How to Measure Your Cowboy Hat Size: Chart in Inches, Centimeters, US Sizes and S/M/L

Hat sizes look confusing — 7 1/8, 58, L, 22 3/8 in — but they all describe the same thing: the distance around your head where the hat sits. Measure that once, correctly, and every chart on this page becomes easy to read. Here is how we do it at the counter every day at Teres Western Wear in Dallas.

What you need

• A soft measuring tape (the flexible kind used for sewing). A metal construction tape will not wrap your head correctly.
• No soft tape? Use a piece of string or a shoelace, mark where it meets, then lay it flat against a ruler.
• A mirror or a second person helps keep the tape level.

How to measure your head for a cowboy hat

1. Find the hat line. Wrap the tape around your head about a finger's width (roughly 1/8 to 1/4 inch) above your eyebrows and above the tops of your ears. That is where the sweatband of a cowboy hat rests.
2. Go around the widest part of the back of your head, not the base of the skull. Keep the tape level all the way around — it tends to droop in the back.
3. Snug, not tight. The tape should touch your skin all the way around without pressing in. If you pull it tight you will buy a hat that is too small.
4. Read the number in inches or centimeters where the tape overlaps. Write it down.
5. Measure two or three times and use the largest reading. Hair, especially thick or curly hair, counts — measure the way you normally wear it.

Rule of thumb: if your number falls between two sizes on the chart, go up to the next size. A slightly loose felt hat is easy to fix with sizing tape; a hat that is too small will give you a headache and there is only so much a hat stretcher can do.

Cowboy hat size chart

Head measurement (inches)	Head measurement (cm)	US hat size	Letter size*
20 7/8	53	6 5/8	S
21 1/4	54	6 3/4	S
21 5/8	55	6 7/8	S / M
22	56	7	M
22 3/8	57	7 1/8	M / L
22 3/4	58	7 1/4	L
23 1/8	59	7 3/8	L / XL
23 1/2	60	7 1/2	XL
23 7/8	61	7 5/8	XL / XXL
24 1/4	62	7 3/4	XXL

*Letter sizes are not standardized. Each brand draws the S/M/L lines a little differently, so use the letter column only as a rough guide and go by the inch or centimeter number when you can. Some straw styles (for example, a few Bullhide models we carry) come only in S/M/L/XL or S–M / L–XL.

Which sizes we actually carry in Dallas

Almost every felt and straw hat on our wall — Stetson, Resistol, RDR, Tombstone and Bullhide — runs from 6 3/4 to 7 1/2. Several styles go up to 7 5/8: RDR felt hats, Bullhide felt and straw, and Tombstone straw. If you need a 7 3/4, we currently stock it in one Tombstone straw style; call ahead and we will confirm what is on the rack. Browse the full hat collection, or go straight to felt hats or straw hats and filter by size.

How a cowboy hat should fit

• Snug all the way around with even pressure. It should not pinch at the forehead or the back of the head.
• It stays put. Tilt your head forward and side to side. If the hat slides, it is too big. If you can only get it on by forcing it, it is too small.
• The 20-minute test. Wear it around the store. A deep red line on your forehead or a dull headache means go up a size.
• Check the oval. Two hats marked 7 1/8 can feel different because head shapes are not all the same oval. That is why the tape gets you to the right size and trying it on gets you to the right hat.

Felt vs straw: does sizing change?

You wear the same size in both, but they behave differently. A felt hat gives a little with wear and can be adjusted in the store with steam and a hat stretcher, so a felt that feels firm on day one usually settles in. A straw hat has very little give, so buy straw at the size that feels right immediately. Not sure which material you want? Read our guide on felt vs straw and what the X's mean.

Between two sizes, or the hat you love only comes in one size?

• Slightly big: foam hat-sizing tape inside the sweatband takes up about 1/8 of a size. We can add it in the store.
• Slightly small (felt only): a hat stretcher with a little steam can open a felt hat a small amount. It will not turn a 7 into a 7 1/4, so this is a fine-tune, not a fix for the wrong size.
• Straw: go up, then use sizing tape if needed.

Sizing for women and kids

Cowboy hat sizes are the same numbers for everyone — there is no separate women's scale. Many women fall between 6 3/4 and 7 1/8, and most kids' hats we see are 6 3/8 to 6 3/4, but measure instead of guessing. For a child, measure over the hair exactly the way they wear it and buy the size that fits now; a hat bought to "grow into" slides over the eyes and ends up in the closet.

Get sized for free at the store

Bring the number from this page or let us measure you at the counter — it takes a minute and costs nothing. We also shape your hat when you buy it here — included with the purchase: crown crease, brim flange, front dip, the works. Not sure which crown or brim suits your face? Start with how to choose a cowboy hat and our crown shapes guide. Once you own it, here is how to clean a felt cowboy hat.

Quick answers

Is a cowboy hat size the same as a baseball cap size? The number is the same head measurement, but fitted caps use fewer sizes and stretch more. Do not assume your cap size — measure.

Do all brands fit the same? The size number means the same circumference, but sweatband material, crown height and oval shape change how it feels. Stetson, Resistol, RDR, Tombstone and Bullhide all size on the same scale; try on before you decide.

What if my measurement is 22 1/4 inches? That is between 7 (22") and 7 1/8 (22 3/8"). Take the 7 1/8 and add sizing tape if it feels loose.

Do you measure heads in the store? Yes, free, no purchase needed. We speak Spanish and English.

Do you sell hats online? No. What you see on this site is what we carry at our Dallas store; stock changes daily, so call (214) 391-0508 to confirm the model and size before you come in. See store hours and directions.

Teres Western Wear · 8033 Lake June Rd, Dallas, TX 75217 · Family-owned since 1986 · 4.9 stars on Google from 300+ customers.