| Like anything else, felt cowboy hats will last longer | | | | the hat keep it's shape. |
| if you care for them properly. Chances are your | | | | Here's another thing you must not do. Never |
| new hat cost you a pretty good chunk of change. | | | | store your felt cowboy hat where it can get |
| Doesn't it make sense to take care of it? | | | | really hot. For instance don't leave it in the car on |
| So how do you keep it nice? We'll start with the | | | | a hot summer day and don't leave it near a |
| obvious. Felt cowboy hats are hard to clean so | | | | heating vent when storing it in your house in the |
| let's try to keep it clean instead. Not an easy task | | | | winter. At least avoid this if you want your hat to |
| considering how easily dirt attaches itself to the | | | | fit. Inside the brim of your hat is a sweat band. |
| felt. That's why it's so important to wash your | | | | Excessive heat will shrink this band. The next thing |
| hands before grabbing for your hat. Dirt and skin | | | | you know your hat will be two sizes to small. |
| oils are a pain to get out of felt. | | | | Of course you know you don't want your hat to |
| OK, your hands are clean and your hat is sitting | | | | get wet. But you also know that sometimes it is |
| on the table. You're ready to pick it up and put it | | | | unavoidable. Chances are, you will need to reshape |
| on. I bet your natural instinct is to just grab it by | | | | the brim. Do this carefully. And avoid the |
| the crown. Wrong answer. Pick up your hat by | | | | temptation to speed up the drying process by |
| the brim. And once it's on your head, adjust it by | | | | using a blow dryer or a heat lamp. Felt cowboy |
| the brim as well. Don't push down or back and | | | | hats need to dry naturally if at all possible. A nifty |
| forth on the crown. This will cause the hat to lose | | | | trick you can try is turning the sweat band inside |
| it's shape. Using the front and back brim also helps | | | | out. Then place the hat down on a table. With the |
| keep the crown clean. | | | | sweat band turned down, the hat will actually be |
| And why is your hat sitting on the table brim side | | | | standing on the band. Finally, when your hat is |
| down anyway? Obviously it's always best to | | | | completely dry, you can reshape it into it's proper |
| store your hat in the original box. But if you don't | | | | form. |
| have that box, be sure to set it upside down. This | | | | Truthfully, high quality felt cowboy hats won't be |
| is so important if you want the brim to keep its | | | | too damaged by a little water. But it's still worth |
| original shape. Sit it on the brim, and the brim will | | | | the few dollars to invest in a cover for those |
| flatten over time. The only time cowboy hats | | | | days you know it is going to rain. |
| should be stored right side up is if you have a hat | | | | Simply following these few tips should keep your |
| stand. Even in the original box, the box should be | | | | new cowboy hat looking good and fitting well for |
| stored upside down. It's just another way to help | | | | a long time. |