Item of the week: the cowboy hat

What it is:

If there was one accessory item that has been remarkably inescapable in the recent months, it has been none other than the cowboy hat. Its resurgence can be accredited to Beyoncé, who has adopted the headwear into her staple look ahead of the release of her newly released country album, Cowboy Carter. While there are lots of iterations of the hat style, the main shape is defined by a high pinched crown and a wide brim that is slightly curved at each side.

Why you’ll want it:

While Beyoncé has been at the centre of discussion surrounding the cowboy hat’s reinvention, there have been many pop culture moments in recent weeks that have only bolstered the status of the headwear and ensured it holds a solid place in this fashion season. From Kim Kardashian’s exaggerated iteration at the Super Bowl to its appearance on the always influential Bella Hadid at a recent rodeo show, with such prestigious celebrity backing it appears that this is to be the cowboy hat’s year.

Where we’ve seen it:

The hat hasn’t just been a celebrity favourite in recent months, it has also held a firm place on the fashion week runways of autumn/winter 2024. This was notably led by Pharrell’s latest Louis Vuitton collection, which adopted a Wild West theme and as such aptly included the headwear in a number of looks, many donning a discrete form of the brand’s monogram logo. New York’s Willy Chavarria also played with the staple shape, adding to his own hat designs bright corsages that brought a bit of flair. Edward Crutchley, meanwhile, took the hat to the next level, elevating the crown to new heights creating exaggerated silhouettes.

How to style it:

To style the cowboy hat, we can take cues from Pharrell’s latest collection, bringing subtle western elements to the rest of the outfit to create a cohesive look that is still highly fashionable. With this in mind, it would work to add the hat to an outfit consisting of bootcut jeans, an embroidered shirt and a long-line camel coat. Finish the outfit off with a chain belt and modernised cowboy boots, tying the style together. A more daring take on the aesthetic could be the use of a 70s inspired suit, with added themed elements such as a bolo tie to bring subtle references to the hat’s background.

The cowboy hat is a fun trend to have descended on a wide-scoping audience this year, backed by designers and influential celebrities alike making it a dominating element to the coming season’s wardrobe. As such, its presence and relevance is to only be extended for a long-reaching period, particularly as Beyoncé continues to promote her latest album, with the hat at the centre of her signature press look.