I prefer the crown to be brought down a little bit lower for a smaller person. “It should be proportional to your face structure. “Each discipline has a typical look, but not every trending fashion look is suitable for everyone’s facial structure,” says Maitia.Ĭrown Size: “The crown size-how tall the hat is-is very important,” says Gillespie. But no matter what, the shape should complement your face. Style: Your best resource will be a good hatter, who will know what’s “in” for each discipline. These include the events you’re competing in, that season’s trends and your face shape. The style of your hat, crown size and brim length will depend on several factors. You would need to custom-pad the hat to fit comfortably and stay on while you ride.”Ī properly fitted black hat is always classy and stylish. In the reverse situation, someone with a very long-oval head will have large gaps by the temples. Typically, you would go up a size and then pad the front and back. “If your head is very round, most of the off-the-shelf hats will not fit properly, and adjustments have to be made for them to fit. “Most hats are made long-oval, and not everyone has a long-oval head size,” Maitia says. Not all hats fit all people, especially if you have a round head. It should not want to “pop off” when you try it on, and it should be comfortable. Maitia says a hat should fit snug initially, but not too tight, resting about a finger above the top of your ears. Gillespie adds that it should also sit level on your head without tipping forward or backward.įinding this balance is the job of a hat professional. “A properly fitted hat not only looks professional, it’s essential for comfort, and most importantly, it won’t fly off while competing,” Maitia says. Sized RightĮven the sharpest-looking hat is no good if it doesn’t fit. For over 10 years, she has been pairing riders with the right hats, as well as shaping hats to fit riders. Gillespie looks to hatters with booths at horse shows for their expertise, including Barbara Maitia of Barbara’s Custom Hats in Fort Worth, Texas. To purchase a western hat, enlist the help of a professional. “The hat shows if somebody really takes pride in their appearance,” Gillespie says. Even if your hat was once properly shaped to your face, if you’ve left it out in the sun or stored it in a hatbox in a hot trailer for two years, the hat won’t look the same. He says it’s noticeable to a judge-and others-when your hat is poor quality, ill-fitting or badly shaped. “So many judges I’ve talked to over the years have told me that if you are going to invest in anything to make sure you look good when you walk into the pen, you need to invest in your hat,” Gillespie says. Often seen wearing a crisply shaped western hat himself, Gillespie has decades of experience with all-around competition, and he is adamant about the fit, style and shape of his clients’ hats. Ask just about any western judge what they first notice about a competitor, and they’ll probably tell you it’s their hat.
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