White palm leaf straw Western hat

Felt vs. Straw: Which Cowboy Hat, Which Season

August, a gravel road south of Abilene. The air over the pasture shimmers like it is thinking about something. You are wearing a straw hat, and the breeze finds its way through the weave and across your forehead like a small kindness. Come November, on a cold morning at the stock show, you will want something else entirely.

That is the whole felt-versus-straw question in two pictures. One hat breathes. The other keeps the weather out. Here is how to choose, and when.

The short answer

  • Straw for heat, sun and long days outside when the temperature climbs.
  • Felt for cool weather, wind, evenings and anything with a dress code.
  • Both, eventually, if you live somewhere with real seasons. Texas has at least two: hot, and less hot.

What straw does well

A straw hat is woven, which means air moves through it. On a summer afternoon that matters more than anything else on your head. Straw is lighter, too. A good one sits on your head without announcing itself.

Straws come in different weaves and materials, and each has its own personality. Palm leaf is sturdy and casual. Shantung is a smooth, tight weave that looks sharp with a pressed shirt. Raffia packs down and springs back, which matters if your hat travels in a bag more often than it hangs on a hook.

What felt does well

Felt is dense. It sheds a light rain, blocks the wind and holds its shape through a long season of being taken on and off. It also carries a certain authority. A felt hat at a wedding, a funeral or a steakhouse on a Friday night reads as respect.

Felt is made from wool or fur fibers pressed together, and different makers use different fibers and blends. Read the materials line on each product page so you know exactly what you are buying.

The old calendar rule

You will hear a rule of thumb: straw in the warm months, felt in the cool ones. It is a sensible default, and plenty of people still swap hats when the weather turns. But the rule was always about comfort, not law. If it is a cool, windy evening in June, wear the felt. If it is a hot afternoon in late fall, nobody is going to write you a ticket for the straw.

Think about where you are going

Season is one question. The occasion is the other.

  • Working outside in the sun: straw, with a brim wide enough to shade your neck.
  • Rodeo, stock show or county fair: either, depending on the weather. Straw for an afternoon in the stands, felt for an evening in a cold arena.
  • Weddings, church, dinner: felt, especially after dark.
  • Travel: a packable straw or a packable felt, depending on where you land.

Color and the season

Lighter colors tend to read as warm-weather hats, and darker ones as cool-weather hats. A natural or white straw looks right in July. A chocolate, black or deep chestnut felt looks right in December. Light felts in ivory, sand and pale gray tones bridge the gap and work well in spring and early fall.

If you only buy one

Ask yourself where you spend most of your hours outdoors. If the answer is a hot place in a hot season, start with straw. If you mostly wear a hat in the evening, to events, or somewhere with a real winter, start with felt.

A mid-tone felt in a classic cattleman shape is the safest single choice for most people. It is not the coolest hat in August, but it will never look out of place.

Getting the size right

Felt and straw fit a little differently. Straw has less give, and a felt can soften slightly as the sweatband breaks in. Measure your head where the hat will sit, about a finger's width above your ears and across the middle of your forehead, then check our size guide before you order. If you land between sizes, the maker's notes on each product page are the place to look.

When you are ready, browse the full lineup of felt and straw hats and pick the one that fits the life you actually live.

Two hats, one head, and a Texas sky that changes its mind. Dress accordingly.

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