Will this be the year you enter your country glam era? Make sure you complete your style arsenal with a cowboy hat. It’s the quintessential country accessory. You should think about the entire outfit, of course, but it’s the hat that makes the look. 

Not sure about which one to get and what suits you best? Learn everything you need to know about cowboy hats below.

What’s a cowboy hat?

Much like other hats, the cowboy hat was born out of necessity. This high-crowned, wide-brimmed hat provides both insulation and shade — perfect for those who are always out in the sun. Yup, they were worn by farmers and cattle raisers once upon a time (and even now).

What do cowboy hats symbolise?

Cowboy hats symbolise freedom and individualism. But did you know that different colours of cowboy hats also mean different things? 

Traditionally, white hats were a symbol for “good guys.” If you watch an old Western movie and you see a cowboy wearing a white hat, there’s a 99.9% chance that they’re the protagonist of the film. Or they were, at least, written to be the good guy.

Black cowboy hats? Yeah, those were reserved for the bad guys. Think bandits, hooligans, goons. (A little concerning and a tad outdated, don’t you agree?) 

Traditionally, cowboy hats were made with wool. But these days you'll also see some styles using straw and leather.

These days, it doesn’t matter what colour or style cowboy hat you wear — pink with sequins? Heck yeah! — it’s all about self-expression and feeling free.

Different types of cowboy hats

Now, when we think of cowboy hats, one style comes to mind: A felt hat with pinched brims. But there are actually a lot of different cowboy hat styles! 

Cattleman

This is what we see when we think of cowboy hats. It’s the most traditional style. It has a distinct trio of creases on top of its crown. And, yes, the brims are pinched upwards!

Brick

A variation of the Cattleman, this style also has a pinched brim but the crown is squared.

Pinched Front

Yes, it has a v-shaped crown with a pinched front — two to be exact.

Gus

This one’s a bit like Cattleman but its creases slope down to the front with three deep dimples.

Tom Mix

Take a Gus and make the crown larger and you’ll have this bad boy. 

Gambler

This hat’s distinct features are its large brim and flat crown. It’s named after gamblers who wore the style in Western movies.

Derby

A round crown and an up-curled brim are the tell-tale features of a Derby hat.

Open Crown

Clean and sleek, this style has a flat brim and a round crown.

Where to buy cowboy hats

Now that you know the different styles of cowboy hats, the next thing to know, of course, is where to buy one. 

There are an abundance of stores, of course, but we always encourage you to buy from small businesses. Most, if not all, of these shops offer the utmost care in creating and sending out your purchase. 

On a more practical level, you’d also want to consider the material used for the hat. Australian wool is one of the best in the world, thanks to Australian regulations on livestock. So you can be assured that the quality is topnotch. On an even more practical and useful level, hats made with 100% Australian wool are transeasonal. They keep you warm during cooler days and cool during summertime.

Check out our cowboy hats here.