Cowboy Hat Etiquette: Should You Remove Your Cowboy Hat?

Cowboy hat etiquette seems to be ebbing away from modern society. But if you are a real cowboy fan or a hat enthusiast, you must already know the importance of proper hat etiquette. 

Hat etiquette played a massive part in ancient times, and conventional cowboys always stuck by the rules.

We have all heard the number one hat rule: take off your hat when entering indoors. But hat etiquette goes far beyond this basic rule. And unfortunately, not many people today know or follow proper hat etiquette. 

The correct cowboy hat etiquette would leave a good impression on a stranger, and if you are fortunate enough to meet real cowboys, you’ll surely impress them.

So let’s learn all about cowboy hat etiquette.

What is a cowboy hat?

A cowboy hat was one of the most valued possessions of a conventional cowboy. These hats protected them from the sun, sheltered them from cold, and made their outdoor lives much more bearable. 

Cowboy hats first appeared in 1865, and since then, they have remained popular. Although initially made for men, today, cowboy hats are worn by men, women, and sometimes even children. 

They are also an everyday fashion item among celebrities. 

All cowboy hats have a wide-brim curled up on the sides and a creased crown. Cowboy hats have a hat band at the base of the crown and a sweatband on the inside. 

At first, fur felt, straw or leather was used to make cowboy hats, but today you can find a cowboy hat made from just about any fabric.  

Cowboy hats are still vastly popular, but now they are more of a fashion accessory than a practical hat. 

Cowboy hat etiquette

There are several rules of cowboy hat etiquette. These include general hat etiquette rules and some additional ones specially reserved for cowboy hats.

1. Remove your hat when you enter indoors. Removing your hat indoors is the most basic rule of hat etiquette and applies to all hats. Removing your cowboy hat whenever you enter an indoor area such as a home or a public building is necessary. If you are at an informal event, you can put the hat back once you enter the building. But if it’s a formal occasion, your cowboy hat must stay off until you leave the venue.

2. Keep your hat off during indoor dining. You must always keep your hat off if dining at an indoor location. This rule applies to both formal and informal events. But if you are dining at an outdoor restaurant, you can choose whether to keep or remove your hat. Also, never put your hat on the dining table. You can place it on an empty chair or your lap.

3. Take off your hat when you meet someone for the first time. Taking off your hat shows respect for the person you are talking with. It is a must to remove your hat when you are being introduced to someone or entering a conversation.

4. When you are not wearing your hat, keep it upside down. A popular cowboy myth says that keeping your cowboy hat on its brim will make all your good luck fall out, and placing it upside down will cause good luck to fall into the hat. Keeping aside the myths, keeping your hat on its brim can alter the shape of your hat. The correct way to rest your hat is to place it upside down on its crown or to hang it on a hat rack.

5. Don’t expose the underside of your hat. Once you take off your hat indoors, you must always cover the hat’s interior. Most people do this by removing the hat from its crown and then holding the hat against their chest. You can also place your cowboy hat on your seat if you have to stand up for prayers or the national anthem.

6. Choose the proper fit. You need to break in your cowboy hat. Just like new boots, a cowboy hat needs a couple of months to get into its best shape. A rule of thumb is to pick the hat that is a bit too tight. Cowboy hats stretch and expand. Over time your hat will expand and adjust to your head size.

7. Wear the right hat for the season. Cowboys had two main types of hats. Straw hats for summer and felt hats for winter. Wearing the wrong hat will make you look out of place. But, if you live in a tropical climate, you can have just a straw hat throughout the year. 

8. Wear your hat the right way. It’s difficult to distinguish between a cowboy hat’s front and back. But wearing a cowboy hat backward is a sign of disrespect. A real cowboy can tell if you are wearing your hat correctly from a single look. 

If you are new to wearing cowboy hats, look for a small bow on the sweatband inside the hat. This bow must always go in the back.

9. Never handle another cowboy’s hat. Cowboy hats are very personal items, and touching another cowboy’s hat is a sign of disrespect and a starting point of a conflict. Also, don’t ever try on a cowboy hat just lying around. The owner might be just around the corner and won’t be pleased.

10. Never leave your cowboy hat on the bed. People believe that placing your hat on the bed invites bad luck. Once again, this is just a superstition, but it’s always more hygienic to have a designated place for your hat, such as a hat stand.

11. Tip your hat at the right time. Tipping a hat means partly removing it and putting it right back on. To tip your hat, lift it slightly from the brim or the crown and toward the person you greet. Tipping your hat is another custom that started ages ago.

Initially, cowboys used to tip their hats only to women, but today you can tip the hat to greet anyone. People also tip their hats when thanking someone or acknowledging a service.

Cowboy hat color rules

Generally, people wear lighter colors in summer and darker colors in winter. This is because light colors reflect sunlight and keep you cold, while dark colors trap heat and keep you warm. 

The same rule applies to cowboy hats. Cowboy hats come in two main types: straw hats and felt hats. Lighter color hats such as straw hats are ideal for summer, while darker felt hats are for the fall and winter.

Another thing to consider is the occasion. Dark color hats in colors like black, grey, and dark brown are more suitable for formal occasions, and they pair well with an official suit and tie. Lighter hats are better for informal events and are perfect with jeans and even shorts.

When to wear felt cowboy hats

Felt hats are made with fur or wool and are mainly used during colder seasons. Felt is great at holding in warmth and makes perfect winter hats.

Traditionally cowboys would start wearing their felt hats after Labor day in the US, which falls in September. However, you can wear a felt hat whenever the climate is too cold for straw hats. 

Also, felt hats are waterproof and ideal for rainy days. A felt hat will keep your head dry, and excess moisture won’t damage the hat.

Felt cowboy hats are also more formal, durable, and expensive. So they are suitable for occasions like weddings, funerals and other gatherings. 

Can you wear a cowboy hat without boots?

Cowboy hats are adaptable, and you can wear them with any outfit. But one item that goes well with a cowboy hat is a good pair of boots. Cowboy hats and boots can make anyone look fabulous. 

If you wear a cowboy hat with boots, you can easily achieve an authentic cowboy look. A rancher would wear a cowboy hat with blue jeans, a button-up shirt, and a pair of boots. A black or brown leather belt will complete the look. 

However, it’s not a must to wear boots with a cowboy hat. You can wear any footwear as long as it complements your hat. Even daily sneakers would do. Make sure that the color of your cowboy hats is similar to that of your shoes. For example, a black hat would pair better with black sneakers than blue sneakers. 

Firstly, you get to try out something new. Mix and match your cowboy hat with different footwear and pick the best look. Also, boots can cost a lot. So if you already have a cowboy hat, it’s better to match them with an available pair of shoes rather than spending on a pair of boots. 

Some even wear cowboy hats with flip-flops, and this is fine. But remember that you won’t look like a real cowboy. 

Toothpick in cowboy hat meaning

Cowboys consider their hats as intimate items. Sometimes they customize the hat shape and even adorn it with unique objects. One such item is a hand-carved, personal toothpick.

It was very common to see ranchers sporting toothpicks in their hats. Cowboys would secure the toothpick underneath the hat band so it doesn’t fall off. Today, however, there are very few real cowboys, and most people wearing cowboy hats won’t add a toothpick to their hats.

Back in the day, toothpicks were very handy to cowboys. They spent hours outdoors and didn’t have the time to clean and floss their teeth daily. Toothpicks were the easiest way to keep the teeth clean after a good meal.

Today cowboys don’t live in such harsh conditions, but the practice of keeping a toothpick in the hat has become more of a trend. There are handcrafted toothpicks made just for cowboy hats. These toothpicks come in various materials like brass, copper, and sometimes even silver, but they are primarily for show and not for cleaning teeth. 

Why should we follow cowboy hat etiquette?

Hat etiquette dates back to the Middle Ages, and back then, improper hat etiquette was a huge sign of disrespect and could even cost you your life. For example, a knight who failed to lift his visor could face a fatal outcome.

Today there are no severe consequences for breaking hat etiquette. However, following proper etiquette is an indication of respect for the traditions. 

You’ll honor conventional cowboy customs and gain respect from real cowboys by sticking to proper cowboy hat etiquette.

When should men remove their cowboy hats?

There are certain occasions when men must always remove their hats. Some of these occasions include: 

• When greeting someone for the first time

• Whenever you enter an indoor area

• When you are shaking hands with someone

• At church, during prayers, or other religious activities

• During the national anthem

• During a pledge of allegiance

• At a funeral procession

Initially, most of these hat rules didn’t apply to women. This was because women usually wore dress hats held in place with pins, and taking them off was always quite a hassle. 

But today, most women wear unisex hats like cowboy hats, which can be removed and worn back quickly. All women wearing unisex hats must follow the same hat etiquette rules as men. 

What to do after removing your cowboy hat?

A good cowboy hat needs good care. And this means you must be careful about how to store and clean your hat.

Here’s how you can give your cowboy hat the care it deserves.

• Place your hat in the correct position. Always rest your cowboy hat upside down on its crown. Never place your cowboy hat on its brim. Keeping your hat on its brim can put a lot of pressure on the brim, and the hat will eventually lose shape. Alternatively, you can hang your hat on a hat rack.

• If the sweatband of your hat is moist, place the hat in a way it can dry out. The sweatband is a band of fabric or leather sewn on the hat’s interior to absorb sweat and provide a good fit. But the accumulation of too much moisture on the sweatband can cause problems such as rot. The best option is to let your hat completely dry out overnight.

• Store your hat in a safe area. Cowboy hats are expensive, durable items. But improper care can quickly ruin a good hat. Make sure to keep your hat in a place free from dust and extreme heat. If you have a straw hat, keep it away from moisture. Moisture can make your straw hat lose shape.

• If your cowboy hat seems dirty, you can always give it a quick clean at the end of the day. But the cleaning method depends on the material of your hat. For example, a straw hat differs from a leather one and needs an entirely different cleaning method. For best results, always stick with the cleaning instructions from the hat manufacturer.

How to look like a gentleman in a perfect cowboy hat?

There are endless possibilities when it comes to choosing the perfect hat.  If you are new to wearing a cowboy hat, pulling off the perfect look might take time and practice. 

The first thing is to get the correct hat size. A hat that is too big will make you look silly, while a hat that’s too tight can be very uncomfortable.

Be careful with the hat color as well. Consider your wardrobe color and how you plan on wearing your hat. A dark felt hat is the best option if you plan to wear your cowboy hat for formal events. 

Another critical thing to consider is the shape of your face. Your face shape will determine the best cowboy hat style for you. Both brim size and crown size emphasize your facial features. Generally, an oval face can go with any combination of crown and brim. With other face shapes, you’ll have to try out a few different hats until you get to the perfect hat that complements your features.

The angle of the brim can also change how you look.

Tilt up the front of the hat for a friendly and casual look. This angle makes your face more visible and makes you look more approachable to strangers. If you want to look more serious, you can angle the hat lower so that your forehead is covered. But make you that you still have a clear view.

Also, don’t forget to follow basic cowboy hat etiquette as any gentleman should. Finally, always wear the right hat for the occasion with a matching suit, and you will look like a perfect gentleman.

Final Thoughts

It is essential to know basic hat etiquette rules even in today’s society. The objective of hat etiquette is to be polite and respectful to customary beliefs and traditions. This way, you can avoid accidentally offending someone.

After all, etiquette comes down to individual opinions and beliefs. So what’s considered good hat etiquette in some cultures may not be relevant in other cultures. Cowboy hats come with a lot of history, and following the old-fashioned rules can add a lot of respectability to your style.