Felt vs Straw Cowboy Hats: When to Switch, and Why

Wear straw when it’s hot and felt when it cools off. The traditional rule says felt from Labor Day to Easter and straw the rest of the year, but in San Antonio most people wait for the heat to actually break, which usually means October.

That’s the short version. Here’s what separates the two, where the rule came from, and how to choose if you’re only buying one.

What’s the difference between felt and straw?

It comes down to what the hat’s made of and what it’s built to handle.

Felt is made from wool or fur fibers pressed into a dense, smooth material. It holds its shape well, keeps its crease, and looks dressed up even with jeans. It’s also warm, which is the whole point in January and the whole problem in July.

Straw is woven, usually from palm leaf, shantung or other plant fibers. The weave lets air through, so your head stays cooler, and it’s lighter to wear all day. It reads more casual and more summer.

A few quick differences worth knowing:

• Heat: straw breathes, felt holds heat.
• Rain: felt shrugs off a light shower better than most people expect. Palm straw handles water well too. Shantung and paper-based straws don’t, so check what yours is made of.
• Look: felt feels more formal. Straw feels like a day outside.
• Shape: felt can be steamed and reshaped for years. Straw holds a shape well, but it’s less forgiving once it’s bent.

The “cowboy hat rule”: felt season and straw season

When people ask “what is the cowboy hat rule,” this is usually what they mean. Felt goes on around Labor Day. Straw comes out around Easter. Some folks push straw season to Memorial Day instead.

It started as a practical habit. Straw kept ranch hands cool through long summers, and felt kept them warm and dry once the weather turned. The dates just gave everyone an easy marker.

Nobody’s checking, though. Plenty of people wear felt year round, especially to evening events, and plenty of Texans keep a straw on the hook through a warm November.

When does felt season start in San Antonio?

Later than the calendar says. Labor Day in San Antonio can still hit 100 degrees, so switching the first week of September is more tradition than comfort.

Most people here make the switch when the first real cold front comes through, usually some time in October. By the holidays, felt’s the standard. And by the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo in February, you’ll see a lot more felt than straw in the stands.

When not to wear a felt hat

• Hot, outdoor daytime events. An afternoon wedding in a sunny field or a summer festival is straw weather, whatever the date.
• Long days of heavy sweat. Felt absorbs it, and the sweatband takes a beating.
• When the hat will get soaked. A drizzle’s fine. A downpour or a dunk in the river isn’t.

Which one should you get first?

If you’re buying one hat and you’ll mostly wear it outside in daylight, start with straw. San Antonio summers are long, and you’ll get the most wear out of it.

If you want a hat for fall events, the rodeo, weddings and nights out, start with felt. It dresses up better, and a good felt hat lasts for years.

Most people who wear hats a lot end up owning both, one for each half of the year.

Felt or straw for a wedding?

Go by the season and the time of day more than the dress code. An outdoor summer ceremony calls for straw. An evening reception or anything from October through March looks sharper in felt. If the whole wedding party’s wearing hats, matching the material keeps the photos consistent.

Picking yours at Wild Pony Hat Bar

At Wild Pony Hat Bar in San Antonio, you pick a base hat and build it out with a band, trim, feathers and pins, and you can add branding like initials.

Every hat comes already shaped, so you don’t need to know anything about hats to walk in. If you’d like an open crown shaped to your own style, shaping’s an add-on.

Not sure of your size? Our hat sizing guide walks you through it before you come in.

Hats start at $149 + customization. Visit us at La Cantera or Basila Frocks, see all locations, or start in the online hat builder.

Frequently asked questions

When do you switch from straw to felt? Traditionally around Labor Day. In San Antonio, most people wait for the first real cold front, usually in October.

When should you switch to a straw cowboy hat? Traditionally around Easter, though some wait until Memorial Day. Once the days are consistently warm, straw is the more comfortable choice.

When shouldn’t you wear a felt cowboy hat? On hot, outdoor daytime occasions, during heavy sweat, or anywhere the hat might get soaked.

Do real cowboys wear felt hats year round? Some do, especially for evening events and in cooler climates. The seasonal rule is a tradition, not a requirement.

Which cowboy hat material is best? It depends on when and where you’ll wear it. Straw is best for heat and daytime. Felt is best for cooler weather and dressier occasions.

What is the cowboy hat rule? It usually refers to wearing felt from Labor Day to Easter and straw the rest of the year. Some versions use Memorial Day as the switch back to straw.