Cowboy hats look cool and casual, but it can be hard to know how to pull them off. So, can you wear a cowboy hat with long hair?
Cowboy hats look great with long hair. Consider the color of your cowboy hat and think about its style. They work fantastically alongside denim or other leather garments. Facial hair is something that can enhance the ‘cowboy’ aesthetic of a cowboy hat with long hair. Remember to consider the formality.
Although that’s the gist, there’s much more to it.
With this in mind, let’s explore the topic further.
1. Consider Cowboy Hat Color
An important element of wearing a cowboy hat with long hair is the color of your cowboy hat.
Cowboy hats typically come in one of two colors: black or brown. The shades of brown can vary, whereas black cowboy hats generally remain the same.
Because of this, brown cowboy hats are more versatile than black cowboy hats; however, both are incredibly versatile.
Due to both hats’ versatility, the one you choose is down to personal preference – so long as you stick to black or brown.
Having said that, white or straw-colored cowboy hats can also work, but they should be worn with more caution.
White or straw-colored cowboy hats are typically best during the summer and spring months due to their light color.
Some may say that some cowboy hat colors are only appropriate for particular hair colors, especially with long hair. This isn’t the case.
Feel free to wear whatever color cowboy hat you think best suits you of the three primary cowboy hat colors – black, brown, and white.
2. Unstyled Hair Is Best
With long hair come a variety of ways to style it. From wearing it in a bun to braiding it, long hair has many different styles.
While this is an overall benefit, it also means that it can be difficult to know how to wear your hair with a cowboy hat.
In truth, the best way to wear a cowboy hat with long hair is not to style your hair at all.
Despite this, there are some ways you can style your hair, wear it with a cowboy hat, and still look great.
For example, a bun is a great way to wear your hair with a cowboy hat – particularly if you need to keep it out of the way for any reason.
If wearing your hair in a bun, make sure you keep it outside of the cowboy hat so that it’s still visible, rather than hiding it inside the cowboy hat. Otherwise, the outfit risks looking awkward and incomplete.
If you have sea salt spray or similar hair texturizing spray, this can add to the rugged aesthetic of wearing a cowboy hat with long hair.
3. Think About Cowboy Hat Style
There are so many different cowboy hat styles that it can be difficult to know the best one to pair with long hair.
Each style is predominantly determined by the ‘crease’ of the hat. The crease is the slight dip in the top of the hat.
And while it may seem like a minimal feature, the style of cowboy hat you go for can change the overall appearance of your outfit.
Generally, there are four different cowboy hat styles:
- Cattleman Crease
- Pinch Front Crease
- Telescope Crease
- Montana Crease
The cattleman crease is the most popular, well-known, and traditional cowboy hat style – it’s likely the style that springs to mind when you think “cowboy hat.”
It features one central crease that runs down the middle of the crown and two extra creases on either side.
Pinch front crease cowboy hats are also pretty well-known. The pinch front crease often has a larger brim, and the crown (and pinch) gets smaller towards the front of the hat.
On the other hand, telescope crease cowboy hats have a flat brim and practically no crease.
Finally, the Montana crease hat is similar to the classic cattleman crease hat; however, there are a few slight differences.
These are the Montana hat’s smaller sider creases and the deeper, more prominent center crease. The brim is slightly upturned.
Ultimately, the cowboy hat you choose isn’t vastly important and is, again, down to personal preference.
Having said that, if you’re unsure which one to go for, you can’t go wrong with the classic cattleman crease cowboy hat.
4. Consider The Formality Of The Situation
There is a lot of controversy surrounding cowboy hats and their formality levels.
Some say they’re appropriate for some formal occasion, whereas others say they absolutely aren’t.
Generally, it’s best to wear cowboy hats casually, as casual occasions provide the most versatility in terms of other garments.
However, it’s also possible to wear them smart-casually, semi-formally, or even – in some cases – formally, though this should generally be avoided.
Keep in mind that cowboy hats are never appropriate attire for black or white tie events.
These are strictly of the utmost formality, and cowboy hats aren’t acceptable for such occasions.
Another formality factor to consider when wearing a cowboy hat with long hair is the style of your hair, as long hair isn’t always optimal for formal situations.
During casual or smart-casual situations, you can have your hair however you like; however, when going to a formal occasion, it’s important to have it up.
5. Facial Hair Looks Great
Facial hair is something that looks fantastic with cowboy hats and long hair, both independently and when worn together.
It’s not a necessity of wearing a cowboy hat with long hair; however, it can enhance the rugged masculinity of the outfit.
Mustaches, beards, or both together are great options, and the size or extent of your facial hair doesn’t matter too much.
Even slight stubble will help positively contribute to this look.
The style of your beard or mustache is another factor that may concern some people when wearing a cowboy hat with long hair.
However, like the size of it, facial hair will benefit the look, regardless of style.
6. Go For Leather Garments
It’s a well-known fact that cowboy hats and leather garments go hand-in-hand.
This is no exception when wearing a cowboy hat with long hair.
For the optimal look, match the colors of your cowboy hat and leather jacket as best you can.
This will add some consistency to your outfit and bring the whole thing together.
To go the extra mile, so to speak, leather cowboy boots couple brilliantly with cowboy hats and further enhance the cowboy look.
Like leather jackets, you should try to match your cowboy boots’ color to that of your cowboy hat.
While cowboy boots look best, other boots work well too. Chelsea or Bamber boots, for example, are also solid choices.
If your hair is black, going for black leather can make the outfit somewhat monochromatic.
The same goes if you have brown hair. That is to say, going for brown leather with brown hair assists the monochromatic look.
Sticking to this tip, as well as the others in this list, should ensure you wear a cowboy hat with long hair in the most effective way possible.
Enjoy.
