How to Care for Felt, Straw and Faux-Fur Hats
Brushing direction, rain, sweat, storage, travel and careful steam reshaping for felt and straw, plus how to freshen a faux-fur party hat after a long weekend.
The Hat Journal
Outfit guides for the party side and straight answers for the western side. Sizing, felt grades, care and what to wear to the show.
What the X Rating on a Hat Actually Means
The X on a hat's sweatband tells you something about the felt or straw, but less than people think. Here's how to read it, compare it and spend sensibly.
Felt vs Straw: Which Western Hat When
How felt and straw differ on heat, rain, dress codes, wear and cost, how to care for each, and where the Memorial Day to Labor Day switch custom fits in.
How to Buy Your First Western Hat
Real price tiers from $75 to $380, which material suits which season, how to match a crease and brim to your face, and how to get the size right the first time.
Hat Shapes Explained: Creases and Brims
Cattleman, pinch front, gus, open road and open crown: what each crease looks like, how brim width and curl change the read, and which shapes suit which faces.
Concert Outfit Ideas: Five Looks Built on a Hat
Arena or amphitheater, country or pop: five complete concert outfits that start with the hat, plus how to wear one without blocking the view behind you.
Nashville Outfit Guide: Hats, Boots and Seasons
Broadway nights, humid summers, chilly winter evenings and a lot of walking. Here is how to dress for Nashville with a hat, from party felt-look to a proper Stetson.
Bachelorette hat ideas for the bride and her crew
Match the whole crew or coordinate by color, give the bride her own hat, and order early enough that every box lands before the trip. A planner's guide to group party hats.
How to Measure Your Hat Size
A soft tape, a mirror and five minutes. Here is how to measure your head, read a fitted size chart, handle in-between sizes and judge how a new hat should feel.
Festival hat guide: three days of sun, dust and dancing
Heat, dust, packing, sun and a crowd that keeps knocking into you. A practical plan for getting one party hat through a full festival weekend and still liking it on Sunday night.