Cowboy Hats: The Spirit of The Old West

"The cowboy hat is the symbol of the American cowboy and the symbol of America. It is uniquely American."- David R. Stoecklein.

As you will come to find out from reading the article you will soon discover that it is merely a brief history on one of the worlds most famous and beloved styles of hats, the American cowboy hat. the cowboy hat or western style hat emerged on the scene some 200 years after Spain had brought the *sombrero* to America.

*Sombrero - a traditional Spanish style of head gear worn by the "vaqueros" it hat a wider brim with usually a pointy-tall crown with normally three to four dimples. They are usually highly decorated. rich in color.

At this time Americans moving west wore sailors hat, top hats and derbies. Anything they could protect themselves from the elements. Until, one day a Philadelphia hat makers son by the name of John B. Stetson created a theatrical styled hat out of necessity. The felt was made by the age old tradition of matting the under coat of animals by kneading the hairs, then boiling them then repeating the process over and over all the while thinning out the felt , when the water dried it became stronger . John later sold the ridiculous hat to a frontiersman for five dollars, a large amount at the time. When he returned to Philly he began immediately filling orders!! And Stetson Hats were born.

Old Western styles - The very first western style hat was called the Boss of The Plains which is still made by stetson today. Others Include the Gus, Tom Mix, center fire, packer, hop-along, Russell, open, mule kicks, campaign, cavalry, Montana peak, and slope, the list goes on and on! Many companies make these styles like, Stetson, Resistol, and Serratelli.

Now, as time goes on the cowboy hats popularity grows and more and more styles continue to compile. The following is just a brief description on a select few styles:

Classic cattleman - Usually a standard four inch brim with a 4 and 5/8" crown it will have three elongated dimples on the crown which run parallel. this style is what most people think of when they think of a cowboy hat.This particular family of hats also include the rancher styles which have a taller crown, the cutters that hat a shorter crown and most show styles.

Rough stock - The most popular rodeo style currently are ones with a square top and wider brim the trend is 4 1/4"- 5"* *brim depending on you preference. The flange ( style of the brim) is usually squared up rather wide, on average about 7" apart.And many have a bound edge which is colored ribbon sewed around the edge. * *Buckaroo-* The most popular buckaroo style would have to be the Nevada or the Vaquero style, it traditionally has a 4" brim with a 4" crown completely flat for most but some have a curled side or pencil role; the crown is a telescopic crown which at a birds eye view looks like a lens. Others include cross overs from the old west styles. Some have a laced edge or filigree work .* *

This is just the beginning of the list!! "May the cowboy hat live on forever…. wear it with pride, for it is the symbol of one of the most respected professions in the world." - David R. Stoecklein.

AA Callisters has been selling Western Wear, Cowboy Boots, Western/English Tack, and Cowboy Hats for over 50 years. They are Utah's leading Western Retailer with 2 store locations as well as their online store. Visit their blog for free and useful information or their online store for a great selection of western products.