Cowboy Hat Shapes Explained: Cattleman, Teardrop, Brick and Pinched Crowns
Most cowboy hats sold today use one of four crown shapes: cattleman (a center crease with a dent on each side), teardrop (a rounded, tapered point), brick (a squared, flat-topped crown), and pinched front (creased in on both sides). The brim's width and curl are a separate choice — the crown is what actually names the shape.
Crown names aren't standardized across brands — makers often name a style after its use or era, not its shape. GIGI PIP's own "Rancher" hats prove it: the Dean Rancher has a pinched crown, the June Rancher has a teardrop crown, so "rancher" is a product line, not a crown shape. Learn the four shapes below and you can identify almost any Western hat, including the GIGI PIP styles in 360STORE's own handbags and accessories collection, where this store's hats are currently merchandised.
Key takeaways
- Four crown shapes cover nearly every Western hat sold today: cattleman, teardrop, brick, and pinched front — most other names describe a brim, a material, or a brand line built on top of one of these.
- The cattleman crease — one crease down the center of the crown with a dent pressed into each side — is the shape most people picture the instant someone says "cowboy hat."
- A teardrop crown reads closer to a tailored fedora than a rodeo hat, which is why GIGI PIP's June Rancher pairs it with a bound, angled brim rather than a wide flat one.
- Crown shape and brim style are separate decisions — a maker can put a wide brim or a narrow one under any of the four crowns.
- All four featured GIGI PIP felt hats size by head circumference in centimeters (XS 55 through XL 61), not letter sizes — measure just above your ears and take the nearest.
- None of 360STORE's GIGI PIP hats currently publish brim width, crown height, felt composition, care instructions, or a UPF sun-protection rating — confirm those directly if they matter to your purchase.
What's in this guide
The Cattleman Crown
The cattleman is the classic cowboy hat crown: one crease down the center with a dent pressed into each side. It's the shape most people picture at "cowboy hat," and it's the shape behind GIGI PIP's Teddy Cattleman Cowboy Hat.
American Hat Makers describes the classic cattleman crease as "a crease down the middle of a high crown, with two more on each side" — the elevated crown and firm crease historically helped a rider keep the hat on at speed.
Teddy is cut in stiffened felt in fourteen colorways, from Off White and Cream through Caramel, Merlot and Cherry Red — the widest range of any GIGI PIP hat here. It's structured rather than packable, sizes XS 55–XL 61 (head circumference in centimeters), and runs $132.60. Brim width, crown height, felt composition, care instructions, and a UPF rating aren't published.
For the same silhouette in warm-weather straw, GIGI PIP's Ames Packable Straw Cowboy Hat ($117.30) uses a cattleman crown too, in crochet raffia rather than felt — worth a look if felt-vs-straw is your real question, though that's a big enough topic for its own guide.
The Teardrop Crown
A teardrop crown tapers to a rounded point that opens out toward the back, sides turned up slightly — the softest of the four shapes, which is why it reads dressier than the others. GIGI PIP's June Rancher Cowboy Hat is built on this crown.
Eric Javits describes this crown as having "a narrow point that opens out toward the back," sides that "turn up slightly" — placing it closer to a fedora than a working ranch hat, which tracks with how June actually wears.
June pairs its teardrop crown with an angled brim, bound in tonal grosgrain ribbon along the edge rather than left raw. Four grounded colors (Chocolate, Cream, Brown, Black), sizes XS 55–XL 61, $146.00 — the priciest of the four. Brim width, crown height, felt composition, and UPF rating aren't published.
The Pinched Front Crown
A pinched front crown is creased in on both sides toward the front, giving structure without a cattleman's height or a teardrop's point. GIGI PIP's Dean Rancher Cowboy Hat uses this crown.
Cowboys & Indians describes this style as "a sloped crown that tapers just enough to make it stand out" — more everyday versatility than a full cattleman crease, which fits why GIGI PIP points to Dean as a first felt hat.
Dean holds a natural, mid-length brim plus a tonal genuine leather band with a silver buckle. Six colors — Tan, Chocolate, Vintage Blue, Burgundy, Black, Coffee — sizing XS 55–XL 61, $134.30. Brim width, crown height, felt composition, and UPF rating aren't published.
The Brick Crown
A brick crown squares off the top and sides instead of rounding or peaking them — a flat, rectangular crease down the middle that reads more architectural than traditional. GIGI PIP's Lane Cowboy Hat is the brick-crowned option here.
NRS describes its own brick crease as a "squared middle crease with one mid-sized crease on each side," typically around 4.25–4.5 inches tall on that maker's cut — heights vary between hatmakers, and GIGI PIP doesn't publish one for Lane.
Lane is hand-shaped rather than pressed to a mold, so its creases aren't identical hat to hat, under a stiff, wide Western brim. Cream, Brown, Dark Brown or Black, sizes XS 55–XL 61, $130.90 — the least expensive here, and per GIGI PIP's own copy, a "blank canvas" for a band, feather or pin. Brim width, crown height, felt composition, and UPF rating are unpublished.
Crown Shapes Compared
Same four shapes, side by side. "Brim style" reflects how the source guides above generally describe each crown's typical pairing — GIGI PIP doesn't publish an exact brim-width figure for any of its hats, so treat this column as a pattern, not a spec.
| Crown shape | Typical brim style | General vibe | In stock at 360STORE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cattleman | Traditionally a wide, gently curved brim | Classic — the most recognizable Western silhouette | Teddy Cattleman — $132.60 |
| Teardrop | Moderate brim, often bound at the edge | Tailored, dressier Western | June Rancher — $146.00 |
| Pinched front | Natural, mid-length brim | Versatile, everyday Western | Dean Rancher — $134.30 |
| Brick | Wide, stiff Western brim | Bold, modern statement | Lane — $130.90 |
Prices and stock as of September 26, 2026 — check the product page for current availability and color options.
Which Hat Shape to Buy
Start from how you want the hat to read, not the shape name. Cattleman for the most traditional silhouette, teardrop for a dressed-up fedora feel, pinched front for one hat that works with denim and a coat, brick if you want the one people ask about. All four are felt, size by head circumference, and currently live in 360STORE's handbags and accessories collection alongside the rest of the GIGI PIP range.
The center-crease-plus-two-dents cattleman crown in stiffened felt, offered in fourteen colorways — the broadest palette here. Structured rather than packable; sizes XS 55–XL 61.
Teardrop crown, angled brim, tonal grosgrain ribbon binding along the edge. Four grounded colors: Chocolate, Cream, Brown, Black. Sizes XS 55–XL 61.
Pinched crown, natural mid-length brim, tonal genuine leather band with a silver buckle. Six colors, from Tan to Vintage Blue and Burgundy. Sizes XS 55–XL 61.
Hand-shaped brick crown, stiff wide brim, a "blank canvas" GIGI PIP designs for a band or pin. Cream, Brown, Dark Brown or Black. Sizes XS 55–XL 61.
FAQ: Cowboy Hat Shapes
What is the most traditional cowboy hat shape?
The cattleman crown — one crease down the center with a dent on each side — is the shape American Hat Makers treats as the default Western silhouette. GIGI PIP's Teddy Cattleman uses this crown.
What's the difference between a "rancher" hat and a cattleman hat?
"Rancher" is a GIGI PIP product line name, not a crown shape — June Rancher has a teardrop crown, Dean Rancher has a pinched crown. Cattleman is a specific crown shape (center crease, two dents), which Teddy uses instead.
Does cowboy hat crown shape affect sizing?
Not for these four. All size by head circumference in centimeters (XS 55, S/M 57, M/L 59, XL 61) regardless of crown shape — measure just above the ears and take the nearest size.
What is a pinch front crown?
A crown creased in on both sides toward the front, giving structure without a cattleman's height or a teardrop's point — Cowboys & Indians calls it "a sloped crown that tapers just enough to make it stand out." Dean Rancher is built on this crown.
Is felt or straw better for a cowboy hat shape?
Material is separate from crown shape — GIGI PIP's cattleman crown comes in both stiffened felt (Teddy) and crochet raffia straw (Ames). Felt holds structure for cooler months; straw breathes and packs flat for travel. Full felt-vs-straw is a topic for its own guide.
Do these cowboy hats have a UPF or sun-protection rating?
No. None of the four felt hats, or the straw Ames hat, publish a UPF or certified sun-protection rating, and brim width and crown height aren't published either. A wide, stiff brim gives shade by size alone, not a tested rating — contact the store if you need one confirmed.
Sources for the crown and crease terminology in this guide
Once you know the four crowns, spotting them anywhere gets easy — a hat on a rack stops being just "a cowboy hat" and starts being a cattleman, a teardrop, a pinched front, or a brick, each with its own trade-offs in how it sits and how dressed-up it reads. The surest way to know which one actually suits you is still trying it on, since the same crease that flatters one face can overwhelm another.