A fitted hat starts with one measurement: around the head, where the hat will sit.
To find your cowboy hat size, wrap a tape measure around your head about ⅛ inch above your ears, snug but not tight, and match the circumference to a maker's size chart. Stetson's own chart runs from X-Small (hat size 6⅜, 20¼ inches around) to 3XL (hat size 8, 25½ inches around), across seven size bands. If you land between two sizes, size up and fine-tune with sizing tape or foam inserts.
How do you measure your head for a cowboy hat?
- Wrap a fabric tape measure, or a piece of string you can measure afterward, around your head about ⅛ inch above your ears.
- Run it across the middle of your forehead.
- Pull it snug but not tight.
- Read the circumference where the tape overlaps, or measure the string against a ruler.
Stetson's own size guide puts it plainly: "wrap it around your head... about 1/8″ above your ear."
What is Stetson's cowboy hat size chart?
| Band | Hat sizes | Inches | Centimeters |
|---|---|---|---|
| X-Small | 6 3/8, 6 1/2, 6 5/8 | 20 1/4–21 | 51–53 |
| Small | 6 3/4, 6 7/8 | 21 1/2–21 7/8 | 54–55 |
| Medium | 7, 7 1/8 | 22 1/4–22 5/8 | 56–57 |
| Large | 7 1/4, 7 3/8 | 23–23 3/8 | 58–59 |
| X-Large | 7 1/2, 7 5/8 | 23 3/4–24 | 60–61 |
| 2XL | 7 3/4, 7 7/8 | 24 1/2–25 | 62–63 |
| 3XL | 8 | 25 1/2 | 64 |
This chart is Stetson's own published size guide, pulled fresh from stetson.com's size guide, and it runs seven bands deep — X-Small through 3XL. Another maker's chart may differ slightly, so measure and check against the chart for the specific hat you're buying rather than assuming your size carries over.
What if you measure between two sizes?
Size up. Stetson says to order a size up when your measurement falls between sizes, and Heartland Hatters says to opt for the larger size. Heartland adds that hat sizing tape or foam inserts, placed inside the sweatband, can help fine-tune a hat that runs loose.
Does hat sizing work like boot sizing?
The same logic that applies to how a cowboy boot should fit applies here: measure first, and buy the size the measurement gives you, rather than guessing from the size you wear in another maker's hat or in a boot. A boot's fit depends on four checkpoints — heel, instep, ball of the foot, and toe room. A hat's fit starts with one number, the circumference. Both come down to the same rule: a measurement decides the size, not a habit from a different brand.
Do felt and straw hats size the same way?
Stetson's measuring method does not change by material, so you measure the same way for felt and straw. What differs is how the material behaves. Heartland Hatters' sizing guide puts it as felt gives, straw doesn't: fur felt relaxes a little with wear and can be professionally stretched about a quarter size, while straw and palm leaf hold their shape, so measure carefully before ordering straw. If a hat of either kind runs loose, Heartland suggests sizing tape or foam inserts inside the sweatband.
What should you do if a hat still feels off after you've measured correctly?
Match the fix to the problem. Heartland Hatters says a hat that feels too tight can be stretched slightly, and that many high-quality hats, especially felt, can be stretched by a professional hatter. A hat that wobbles can be tightened with hat sizing tape or foam inserts inside the sweatband. If it feels right everywhere except one or two spots, Heartland calls those pressure points and says steaming and reshaping the affected areas can often resolve them, again best left to a professional.
Where to go next
- Shop all boots
- Types of cowboy hats: felt, straw, and the styles that matter
- Cowboy hat shapes: crown creases and brim styles
- How should cowboy boots fit?
Sources: Stetson size guide (stetson.com/pages/size-guide); Heartland Hatters, how to properly measure your head for a perfect-fitting cowboy hat.
