History OfT the Cowboy Hat

What would a story about a cowboy be without the cowboy hat? The cowboy hat was and is the defining piece of attire for the American West and the cowboy who rode through it. Those who played the cowboy knew this. It was why, when they got a hat that they liked, and it fit well and it made them look good, they hung onto it through picture after picture. It becomes their personal property and defines the actor’s persona.

How did the cowboy hat get its name? That’s not entirely clear. European-Americans in the Western United States originally had no standard headwear. Those who moved West wore many styles of hat. They were top hats, bowlers, slouch hats, and even sailor hats.

The cowboy hat as we know it today is a relatively recent development, beginning in the mid-19th century.  Most believe it can be traced back to several earlier hat styles, such as the Mexican sombrero and the wide-brimmed hats worn by farmers and herders across Europe. Its broad brim and high crown provided excellent sun protection for Mexican vaqueros (cowboys).

Still others insist it was most likely adapted from Civil-War era slouch hats worn by Confederate soldiers and Kepi hat of the Union army.

Regardless, because of the harsh frontier life, the design of the cowboy hat took on many shapes. Its design was adapted from the hats worn by soldiers, farmers and other outdoor workers. For instance, high crown hats provided insulation. Wide brimmed hats provided shade. Tall-crowned, wide-brimmed hats were inspired by hot and sunny climates.

 When the European settlers moved to western America, they needed something that would stand up to hard work, open land, and extreme climate. The current styles looked good but were not very useful. In 1865, a man from New Jersey with tuberculosis travelled west to look for gold until his health improved. His stay in the West changed everything related to headgear.

John Stetson, in 1865, created what is largely regarded as the first true cowboy hat. He was inspired by the wide-brimmed hats worn by the Mexican cowboys. He created a hat, similar to the ones worn by those Vaqueros, that was durable, waterproof, and would protect the cowboy from the harsh elements of the frontier. He called it “Boss of the Plains”. It was a lightweight, all-weather fur felt hat with a high, creased four-inch crown and a wide four-inch brim.

His creation proved instantly popular and dominated the market for the next couple of decades. Stetson created hats for city and county dwellers. Stetson began making hats in 1865 and continued until his death in 1906. During that time, he sold millions of hats per year including styles still sold today.

By the early 20th century, the era of the open range had come to an end and the frontier ended with it. Cowboys were finding work in other industries. The need for the practical cowboy hat began to decline. The cowboy hat became more of a symbol than a necessity.

Then came Hollywood. It transformed the functionality of the 19th century cowboy hat into a stylized American icon. Hollywood prioritized dramatic aesthetics over historical accuracy. White-hat vs Black-hat concept came from the early westerns. They instantly identified the heroes who wore white hats from the villains who wore black hats. The Westerns movie stars were rarely seen without their signature hats, and their films celebrated the virtues of the cowboy way of life. Cinema moved the cowboy hat from the ranch to the mainstream.

 The American cowboy hat originally combined practicality with cultural significance. As it became more mainstream, various styles emerged. These new styles reflected personal preferences and regional influences, eventually becoming an enduring symbol of the American West.

Here is some hat trivia:

The birth of the silver screen amplified the popularity of the Stetson. In fact, one of their hats, the Tom Mix, was named after Tom Mix, the actor who made it popular. Tom Mix, the top cowboy star of silent films, had a huge impact on establishing the cowboy hat and its influence on western wear. He was not a big man, about 5’8”, but he wore a huge ten-gallon Stetson hat.

Jimmy Stewart wore the same hat in so many movies, it just about died. That hat was kept in a safe between films. Here are just a few movies in which his favorite hat appeared: Winchester 73, Bend in the River, The Naked Spur, The Far Country, Night Passage, The Man from Laramie, Two Rode Together, Broken Arrow, The Cheyenne Social Club and more!

Youl Brynner wore the same black wide brimmed hat in his traditional Westerns and as the android “Gunslinger” in the West World movies.

The derby worn by Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was based on the derby worn by the real Butch Cassidy in a photo of him and his cronies.

Clint Eastwood’s small battered hat was worn in the “Dollars” trilogy. His flared top short stovepipe in Pale Rider was said to be inspired by a hat style worn by at least some of the Mormon “Avenging Angels,” also known as Danites.

Tom Selleck would wear a hat seven or eight months before shooting began to get into character. One of those hats was the big, forward-sloping center crease hat he wore in Quigley Down Under.

Robert Duvall, as Augustus McCrae in Lonesome Dove, opted for a tan center-gulley style hat based on one worn by an unidentified Texas Ranger in a circa 1890s photo. He disregarded the period-authentic, flat-topped, Spanish-flavored hat originally sketched for the character.

John Wayne wore a particular style of cowboy hat in various films over a span of 20 years. He wore the same hat in at least six films, including The Sons of Katie Elder and The Comancheros.

The Texas Rangers were the first law enforcement agency to adopt Stetson's western hat as part of their uniform.

The American cowboy hat: It’s more than just a hat. It personifies the American West’s rugged landscapes, independent people, and enduring values.

               The American cowboy hat does indeed have a rich history.