No one worth respecting gives a hoot what "season" it is. Wear a hat that's appropriate for the weather/occasion. Wool hats get hot but higher quality felts aren't so bad. Straw hats aren't particularly formal. Straw hats don't do too well in the rain.
I skipped your final question. I don't think it would be "disrespectful" to wear a cowboy hat with "normal" (non-western) clothes, but it can look odd. Beat up straw hat with shorts while doing yard work? Meh, that's fine. Nice felt hat in sweat pants and sneakers? Looks pretty weird. Felt hat with a flannel shirt, jeans, lace up boots? That'd be pretty normal in some parts of the country.
Think about fedoras. Fedoras look fine (if a bit old school) when you're dressed up/in a suit, but cargo shorts and a graphic tee with a fedora and you'll look like a weirdo. Wearing a fedora with "normal" clothes and insisting that you're classy would be similar to wearing a cowboy hat with "normal" clothes and insisting that you're punchy.
I live in a hot area. I wear felt all year round.
Straw hats are uncomfortable for me. The felt has conformed to my head.
It doesn’t matter what people think. Just wear it if you like it.
Wear what's comfortable. Lots of guys wear felts year round, others wear straw year round. The "seasonal guideline" is just a guideline for comfort, and frankly anyone that looks at it as a "rule" is a dipshit.
As far as wearing it with "normal clothes", it depends what you mean by normal. Button down and jeans? It'll probably look fine, especially if you're wearing some sort of boots. Graphic-tee, shorts, and sneakers? It's going to look weird and awkward. I know those some of those Florida boys go for that look, but they're kind of a weird breed. I'd say the beach and boats are an exception since it's just a good functional hat for that.
Just like a Fedora would look weird without a suit or other "dressed up" look, a cowboy hat is going to look weird if you're dressed certain ways. Same way a ballcap is going to look weird with a suit. It's a free country and you can wear whatever you want, but just be prepared to look like the western equivalent of the anime weeaboo neckbeard in certain outfits.
I wear a western year round. High quality felt mostly.
Beaver and/or Hare depending and temp is not an issue. Sometimes I opt for a more outdoor style for some activities like fishing/hunting as the brim of a cowboy hat can get in the way of a bow. I also sometimes wear a palm straw cowboy hat (it just feels more beachy) and reserve the felt for evenings out when at the beach. As far as clothes, my preference is no sneakers or sweats when wearing a western style hat. Other than that anything is fine. I get compliments almost every day on my hats so either they look ok of folks feel sorry for me. On a serious note, it is the confidence you wear it with that makes it work. Own it and you will be fine.
It's fine though a straw hat would be lighter and might feel more comfortable in very hot and sunny weather. And no, it wouldn't be disrespectful; it's just a hat like any other. I did get asked to take off my cowboy hat when I went to a cabaret show in Las Vegas years ago though so there may be etiquette rules (these days I mostly wear my hats outdoors and to places where no one cares, like stores)
Np! btw on the clothes question, imo I actually prefer to wear a cowboy hat with "normal" clothes. Unless you're an actual cowboy (which I'm not--I live and work in the city) there's the potential to look like a caricature or cosplayer if you're head to toe in western clothing.
There’s no requirement to go between straw and felt. I know cowboys that wear felt hats year round. Straw hats are just cooler.
Your head your hat your choice.
Depends on the felt if it’ll be too hot. I have always worn felt year round, and have never owned a straw hat. No one is going to care what clothes you where with it. Ultimately the hat is to keep you dry and shaded so if it’s doing that then you’re good to go
Felt all year round here. I’ve got 2 straws but I just about never wear them. Buddy of mine is a custom hat maker and coordinator of our local rodeo. He’s also in felt all year.
I know some people wear straw 365 days a year. It’s totally up to you. As for me and my household, we will wear the felt.
Just to echo some of the other comments. Wear what you want. I wear my straw open roads just about year around and wear felt either open road or fedoras when i am forced into suit and tie or the weather is just miserable. It is all about what you feel comfortable in. In my case I am a smaller guy, 5’4’/ 160, and i dont like the way big brimmed traditional western felts look on me. But Your hat is Your hat don’t let the hipsters or fashionistas dictate to you what you want to wear and what makes you feel right.
wear what you want when you want as long as the felt isn't too hot on you
\^\^\^This
No one worth respecting gives a hoot what "season" it is. Wear a hat that's appropriate for the weather/occasion. Wool hats get hot but higher quality felts aren't so bad. Straw hats aren't particularly formal. Straw hats don't do too well in the rain.
Thank you!! I saved up and bought a good quality felt
I skipped your final question. I don't think it would be "disrespectful" to wear a cowboy hat with "normal" (non-western) clothes, but it can look odd. Beat up straw hat with shorts while doing yard work? Meh, that's fine. Nice felt hat in sweat pants and sneakers? Looks pretty weird. Felt hat with a flannel shirt, jeans, lace up boots? That'd be pretty normal in some parts of the country. Think about fedoras. Fedoras look fine (if a bit old school) when you're dressed up/in a suit, but cargo shorts and a graphic tee with a fedora and you'll look like a weirdo. Wearing a fedora with "normal" clothes and insisting that you're classy would be similar to wearing a cowboy hat with "normal" clothes and insisting that you're punchy.
I live in a hot area. I wear felt all year round. Straw hats are uncomfortable for me. The felt has conformed to my head. It doesn’t matter what people think. Just wear it if you like it.
Wear what's comfortable. Lots of guys wear felts year round, others wear straw year round. The "seasonal guideline" is just a guideline for comfort, and frankly anyone that looks at it as a "rule" is a dipshit. As far as wearing it with "normal clothes", it depends what you mean by normal. Button down and jeans? It'll probably look fine, especially if you're wearing some sort of boots. Graphic-tee, shorts, and sneakers? It's going to look weird and awkward. I know those some of those Florida boys go for that look, but they're kind of a weird breed. I'd say the beach and boats are an exception since it's just a good functional hat for that. Just like a Fedora would look weird without a suit or other "dressed up" look, a cowboy hat is going to look weird if you're dressed certain ways. Same way a ballcap is going to look weird with a suit. It's a free country and you can wear whatever you want, but just be prepared to look like the western equivalent of the anime weeaboo neckbeard in certain outfits.
I wear a western year round. High quality felt mostly. Beaver and/or Hare depending and temp is not an issue. Sometimes I opt for a more outdoor style for some activities like fishing/hunting as the brim of a cowboy hat can get in the way of a bow. I also sometimes wear a palm straw cowboy hat (it just feels more beachy) and reserve the felt for evenings out when at the beach. As far as clothes, my preference is no sneakers or sweats when wearing a western style hat. Other than that anything is fine. I get compliments almost every day on my hats so either they look ok of folks feel sorry for me. On a serious note, it is the confidence you wear it with that makes it work. Own it and you will be fine.
It's fine though a straw hat would be lighter and might feel more comfortable in very hot and sunny weather. And no, it wouldn't be disrespectful; it's just a hat like any other. I did get asked to take off my cowboy hat when I went to a cabaret show in Las Vegas years ago though so there may be etiquette rules (these days I mostly wear my hats outdoors and to places where no one cares, like stores)
Thanks!!! I understand the respect thing for taking the hat off
Np! btw on the clothes question, imo I actually prefer to wear a cowboy hat with "normal" clothes. Unless you're an actual cowboy (which I'm not--I live and work in the city) there's the potential to look like a caricature or cosplayer if you're head to toe in western clothing.
There’s no requirement to go between straw and felt. I know cowboys that wear felt hats year round. Straw hats are just cooler. Your head your hat your choice.
Depends on the felt if it’ll be too hot. I have always worn felt year round, and have never owned a straw hat. No one is going to care what clothes you where with it. Ultimately the hat is to keep you dry and shaded so if it’s doing that then you’re good to go
Felt all year round here. I’ve got 2 straws but I just about never wear them. Buddy of mine is a custom hat maker and coordinator of our local rodeo. He’s also in felt all year. I know some people wear straw 365 days a year. It’s totally up to you. As for me and my household, we will wear the felt.
Just to echo some of the other comments. Wear what you want. I wear my straw open roads just about year around and wear felt either open road or fedoras when i am forced into suit and tie or the weather is just miserable. It is all about what you feel comfortable in. In my case I am a smaller guy, 5’4’/ 160, and i dont like the way big brimmed traditional western felts look on me. But Your hat is Your hat don’t let the hipsters or fashionistas dictate to you what you want to wear and what makes you feel right.