Movie villains made the black hat famous. Everybody else made it the most useful hat in the closet.
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A black cowboy hat is the dressiest, most versatile color you can own. It goes with nearly any outfit, works for weddings, concerts and funerals, and hides scuffs better than light colors. Black felt is the classic for cool months; black straw exists for summer, though black soaks up more sun. Brush it often, because black shows dust.
Black goes with every color you own, it dresses up without trying, and it looks right after dark. It also hides small scuffs. The trade-off is that it shows dust and pet hair, so a black hat owner owns a brush.
Black felt is the classic: rich, dressy, warm. Black straw gives you the color in summer, though a dark hat in direct sun runs warmer than natural straw. Black leather and faux suede cowboy hats are more rugged and casual, good for rides and fires and less so for weddings.
The cattleman crease is the go-to on black felt. A pinch front makes a black hat look softer and a bit more fashion-forward. A flat, wide brim in black reads modern and city. For the full lineup, see the styles guide.
Brush it counterclockwise after every few wears. Keep a lint roller in the truck. Store it on its crown, out of the sun and away from heat. If it gets rained on, shake it off, turn the sweatband down and let it air-dry.
Pretty much anything, which is the point. White shirt, dark jeans, polished boots, and you look like the guy who owns the bar. A black hat with a gray or denim jacket looks easy. All black works if the textures change, like a felt hat, a cotton shirt and leather boots, so it doesn’t look like a uniform. Brown boots with a black hat? Fine. Just keep the belt in the boots’ family, not the hat’s.
Black if the hat’s going to weddings, night shows and anything with a dress code. Brown if it’s going to barbecues, the stock show and the back of the truck. Brown hides dust better; black dresses up better. Still stuck? Cody’s tiebreaker: black felt first, brown straw second. More first-hat help on the men’s cowboy hats page.
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