The Cowboy Hat Is out of the Ranches, and Here’s How To Style It

Giddy-up!

Photo Courtesy of Polo Ralph Lauren

It’s hardly news that fringe, suede, and Western boots are enjoying a resurgence. In fact, “comeback” feels like the wrong word since the cowboy hat has always been an enduring symbol for the Western style. What has shifted is that it is no longer confined to autumn wardrobes, the hat now appears year-round—a shift propelled by Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter album and Bella Hadid’s seamless blend of runway glamour with authentic ranch, a double life that has become the new glitterati ideal.

A watershed moment came in 2024 when Pharrell Williams staged his first rodeo for Louis Vuitton. On actual ranches, the hat might still be paired with plaid shirts and denim pieces, but on the runway, designers are pushing it further—more flamboyant than functional. Etro Spring 2026 swung towards tasselled skirts while Polo Ralph Lauren showed layered looks with polo-collar jumpers for Fall 2026. Cowboy hats, then, shed their rigid look with quirky designs: Etro’s was oversized and crumpled, and Sabrina Carpenter had hers trimmed with feathers.

Beyond the traditional fashion calendar, the cowboy hat has earned a reputation among music-festival goers who value practicality; its sweeping, wide brim a protective gear under the blazing sun. Celebrities across genres have embraced the “yeehaw agenda” for years.

More recently, Felix of Stray Kids won hearts for an Atiissu campaign featuring a silver-accented hat; Wonyoung wore a straw Miu Miu piece at Paris Fashion Week; Blackpink members incorporated Western staples into their Deadline World Tour; and Twice’s Jeongyeon performed in a bedazzled white headpiece during the This is For World Tour. The cowboy hat, once a symbol of the American frontier, has become a fashion statement loved by pop culture—it has become an accessory loved by the fashion glitterati.

Off stage, the cowboy hat has also become a strong addition to street style. Reach for one in a bright colour—red like Jennie’s—to add a pop of colour to a monochromatic look. If “more is more” is your fashion mantra, statement accessories like wraparound eyewear or carabiner charms clipped to your belt loop will certainly turn heads. And when styling indecision sets in—on those “white tee and jeans” days—a fluffy one like Jihyo’s or a denim variation, such as the one worn by Thai singer Mabelz from Pixxie, is a style-saver.

Unlike other headpieces, a cowboy hat is not the most beginner-friendly accessory. But that should not stop you from picking one up. You can always start softer, with a neutral palette—our former cover star Namtan has hers in a coffee brown shade, Orm Kornnaphat’s khaki selection, or the toasted chestnut brown spotted on Seventeen’s Mingyu, Yuqi from I-dle, and LE SSERAFIM‘s leader, Chaewon. For those who do not mind a touch of whimsy, opt for an ornate piece like those worn by Milk Pansa, Love Pattranite and Apo Nattawin.