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How to Wear a Cowboy Hat Properly Download Article Co-authored by Melissa Young
Last Updated: February 19, 2026
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Choosing Your Hat
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Putting the Hat on Your Head
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This article was co-authored by Melissa Young. Melissa Young is a Freelance Fashion Stylist based in Atlanta, Georgia. With over 10 years of professional experience, Melissa's objective is to elevate people's confidence and comfort through the power of fashion. Her professional background is in commercial styling and she has extensive experience in styling for editorial, television, and film. She has styled for brands including Diageo Crown Royal, Hilton Hotels, IHG Hotels, and Getty Images, and has been featured in several publications, including PUMP Magazine, Moevir Magazine, and Upscale Magazine. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of South Carolina. This article has been viewed 372,676 times.
Cowboy hats have a long tradition, both for functional purposes while working and as a fashion statement. Even if it seems as simple as setting the hat on your head and going about your business, there are some rules to follow if you want to wear a cowboy hat properly. You need to get a hat that fits right, shape it a little bit, make sure the front is forward, and angle to give your look the proper attitude.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 2:
Choosing Your Hat
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1 Get the right size. The first step to properly wearing a cowboy hat is making sure the hat is the right size and fits your head properly. Cowboy hats should typically fit snug around your head. If you are buying one, know your hat size ahead of time but also try the hat on before you buy it.
2 Fix your current hat to fit better. You may have a hat already that is just barely too big but not big enough that you would want to get a smaller size. You can fix this. You can buy foam strip that is specifically made to put into hats to make them fit tighter. Depending on how much you need, and the shape of your head, you can either put this foam all the way around, or you can put a little in the front and back, just on the sides, or even just the front or just the back.
Figure out where your hat is fitting too loosely. If the whole hat is sitting too low on your head, you probably want to put some sizing foam around the whole hat.
There should be a band around the inside of the hat that you can flip up and place the foam strip under. Then flip the band back down before wearing the hat.
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3 Pick the right hat. You have a lot of options when it comes to cowboy hats. The main material choices are felt (made of beaver or rabbit pelt), leather, and straw. Felt hats are warmer so they tend to be worn more in the cold seasons. Straw hats are better for staying cool during hot days.
4 Shape your hat. Most cowboy hats can be conformed to a certain shape by gently bending and squeezing them.[1]XResearch source How exactly you do this will depend on the material of the hat itself. You want the front and back of the brim to be fairly flat. Curl the sides so they stick up just slightly. You don’t want to curl them too tightly. You can also gently dent the sides of the crown of the hat. No tools are required for this. Simply use your hands.
Advertisement Method 2 Method 2 of 2:
Putting the Hat on Your Head
Download Article
1 Adjust your hair. You need to make sure that your hair does not get in the way of your hat sitting properly on your head. If you have short hair, this won’t apply to you. For longer hair, it can be a good idea to slick your hair back so it lays smoothly. Don’t pile your hair up on your head in any way. If you need to tie it in place, a ponytail that hangs straight down is the best option.
2 Put the bow to the back. One of the most basic rules is making sure that the hat is on your head correctly with the front to the front. Most cowboy hats have a small bow on the inside lining around the headband. The bow should be in the back of your head. If your hat does not have this bow, a general rule is that the hat will be narrower at the front.
3 Angle your brim accordingly. Positioning your hat in different ways can affect the way you look in the way. If you want to appear casual and friendly, tilt the front of the hat up just slightly so you can see about half of you forehead.[2]XResearch source To look more serious, or almost mysterious, lower the brim to just above your eyebrows. Slanting the hat slightly to the left or right will give you an appearance of being confident, almost to the point of looking for women or for trouble.
4 Pick the right outfit. Your best and simplest bet to wear with a cowboy hat is a button up shirt, jeans, and a nice pair of cowboy boots. The shirt be a plain color or plaid. Flannel shirt work well too.[3]XResearch source You want basic, straight leg blue jeans with no extra pockets on the sides, no designs or extra buttons on the back pockets, no intentional bleaching or stain marks. Just classic blue jeans.
If you are going to wear a cowboy hat, boots are pretty much a must. It’s going to look wrong if you try to go out with some sneakers on.
You should also tuck in your shirt and most likely wear a nice black or brown leather belt. Fancy belt buckle is optional.
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Community Q&A
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Question Can I wear the hat at the dinner table, in public places, etc.? Community Answer A real cowboy acts on old traditions, like taking your hat off when you eat, pray, say the pledge, etc. As long as you remove your hat at these times to be respectful, you can wear your hat just about anywhere in public. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 26 Helpful 102
Question Do I need to wear the high or low point of the cowboy hat at the front? Anoushaaa Community Answer The high point goes at the front and the low point goes at the back. So when you look in the mirror you should see the high point of the hat. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 17 Helpful 32
Question On what side of the crown should the buckle on the hat band be worn? Community Answer I have seen both left and right side, usually from the maker as well as the very back side. I too question which is proper/acceptable. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 38 Helpful 43
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References
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↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0evEtDQ1qM
↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0evEtDQ1qM
About This Article
Co-authored by: Melissa Young Freelance Fashion Stylist This article was co-authored by Melissa Young. Melissa Young is a Freelance Fashion Stylist based in Atlanta, Georgia. With over 10 years of professional experience, Melissa's objective is to elevate people's confidence and comfort through the power of fashion. Her professional background is in commercial styling and she has extensive experience in styling for editorial, television, and film. She has styled for brands including Diageo Crown Royal, Hilton Hotels, IHG Hotels, and Getty Images, and has been featured in several publications, including PUMP Magazine, Moevir Magazine, and Upscale Magazine. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of South Carolina. This article has been viewed 372,676 times. 4 votes - 30% Co-authors: 24Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 372,676 Categories: HatsArticle SummaryX
To wear a cowboy hat properly, make sure you have the right size for your head so the hat is snug. You’ll also want the small bow on the headband to be at the back when you put it on. If your hat doesn’t have a bow, check that your hat is narrow at the front. Pair your cowboy hat with boots and blue jeans so your outfit matches. When you walk around in your hat, wear your hat tilted backwards for a casual, friendly look. Alternatively, lower the brim to just above your eyebrows for a more serious look. For more tips, including how to curl the sides of your cowboy hat, read on!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Anonymous
Jul 9, 2017
"Choosing the proper hat and especially seeing how to put on the right way was helpful. "
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Melissa Young Freelance Fashion Stylist 4 votes - 30% Click a star to vote 30% of people told us that this article helped them. Co-authors: 24Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 372,676
Anonymous
Jul 9, 2017
"Choosing the proper hat and especially seeing how to put on the right way was helpful. "
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Jan 15, 2017
"My questions are answered,. Size, shape, angle, and fit to wear it. Thank you!" Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Download Article Co-authored by Melissa Young 
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Co-authored by: Melissa Young Freelance Fashion Stylist This article was co-authored by Melissa Young. Melissa Young is a Freelance Fashion Stylist based in Atlanta, Georgia. With over 10 years of professional experience, Melissa's objective is to elevate people's confidence and comfort through the power of fashion. Her professional background is in commercial styling and she has extensive experience in styling for editorial, television, and film. She has styled for brands including Diageo Crown Royal, Hilton Hotels, IHG Hotels, and Getty Images, and has been featured in several publications, including PUMP Magazine, Moevir Magazine, and Upscale Magazine. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of South Carolina. This article has been viewed 372,676 times. 4 votes - 30% Co-authors: 24 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 372,676 Categories: Hats Article SummaryX
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1 Get the right size. The first step to properly wearing a cowboy hat is making sure the hat is the right size and fits your head properly. Cowboy hats should typically fit snug around your head. If you are buying one, know your hat size ahead of time but also try the hat on before you buy it. 
2 Fix your current hat to fit better. You may have a hat already that is just barely too big but not big enough that you would want to get a smaller size. You can fix this. You can buy foam strip that is specifically made to put into hats to make them fit tighter. Depending on how much you need, and the shape of your head, you can either put this foam all the way around, or you can put a little in the front and back, just on the sides, or even just the front or just the back. 
3 Pick the right hat. You have a lot of options when it comes to cowboy hats. The main material choices are felt (made of beaver or rabbit pelt), leather, and straw. Felt hats are warmer so they tend to be worn more in the cold seasons. Straw hats are better for staying cool during hot days. 
4 Shape your hat. Most cowboy hats can be conformed to a certain shape by gently bending and squeezing them.[1] How exactly you do this will depend on the material of the hat itself. You want the front and back of the brim to be fairly flat. Curl the sides so they stick up just slightly. You don’t want to curl them too tightly. You can also gently dent the sides of the crown of the hat. No tools are required for this. Simply use your hands. Advertisement 
1 Adjust your hair. You need to make sure that your hair does not get in the way of your hat sitting properly on your head. If you have short hair, this won’t apply to you. For longer hair, it can be a good idea to slick your hair back so it lays smoothly. Don’t pile your hair up on your head in any way. If you need to tie it in place, a ponytail that hangs straight down is the best option. 
2 Put the bow to the back. One of the most basic rules is making sure that the hat is on your head correctly with the front to the front. Most cowboy hats have a small bow on the inside lining around the headband. The bow should be in the back of your head. If your hat does not have this bow, a general rule is that the hat will be narrower at the front. 
3 Angle your brim accordingly. Positioning your hat in different ways can affect the way you look in the way. If you want to appear casual and friendly, tilt the front of the hat up just slightly so you can see about half of you forehead.[2] To look more serious, or almost mysterious, lower the brim to just above your eyebrows. Slanting the hat slightly to the left or right will give you an appearance of being confident, almost to the point of looking for women or for trouble. 
4 Pick the right outfit. Your best and simplest bet to wear with a cowboy hat is a button up shirt, jeans, and a nice pair of cowboy boots. The shirt be a plain color or plaid. Flannel shirt work well too.[3] You want basic, straight leg blue jeans with no extra pockets on the sides, no designs or extra buttons on the back pockets, no intentional bleaching or stain marks. Just classic blue jeans. 
Community Answer A real cowboy acts on old traditions, like taking your hat off when you eat, pray, say the pledge, etc. As long as you remove your hat at these times to be respectful, you can wear your hat just about anywhere in public. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 26 Helpful 102 
Anoushaaa Community Answer The high point goes at the front and the low point goes at the back. So when you look in the mirror you should see the high point of the hat. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 17 Helpful 32 
Community Answer I have seen both left and right side, usually from the maker as well as the very back side. I too question which is proper/acceptable. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 38 Helpful 43 