - Mens cowboy hats come in many striking colors, from bright red to basic black.
- Felted wool - Felted wool from a sheep or synthetic felt may be used to create a cowboy hat. Typical colors include off-white, tan, brown, and black.
- Straw - Straw is a lightweight hat material and is often used in warm and hot environments.
- Leather - Brown or black leather from a horse, beaver, or cow hide may be used in the construction of a cowboy hat.
- Suede - Chestnut or black suede are commonly used to make a hat for a cowboy or cattleman.
- Fur - The fur of a horse or a beaver may be used in the construction of a cowboy hat. Fur may also be used to line the inside of a leather, suede, or wool hat for added warmth. The fur is usually left as its natural color.
A wool, fur, or straw cowboy hat has a wide brim, tall crown, and inner sweatband. The styles of Western hats available are almost the same as the original hats created in 1865. Specific design options for these hats include:
- Decorative hat band - A wool cowboy hat often has a decorative hat band on the outside of the crown where it touches the brim.
- Stampede strings - A wool or straw cowboy hat may have Western stampede strings to keep the hat on the cowboy when his horse is running fast.
- Memorial bow - A small memorial bow on the inside of the crown is attached in remembrance of the early makers of Western wool cowboy hats who treated the wool with toxic mercury.
- Buckles and buttons - A decorative Western button or buckle may be attached to the left side of the crown where it meets the brim of a wool or straw cowboy hat.
- Dent - A crease in a cowboy hat makes it easier to remove or put on the hat without touching the brim. The dent in a Western hat runs along the hats length, and one smaller, more rounded dent is found on the left and right sides of the Western hat.