Why are cowboy hats so stiff?
Cowboy hats expand with heat, and heat escapes from your head. So after wearing it for an extended amount of time, the hat will loosen up and conform to your head. You want straw hats to be a bit tighter than felt hats, because they tend to fly off in the wind. Felt hats are heavier and stay on better than straw hats.
Cowboy hats follow the natural shape of your head, so they should fit firmly on your forehead and the back of your head while feeling a bit looser at the sides. If the hat is too tight, you could wind up getting a headache. If it's too loose, it'll blow off or keep twisting around on your head.
How To: Break in a Stiff Hat - YouTube
Instead, take your cowboy hat to a professional hatter to stretch it out and increase the hat by a full size without contorting its shape. Although a professional is preferred, it is possible to stretch a cowboy hat on your own at home.
It protects the wearer from the elements: The intensity of the sun, blowing wind, driving rain, and the cold, biting snow. It can be used to pull water from a stream for the wearer, or his horse. It can be useful for directing attention, either by signaling to other ranch hands or by swatting a horse or steer.
When Eating in a Restaurant. The following are some of the cowboy hat rules for dining in a restaurant: When you go inside a restaurant, or any building, your cowboy hat comes off. You can put your cowboy hat back on your head once inside a building if it is an informal occasion, but if it is formal, it stays off.
Many superstitious cowboys don't put their hat on a bed because they believe that it will invite bad luck into their home. At worst, some believe that putting a hat on a bed may lead to serious injury or death to someone dear.
2. Give your hat time to break in. First-time hat buyers may not realize that just like a new pair of cowboy boots, cowboy hats need to be broken in. A properly fitted hat is likely going to be uncomfortably tight until you've worn it for a while.
How to make a hat stiff again (straw, floppy and really old hat) - YouTube
Hat Care & Tips : Breaking In a Hat - YouTube
How do you soften a stiff straw hat?
Steaming Your Straw Hat - YouTube
Hat Care & Tips : Breaking In a Hat - YouTube
You should aim for a “snug” fit. That's the perfect fit. If your hat sits too tight, you'll feel like you have some sort of weight on your head and you may feel some tension. The hat shouldn't move around but at the same time, it shouldn't be rock solid as well.
Spray starch or fabric stiffener over the entire hat. If only stiffening the brim of a hat or ball cap, spray the brim only. Allow the hat to remain upright on the table until it dries completely.
