Hey Samuel! Anna here from Tampa. Oh man, a Wild West Saloon theme sounds SO fun! Luke and I are always moving with the military, so I totally get trying to make every party feel special and memorable. My Milo (7) and Luna (10) are obsessed with anything Western lately, thanks to those old movies my husband watches. My little Mochi, the French bulldog, even has a tiny bandana. Lol.

I totally get your struggle with the adult hats. I planned a Western-themed welcome home party for Luke once when he got back from deployment – just a small gathering with about 20 adults – and I ran into the same issue. Everything was either super expensive or looked like it belonged on a toddler. I actually ended up doing a mix-and-match approach, which might work for you given your budget for 50-60 people.

What I did was hit up the Dollar Tree. I know, I know, but hear me out! They often have plain straw cowboy hats, usually in brown or black, for like $1.25 each. They’re not fancy, but they’re solid enough for a photo booth. Then, I bought some burlap ribbon (also Dollar Tree or Hobby Lobby for cheap) and some faux leather strips from Amazon (a roll for about $15). I used hot glue to wrap the burlap around the base of the straw hats and added a faux leather band on top. Some of them I even glued on little plastic sheriff badges I found in a party favor pack. It was a bit time-consuming, but the end result looked surprisingly good and much more "adult" than the plain straw. Plus, it tied into that sentimental, handmade vibe I love for parties.

My spreadsheet for that party actually had a column for "Hat Customization Time" – I’m a bit obsessive with my party planning spreadsheets, haha! One thing that *did* go wrong was that a few of the hot-glued ribbons peeled off because it was a super humid day here in Tampa, and we had the party outside. So if your venue gets warm, maybe use a stronger fabric glue or even a few stitches if you're feeling ambitious! Good luck!

Samuel, hi! Harper here from Phoenix. Okay, adult cowboy hats that aren't cheesy – this is a common planner dilemma! I’ve done quite a few Western-themed parties here in the desert (the heat practically demands it), and it’s always a balance between cost and authenticity. My kids, Nora (5), Isla (6), and Ethan (13), love dressing up, but for the grown-ups, it's gotta be right.

I usually over-prepare for everything – I have backup plans for my backup plans! For a big corporate Western event I did last year, we needed a ton of party favors for adults, and the client specifically wanted cowboy hats. My trick, which worked out really well, was looking at costume suppliers online, but specifically searching for "wholesale costume cowboy hats." These aren’t actual Stetson quality, obviously, but they’re a step above the flimsy plastic ones from general party stores. I found a site (can't remember the exact name, but a quick Google for "wholesale party supplies" and "costume cowboy hats" should get you there) that sold felt-like hats in dark browns and blacks for about $5-7 each when buying in quantities of 24 or more. They weren't perfect, but they held their shape, looked decent in photos (and trust me, I photograph EVERYTHING at parties), and were much more substantial than the Dollar Tree ones, which are fine for a DIY project like Anna mentioned, but maybe not if you're short on time.

My biggest piece of advice for a party of your size is to factor in the delivery time for wholesale orders – sometimes they can take a couple of weeks, especially if you're ordering a large quantity of a specific color. I learned that the hard way when I ordered some custom-printed napkins for a client's 50th, and they arrived two days *after* the event! Ever since then, I double the estimated shipping time in my spreadsheets. Hope that helps, and have a fantastic party for your cousin-in-law!

Hey Samuel! Serenity from sunny San Diego here. What a fantastic theme for a 40th! As an elementary teacher, I’m all about creative DIY, and I definitely think you can nail the adult cowboy hat look without spending a fortune. My students in 4th grade love learning about the Old West, so I’m always making little props for our history lessons. My own kids, Chloe (3), Jude (7), Caleb (8), and Ruby (9), are constantly crafting, so my house is a permanent glitter zone, ha!

When I did a Western-themed family reunion last summer (I started planning for it in January, of course – Pinterest is both my best friend and my biggest time sink!), I wanted something unique for the adults. Instead of traditional full-size cowboy hats, I actually made mini "hat" fascinators for the ladies and some cool bandanas for the men. For the fascinators, I cut out a small cowboy hat shape from sturdy brown cardstock (you can get a huge pack at Michaels for about $10-15). Then, I used Mod Podge to cover them in brown felt squares (super cheap, like $0.50 a sheet, and you only need small pieces). I added tiny details like a thin twine band or a faux feather, then hot-glued a hair clip on the underside. They looked adorable and were a huge hit! For the guys, a good quality bandana in a classic paisley or solid color, tied around their neck or head, gives that cowboy vibe without needing a full hat. You can buy these in bulk for pretty cheap, maybe $1-$2 each. I found some great ones on Amazon in packs of 12 for around $15.

If you're really set on full-size birthday hats or cowboy party hats for adults, and you have some crafting patience, you could even get plain white or natural straw hats (again, Dollar Tree or craft stores often have these seasonally) and then use fabric dye or even spray paint designed for fabric to give them a more rustic, worn look. Just make sure you do it outside and let them air out for a good 24-48 hours before the party – nobody wants a party hat that smells like spray paint! I never follow a recipe exactly, so for me, it's about improvising with materials. This way, you get the quantity you need, and you control the aesthetic.

No matter what you choose, I’m sure it’ll be a fantastic celebration! Have fun!