The Legendary American Cowboy Hat
April 7, 2009 by Shawn Stanley
Filed under Entertainment
The American Cowboy Hat has made its own legend over the years. It seems that J.B. Stetson made the first American Cowboy hats in 1865. On his way west, Stetson designed a hat with a high crown and a big brim. Upon realizing the incredible usefulness of the hat, Stetson began making and selling more cowboy hats.
American cowboy hats have wide brims while the crowns can be different heights, usually considered high crowned. Beaver fur that had been felted was the material used for original cowboy hats which featured a wide brim; the hide made them waterproof but they were also lightweight. Today, many of these same features are still popular.
Called the ?Boss of the Plains?, the American cowboy hat was used by ranch hands, calvary and farmers to protect their head and face from the harsh elements and sun of working outdoors all day. Cowboy hats have eventually evolved into other colors with customized brims and crowns. A person will customize the hat with their particular likes and needs.
It was not uncommon to be able to decipher where men lived simply by looking at the styling on their cowboy hats. Men and women who wear cowboy hats are very protective of their hats. Don’t dare touch a man’s hat! That is simply rude, and you might get shot. The American Cowboy hat will continue to be a legend in America and will continue to be worn by people from all walks of life. Visit www.hats-forsale.com for a large selection of American Cowboy hats to choose from.
Today, the American Cowboy Hat is still popular. Movie stars, average Joes, and even the President of the United States may all be seen wearing a cowboy hat. J.B. Stetson produced the first cowboy hats and they are now also manufactured by Eddy, Donhoy, Bailey and Resistol. Throughout the years the design has not changed much. Several Presidents, movie stars, singers, and scientists have one or more cowboy hats in their collections.
The first cowboy hats were essentially one basic design, but now the wearer can choose between a few different styles. Customized hat bands have transitioned into personalized fashion statements. The actor, Dan Blocker, of Bonanza was responsible for popularizing the ten gallon hat. On the television program he wore a long crowned hat. This was known as the ten gallon hat. It’s name does not reflect the amount of water it can hold, however it’s name is related to the Mexican Sombrero.
There are also cowboy hats called roping hats. These have a smaller brim and crown so as to not get in the cow ropers way while throwing a rope. Cowboy hats come in beaver fur-felt, straw, leather and wool. The quality of a particular cowboy hat will be determined by the amount of true felt in the hat itself. Markings or x’s denote that quality with 2x being the least expensive up to multiple x’s.
The American Cowboy Hat was created by J.B. Stetson. Stetson first cost only $5. Vintage cowboy hats can be sold for $4,000 or more. But then again, what price can you put on such things as American Heritage? The American cowboy hat can truly be considered a legend in the making.
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