Unless you’ve been riding a horse through the wild west for the last year, you probably know that Aspen hats are the newest fashion trend.

But not just any hats: cowboy hats, made popular by Kemo Sabe Aspen, where you can design a one-of-a-kind custom, luxury Stetson.

Why Are Hats Such a Significant Aspect of Aspen Fashion?

Fashion in the Roaring Fork Valley has always included hats as the must-have accessory. This is due to both historical legacy and modern function. Aspen came about as a mining town. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, it was considered standard for miners to always wear a hat when they left their homes. Throughout the 1930s, fedoras were the most common Aspen hats. However, they later went out of fashion as Aspenites started to prefer beanies and cowboy hats.

Hats are more than a fashion accessory, they’re a necessity.

Aspen sits 8,000 feet above sea level. Since the town is closer to the sun, people get a lot more UV exposure. There is a year-round risk of sunburn, so it makes sense that residents would choose headgear that protects their skin.

A cowboy hat is simply the best way to protect your face and neck from sun damage; it also helps that they are the icing on the cake for every outfit. Everybody knows that cowboy hats are cool, given that every celebrity in Aspen has been spotted wearing one.

If you want to join the trend, here are the fashion secrets that you need to know:

What is the Best Hat Store in Aspen?

Clients purchased cowboy hats in Aspen — *Image Credit:* *iam.taryn.itup Instagram*

The answer is obvious: Kemo Sabe. It is a western-themed store in Aspen that sells high-end western hats and lets you personalize your custom hat.

Celebrities like Rhianna, ASAP Rocky, Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Mariah Carey, Kyle Richards, Beyonce, and Kevin Costner have all been spotted shopping for western hats.

What makes Kemo Sabe the best is the quality: all their products, from Stetsons to boots, belt buckles, and jewelry, are handcrafted.

A lot of love goes into each accessory, which you can really feel when you put it on. The custom hats at Kemo Sabe Aspen are also popular as a luxury item. With all their products costing hundreds to thousands of dollars, everyone who buys something becomes part of an elite club.

Wearing western gear in Aspen is a status symbol, indicating that you fit right into the opulent world of ski royalty.

What Types of Hats are Sold at Kemo Sabe?

As a Western gear store, Kemo Sabe sells cowboy hats - as well as boots, turquoise jewelry, and belt buckles to go with it. They also offer an extensive line of designer coats and bags.

Their hats are made from either beaver or rabbit felt. The most high-quality hats are 6X rabbit felt or 20X beaver felt. In hat making, the number of X’s on a hat indicates how much natural fur is in the product. Hats with more X’s - and more fur - are more durable and more authentic.

The Aspen hat selection includes a few different options for shape, size, and finishing.

Cowboy hats generally come in 3 different brim shapes: flat, cowboy curl, and scoped.

While each shape will do a great job protecting your face from the sun, flat-brimmed hats generally look more feminine. Curled brims offer more of an authentic cowboy look, while scoped hats are a popular accessory among men.

The hats are also accessorized with different styles of bands that make them pop. While feathers and leather bands are the most classic, beads and turquoise jewelry are the more fashion-forward choice.

What is it Like to Shop at Kemo Sabe?

A celebrity is shopping for a hat at Kemo Sabe in Aspen

The products aren’t the only thing that makes this store special, it’s also the service. When you step into the doors of the unassuming shop in the center of town, you get to feel like a celebrity.

The staff will cater to your every wish, whether you need help personalizing a hat or input on what style suits your face shape.

People who have shopped there routinely report that the custom-made hats are worth every penny.

The process of designing your own hat is simple:

Get measured by the expert staff to determine your hat size.
Browse the pre-made custom hats to find a material, shape, and color that you like. The store’s color palette is very western, so you’ll likely be choosing between shades of brown, beige, muted orange, deep blue, and rustic red.
If you don’t see the color or shape that you want, you can request a hat be custom made for you. Kemo Sabe Aspen makes hats with different sized and shaped crowns that range from a soft W shape to a stiff V shape at the top.
Once you find a base that you like, you can add your own accessories, like feathers, leather bands, beads, gold chains, turquoise jewelry, buckles, custom stitching, and more.
Consider picking up a handmade matching belt buckle or boots to complete the look.

Other Aspen Hat Shops to Check Out

While Kemo Sabe is the most popular place to buy Aspen hats, it isn’t the only headgear store. In fact, Kemo Sabe is not for everyone, especially if you want a different style beyond western brimmed hats.

Nick Fouquet

This store has the same level of quality as Kemo Sabe with more variety. In addition to hats, they also sell sweaters, pants, jackets, boat shoes, belts, and jewelry.

In a way, Nick Fouquet is the quintessential Aspen store: a place where everything is understated, but the price tag and the quality shines through to give the outfit a certain je nes se quois.

If you're shopping for a new look, you have 5 choices in styles:

1. Beanies

Cowboy hats might be the biggest spring, fall, and summer fashion, but when winter comes, everyone is back to beanies.

The beanie is another Aspen headwear signature. They are a core part of ski style, whether you’re on the slopes or at a casual aprés-ski party. Unlike cowboy hats, they will keep your ears very warm and have the bonus of disguising a case of ski helmet hair.

2. Bucket Hats

They combine the warmth of beanies with the sun protection of cowboy hats and add a street style vibe to any outfit. This style is a resurrected 90s fashion that has returned with a force.

Whether you need a bucket hat to match your denim jacket, boho knit sweater, or plaid slacks, Nick Fouquet has options in nearly every color.

3. Caps

These are actually one of the most commonly sold out items in the store.

Ball caps are like a national pastime, plus they are very popular among celebrities who are hiding from the paparazzi. Sometimes you don’t need to turn everything into an outfit.

A Nick Fouquet cap is the thing to throw on when you’re about to go on an Aspen hike and don’t want a sunburned face.

4. Trappers

These are the fur-lined hats with ear flaps that you might wear doing a snowshoeing trip. While not as fashionable as beanies, they are the best hats for keeping your ears warm.

Trappers were originally a 2010s trend that originated in New York during the chilly winters. However, the hats are an Aspen staple that will never go out of style.

In fact, they’re one of the few accessories that goes flawlessly with a fur coat, a bomber jacket, and a vintage ski jumpsuit.

5. Brimmed hats

Clients bought a cowboy hat and cap in Aspen

Nick Fouquet offers a variety of Aspen hats, encompassing styles from traditional cowboy hats to beach-ready sun hats and contemporary fedoras.

While Kemo Sabe’s offerings are very classic, the hats at Nick Fouquet are more over the top. For example, an Aspen favorite has been the Priscilla hat, inspired by the Sofia Coppola movie, which features a lace veil and pre-made smoke marks.

The store also stocks options in lavender, white, pink, black, leopard print, denim, and more.

Maverick’s of Aspen

Maverick’s is more of a boutique than a national brand. This is the place to go if you want a one-of-a-kind outfit that is as cozy as it is stylish.

The cowboy hats at this store are a lot more flashy than those at Kemo Sabe or Nick Fouquet.

They usually feature large feather pieces, thick bands of turquoise jewelry, lace brocades, and fabric flowers. Maverick’s also stocks fur pieces, diamond jewelry, and hand painted cowboy boots.

When you get an outfit at Maverick’s, everyone you meet will be stopping you to ask where you got it.

How to Get a VIP Shopping Experience for Hats in Aspen

When celebrities go shopping in Aspen, they get individual attention, personal styling, and access to clothes that aren’t officially on the shelves yet.

However, you don’t need to be a movie star to experience Aspen like one. When you work with Aspen Luxury Concierge, we can open the door for you to have those A-lister experiences. Our concierges have connections with all the major stores in Aspen, including Kemo Sabe, Nick Fouquet, and Maverick’s.

They can use those connections to get you styling appointments, personalized shopping experiences, and private store time.

If you are ready to shop for Aspen hats like the elites, contact Aspen Luxury Concierge to begin a vacation consultation.

What is the History Behind Cowboy Hats?

Aspen owner Kemo Sabe is explaining the history of the hats

The cowboy hat dates back to 1865 when famous hat manufacturer from Philadelphia, John B. Stetson started manufacturing these rounded, brimmed hats.

Early versions of the hats were made from the fur of beavers and rabbits, which made them durable. This style initially took off for their durability and use among ranchers, horseback riders, and other Western working professionals. Over time, the shape of the hat evolved: the brim was curved upwards to accommodate rope lassos. The top was redesigned to have a pinched shape, allowing for one handed removal.

It was the function that made cowboy hats into the iconic fashion of the west. In addition to keeping the sun and elements off one’s face and neck, the top of the hat could be filled with water for someone’s horse to drink out of.

Aspen, Colorado & The Cowboy Hat

Aspen is primarily known as a ski town due to its world-class skiing, ski-centric cultural events like Wintersöl and Gay Ski Week, numerous hotels with slope access, and the annual X Games Aspen.

However, Aspen was once known as a mining town. The federal Sherman Silver Act and the 2,350 pound silver nugget found in the Smuggler Mine kicked off Aspen’s mining economy. The town grew in population with mining at its center until Sherman was repealed. During the mining eras, fedoras were the quintessential Aspen, Colorado hat.

When the mining economy crashed, Aspenites turned to ranching to make their living. The ranching economy came with the influx of Western cowboy culture, including the popularity of cowboy hats and the opening of saloons.

Now when modern day residents stroll into Kemo Sabe for custom-made Aspen hats, they’re tapping into a rich local history. However, it makes sense that today’s fashions would harken back to the old days. When people don cowboy gear, it gives them a chance to return to a simpler time.

It may be too late to escape the advent of email, but wearing a cowboy hat is still a great way to cosplay as a hardy rancher with a simple life.

Frequently Asked Questions About Aspen Hat Style

A model photographed inside a hat shop ad — *Photo Credit:* *Kemo Sebe Instagram*

Do you need an appointment at Kemo Sabe?

You do not need an appointment to design Aspen custom hats at Kemo Sabe. However, the store does have a bar area and can be rented out for events and parties. If you would like to host a bachelorette party, birthday bash, liquor tasting, or retirement party at Kemo Sabe, please contact Aspen Luxury Concierge to book the venue for you.

What is the difference between a hatter and a milliner?

A milliner is someone who makes hats for women, whereas a hatter is someone who makes hats for men. Both are mildly outdated terms because hats are normally unisex in this day and age.

How should you care for a cowboy hat after purchase?

Whether you bought your hat at Kemo Sabe, Maverick’s of Aspen, or Nick Fouquet, you’ll need to take good care of it. Hats can become malformed if stored improperly. It is best to store it in a hat box that is specifically designed for that style of cowboy hats. It is also suitable to place your hat upon a coat stand or flat on a table. Do not set your hat down sideways for an extended period of time or else the brim can become bent.

Start Your Aspen Adventure Today!

Your vacation in Aspen, Colorado will never truly leave you, especially if you invest in some Kemo Sabe fashion to take with you.

The shopping experience for premium Aspen hats is something you can only do here in the capital of western-chic fashion. Plan your trip with Aspen Luxury Concierge today.

We’ll take care of accommodations, travel, transportation, and activities while you shop to your heart's content!

Aspen Hats - Shop Like a VIP for Authentic Cowboy Hats