How do you decide on the color of your cowboy hat?
For showing do you try and pick a color that compliments the color of your horse, the color of your saddle pad, or the color of your shirt? Does it matter if it coordinates at all?
I try to pick hats that will go with most anything I’ll wear. But that’s because I’m cheap.
It means that my current straw hat is cream colored with darker bits of brown woven in and a black banded edge. Goes with everything.
I only own 1 felt and it’s tan with a black hat band. Also goes with everything.
I prefer to stay with the classics. For years I only saw black, white, cream and the occasional gray in felt hats. Lately there has been a come back of hats in colors. In straws I see a lot of the black and white or brown and white. I show AQHA and there are starting to be more of the hats with stones or other decorations. I just don’t like most of them. The real secret is keep your hat clean and well shaped. I keep mine in a carrier, and for the white one keep a plastic bag to pick it up. Keep a brush or hat sponge handy. I hope the colors stay around a while!
The main rule is that everything should coordinate. You don’t have to be matchy-matchy, in fact, nice color coordination looks better to me than a solid blob of color. Wear colors you like, and remember to smile.
I personally think that for a bright outfit you can’t go wrong with a white or cream hat, felt during the winter/straw for summer. Dark outfits should have a black hat, unless the outfit has light embellishments, in which case you can get away with a light hat.
Coordinate your saddle pad to your outfit. For example if you are wearing a royal blue top, your saddle pad should have royal blue in the pattern. I personally hate the solid saddle blankets in the same color as the rider’s outfit, but that is my opinion only, many people love them.
Hobby Horse Clothing has a great resource called Dress For Success that has all of the fashion do’s and don’ts if you are not naturally fashion inclined or new to WP.
I was told by a hat maker that the closer you stay to natural hair color (of the hat), the more durable they tend to be.
One of the MOST important things about your hat (color aside) is that it has properly been fitted to your face by someone who knows what they are doing.
Coming from the rodeo queen world (back when I did that), you could tell which girls took the trouble to have their hat fitted and which ones had no clue. It makes a difference on presentation.
So whatever hat you do choose to get, make sure you take it in to get shaped.
[QUOTE=aktill;7839323]
I was told by a hat maker that the closer you stay to natural hair color (of the hat), the more durable they tend to be.[/QUOTE]
Huh. I’ve never heard of such a thing.
Apparently it’s not much, but to a professional, it’s there.
Black or natural color - neutral go with most everything
I have always loved black myself.
Traditionally: black, dark brown or navy for winter and white, beige, silverbelly or straw for summer.
ive always heard that a black hat seems to shorten you, a lighter hat helps elongate you if you need some height
[QUOTE=Griffyn;7844961]
ive always heard that a black hat seems to shorten you, a lighter hat helps elongate you if you need some height[/QUOTE]
I am 5’8 myself, so I don’t see shortening me as a bad thing.
