The Hat Guide

Every hat starts somewhere.Here's where.

Felt, wool, straw, crown shape, brim shape, size - here's a plain-English walk through everything that goes into a Hat Shepherd hat before it ever meets the steamer.

No prices below - every build is quoted one-on-one after your fitting.

The Hats

The Core Collection

Every custom build starts from one of these foundations. From there, Annette shapes, steams, and finishes it into something that's only yours.

Signature Felt

7X Fur Felt

100% fur felt
Open crown
4½" flat brim
Genuine leather sweatband
No sweatband branding - this one's yours

Everyday Felt

3X Wool Open Crown

3X, 100% wool felt
6" open crown
4½" brim
Leather sweatband

100% Wool, Pre-Shaped

Cattleman BuildPre-creased Cattleman crown, square George brim, silver-tone 3-piece buckle
Fedora BuildTeardrop crown, 4" brim, moisture-wicking sweatband

Warm Weather

Straw - Bangora Open Crown

Tan, 5¾" open crown
Two-cord chocolate band
Comfort sweat shield
4½" brim

For the Little Ones

Youth - Felt & Straw

Youth CattlemanWool felt, sized for kids
Youth BangoraStraw, sized for kids

Buy once, grow into it - built to hold up to a kid actually wearing it.

Most styles are available for both men and women, in fan-favorite colors like pecan, silver belly, charcoal, and whiskey - with additional colors available on request.

Special Order

For the Purist - and for Something Different

Two ways to go beyond the core lineup, both made to order rather than kept on hand.

10X Fur Felt

A finer, softer-hand felt grade above the standard 7X - lighter weight, a richer finish, and better resilience to weather. Sourced per order rather than stocked.

Allow about 14 days lead time

Special Order Colors

Beyond the standard lineup, Annette can special-order felt and straw in additional colors to match a specific outfit or event. Mention what you have in mind during your fitting.

Color & availability confirmed at fitting

Sizing & Fit

Getting the Right Size

A great hat only works if it fits. Here's how to measure at home:

Wrap a soft tape measure around your head, just above your ears and eyebrows - where a hat naturally sits.
Keep the tape snug but not tight, and take the measurement in inches.
Match your measurement to the size chart to find your starting size.

Not sure, or somewhere between sizes? Annette fits every custom build by hand - a proper fitting solves this in minutes.

OvalThe most common head shape - evenly rounded front to back.

RoundCircumference is close to equal in every direction.

DiamondWider through the temple, narrower at the forehead and back.

Long/TriangularLonger front-to-back than side-to-side.

Size	Hat Size	Inches
S	6⅝ – 6¾	21 – 21½"
M	6⅞ – 7	21¾ – 22¼"
L	7⅛ – 7¼	22½ – 23"
XL	7⅜ – 7½	23¼ – 23¾"
XXL	7⅝ – 7¾	24 – 24½"

Not able to make it in for a fitting? Mention it in your inquiry and Annette can talk through a mail-in sizing option so your fit is right before anything's cut or shaped.

Shaping Styles

Your Crown, Your Character

Every hat gets hand-shaped to your request. Here's the vocabulary Annette works from.

Crown

Open
Low Cattleman
Cattleman
Wide Cattleman
Ranch
Gus
Brick
Square Top
Round Top
Diamond Top
Gambler
Clint
Association
Puncher
Luke

Brim

Flat
Low
George
Half Taco
Relaxed Taco
Taco
Buckaroo
Retro
Rolled
Come & Go
Pencil Roll

Brim Front

Pointed
Round
Square
Wide
Extra Wide

Felt & Straw

Which One, When

Felt - Fall Through Spring

Felt holds its shape, blocks wind, and adds warmth - the natural pick for cooler months. Higher fur-felt content (7X and up) also handles a bit of weather better than straight wool.

Straw - Spring Through Summer

Straw breathes. It's lighter, cooler, and built for long days outside without the heat that felt holds onto.

A Note on Sweatbands

Leather sweatbands are a living material - they can shrink slightly in dry heat and stretch a touch with humidity. That's normal, not a defect, and it's part of why a proper fitting (and the occasional reshape) keeps a hat feeling right for years.

Hat Care

Keeping It in Shape

A little care goes a long way toward keeping your hat's shape and finish for years.

1

Store It Crown-Up

Keep your hat on a shelf, hat rack, or crown-up in a hat box rather than piled with other things - this protects the shape you were fitted for.

2

Brush, Don't Wipe

A soft felt brush (or a straw-safe brush for warm-weather hats) keeps dust and dirt off without flattening the nap or finish.

3

Let Annette Reshape It

Travel, humidity, and everyday wear can soften a crease over time - bring it back in and Annette can re-steam and reshape it to its original form.

Found the one you're picturing?

Tell Annette what you're after and she'll take it from there.

Book Your Fitting