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Revealing Benefits Of Old West Cowboy Hats

By Paul Budde


Recreating the days of the pioneers and the Wild West is very fashionable now. To the traditional jeans, men and women have added boots and plaid shirts. All that is necessary to complete the picture, apart from a horse, of course, is one of the typical Old West cowboy hats so beloved of rodeo riders and John Wayne.

A cowboy never went out without his hat though he was quick to remove it if a lady came by. His weapons, his horse and his hat were like a second skin. His hat shielded him from the worst of the weather which his work constantly exposed him to. Although the hats all looked pretty much the same in the store, each wearer had his own favorite way to dent the crown and fold the brim. Whether he copied his companions on the trail or just did what he thought suited him, it certainly became part of his definitive style.

Today's hats come in leather and straw as well as the traditional felt. Variations in color are possible though most prefer the natural shades of beige and brown and iconic black. Fancy hats and trimmings are more likely to feature in the movies or rodeo shows than on the head of any aficionado.

Real cowboy hats have always been made of felt. Traditionally it came from beaver fur although today rabbit fur is often used or at least admixed. However there is nothing like the genuine article.

Beaver fur is hard wearing and waterproof. Although no hat made can be said to hold 10 gallons the idea of the cowboy using his hat as a water vessel is part of the lore surrounding the Stetson. Since the beaver lives in water perhaps its fur does have some intrinsic waterproof quality.

If you are planning to order your hat from one of the excellent online sites that offer to make a hat of your choice even from a photograph, size is important. You do not want it sitting on the bridge of your nose. Even if you think you know your hat size it is a good idea to get a friend to run a tape measure around your forehead to check.

Even although today's head coverings are handmade there is probably more machinery involved in the process than before. Workers wear protective masks and gloves. In the olden days they used mercury to treat the felt which gave rise to many health issues and maybe even the root of the saying Mad as a Hatter. It is also purportedly the reason for the little bow normally found on the sweatband inside a hat - to remember those who suffered.

These Old West cowboy hats need very little maintenance, just lots of commonsense. The cowboys did not have access to today's chemical cleaners, after all, just water most of the time. Maybe get a hat stand to keep it in shape when you are not wearing it.




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