Cavender's Helps You Decide When To Switch To A Felt Hat

As the seasons change, so does the type of cowboy hat you wear. Often after Labor Day, it’s time to get ready for the cooler weather ahead by getting the straw hat prepped for storage and brushing up your favorite felt hat. There’s no hard and fast date since cool weather comes faster for Montana than Texas. Still, many use Labor Day to Easter as their unofficial guide for felt season.

Cavender’s believes that understanding the tradition is more critical than narrowing it down to what day to change out your cowboy hat. The weather can be unpredictable in early fall, and if most of your work is outside, it’s best to let that be your guide. One easy way to transition hats is to continue to wear your straw for more labor-intensive outdoor work and then switch to felt for the evening or indoor events.

Speaking of indoor events, felts have long been the standard for both professional and formal occasions. When it comes to weddings, conferences, and even holiday parties, anything that can be considered a dress-up event, wear your felt.

Consider dropping into your local Cavender’s to view their collection of classic western hats by Stetson, Resistol, and American Hat Company. Not only can you pick out a new felt, but get it steamed and creased professionally at Cavender’s in-store hat bar that same day.

Left to right: American Hat 7X Steel Open Crown Felt Cowboy Hat, $320, Resistol Rough N Ready 30X Dunn Cattleman's Crown Felt Cowboy Hat, $560; Stetson 6X Skyline Black Felt Cowboy Hat, $230.

Thanks to the popularity of felt fashion hats, ladies can throw caution to the wind and wear felt all year long. A great example are the jewel-toned dyed fashion hats from Charlie 1 Horse and Rockin’ C. These are paired with eye-catching hat bands that feature vibrant feathers and a wide range of decorations to add that Western charm. These hats are perfect for turning heads at brunches, nights out, and the next rodeo on your list.

Left to right: Charlie 1 Horse Women's Highway Burgundy Fashion Western Hat, $55.99; Rockin' C Women's Silverbelly with Cream Grosgrain Ribbon Western Hat, $54.99; Rockin' C Women's Taylor Mushroom With Grosgrain Ribbon Western Hat, $54.99.

Whether you wear your felt for work or play, use your own taste and comfort as your guide. Even at our home office, there’s the transition of straw to felt that feels like watching the leaves turn. So as with many things, let your lifestyle help you decide when to make that seasonal switch.

(Originally published on Cavender's Western Blog.)