The legendary hat brand sent us five of their best-selling hats to try out in the heart of Los Angeles. Some worked better than others out in La La Land, but they’re all heads and shoulders above a faded Dodgers cap.
The best time of day to try on your next pair of cowboy boots, they say, is in the late afternoon, when your feet tend to swell and be at their largest, ensuring a more accurate fit. And the best time to try on your next cowboy hat — we say — is when Stetson offers to send you five classic felt and straw models to try out in honor of the hallowed hat company’s 160thanniversary. Of course, we jumped at the chance — and dutifully made head measurements at the optimal time (noggins are largest in the evening) and according to the hat master’s instructions (check out Stetson’s Fit Guide for how to determine your proper hat size). Pulling off the perfect premium handmade hat is always a matter of taste and subjectivity — geography, seasonality, and personality all playing into it among other factors. Our L.A. correspondent wants to run away with at least two of these top five Stetsons.
72 Llano 4X Cowboy Hat
The 72 Llano 4X Cowboy Hat from Stetson’s San Angelo Collection (which also includes the Marshall and Mason models, all known for their classic Western profiles) is a statement hat and a guaranteed head-turner. Constructed of 4x quality wool with cattleman crown, 4¼-inch curbed brim, and tone-on-tone chocolate leather hat band with silver stud accents, this timeless powerhouse, Stetson says, is “a nod to tradition” and “a statement of your individuality.” For this particular spotlight-shunning individual in L.A., the hat felt a tad heavy (of course, it was summer) and heavy-handed (on Wilshire Boulevard) — but there’s no shortage of attention seekers in this town who’ll vehemently disagree. What’s indisputable is that this is one handsome hat that’s best worn in your version of the ideal setting and the appropriate season. Color: chocolate; $150
Limestone Outdoor Hat
Stetson makes a strong, classy hat even without the use of premium felt — and here’s some solid, strawlike proof. Constructed from 100 percent shantung “straw” (high-performance paper fiber rolled into a durable yarn to imitate classic straw), the Limestone provides just the right amount of cowboy oomph in its all-purpose workhorse design to distinguish your dome during any mundane outdoor chore that’s always more respectable with the right sun-deflecting lid on — from walking the dog to watering the agapanthus. In bright, toasty L.A., this was the hat I gravitated to the most. Offering a superlight, comfy, upmarket alternative to the perfunctory Dodger cap, the Limestone sports a manageable three-inch brim, which provided good sun protection without resorting to the overblown nuttiness of most straw hats worn in this town. And it’s got just the right amount of downward curve in front to remind your doodle who’s boss. The hat’s teardrop crown and thin leather hatband add sophistication, and its DriLex® interior sweatband ensures comfort. Color: sand; $125
Sturgis Outdoor Hat
A cool-weather option with a subtle Western edge, I found this 100 percent wool felt wonder to be the comfiest, coolest-looking hat of the bunch. Stetson’s Sturgis hits all its marks perfectly. It’s big enough without being too much. Bold with a wink. Here’s your stylish cowboy-ish hat for a brisk hike in the Hollywood Hills or even the Sierras on the right bluebird day. The hat’s pliable wool base offers just the right amount of stretch to sit snug, and its signature embroidered leather band and four-inch pinch front crown provide iconic yet understated elegance. A heavier wear that’s great for flannel shirt weather, this beauty won’t be your best choice on a hot L.A. day. During a cooler season or evening or in a light shower, it’s a wind- and water-repellant winner. Forgivingly crushable, this hat can be stuffed in a bag and will regain its shape when you need it next. Color: cordova; $125
Lobo Shantung Cowboy
For finely handwoven, 10x shantung straw-hat fans, Stetson’s best-selling Lobo oozes a classy Western look, whether that’s happening back on the ranch or during your next Santa Fe (or Santee Alley) shopping spree. The straw is meant to be lightweight with all-around ventilation — designed to keep you cool. The hat’s classic cattleman crown and curved brim are plenty bold — pushing past four inches — and augmented by elegant perimeter venting and a snazzy hatband with two-tone star studs and silver-tone conchos. A genuine leather sweatband keeps things cozy on the inside, providing it’s not too tight a squeeze. My sample proved a little snug for my regular 7¼-inch measurements, so either I didn’t measure my head quite late enough in the day or you may want to size up a notch. Color: natural; $170
Open Road Royal Deluxe Hat
A crossover city hat with Western appeal, the Royal Deluxe blends heritage craftsmanship with refined, everyday versatility. The Open Road was the Stetson hat I was most excited to try on of the five. Tailor-made for city wear, the fur-felt blend hat’s fedora-sized 2¾-inch bound edge brim orbiting around a 4¼-inch cattleman crown is a thing of beauty — as several past U.S. presidents and music legends like Hank Williams and Lyle Lovett who’ve rocked various versions of the Open Road have well known. An interior satin liner, roan leather sweatband, and classy sage hue adds to the allure. The surprising issue for me was an inability to adjust the hat’s high-ish perch. Attempts to pull it down were hampered by a deeply creased crown up top pushing back. A tad lower would’ve looked and felt just right, but I couldn’t get it there — a problem that even the great Lyle Lovett wearing his (oddly high on the head, too) seems to share. A quick trip to a local hat shaper might have easily adjusted the opening or crown height for a better fit. And of course, no two heads are alike. Photos of LBJ in his Open Road were the unattainable standard. But there might be a new sheriff in town if that’s an Open Road Ethan Hawke’s rocking in his cool new Tulsa-based show, The Lowdown. Color: sage; $280
PHOTOGRAPHY: (ALL PHOTOS) COURTESY STETSON
