Cowboy Hats and More

The most important step for taking care of your derby or bowler hat is to brush it regularly, especially before going out in the rain.  Many find that the best brush for derby or bowler hat care is a soft bristle horse hair hat brush.

If you are putting away your derby or bowler hat for any length of time, stand it on its side on the brim and crown, never on the crown or the brim alone.  It is also suggested that you store your derby or bowler hat when it is not in use in a hat box or traveling case designed for outback hats of the derby or bowler style.

Building your own cowboy or Western, fedora, or Outback (Aussie) hat is a special treat for someone who wears a hat often.  Cowboy Hats and More allows you to choose your style and color, give your head measurements, and choose the brim style, crown height, or fabric finish of the hat if applicable.  The inner hat band can also be personalized free of charge if you prefer.

A custom cowboy hat is the perfect way to get a hat that really fits you and suits your style and your needs.  Whether it is a dress hat you need or an everyday hat, Cowboy Hats and More can provide the perfect accent to your ensemble.

You might be wondering what exactly an Aussie hat might be.  Your first instinct is probably to think of the Indiana Jones movies, and the hat Harrison Ford is rarely seen without.  Aussies are cowboy-type hats that are modeled after a hat that was worn in the Australian military.

An Aussie hat has a wide brim, and may have the capacity to fold on either or both sides.  Sometimes the Aussie hat is not completely flat.  Indy is not the only one who sports this style–many men have adopted this stylish look.

You’ve got a great cowboy hat that fits you just right & you want to keep it looking and wearing its best for years to come. To do that you need to take care of it. Here are some simple steps will keep your favorite cowboy hat looking good for many years.

1. Collect good luck in your hat. Never set it down on its brim (it could flatten its shape). Always set it down on top of its crown.
2. Store it in a clean dry area. A hat rack or in its original hat box are the best places.
3. Keep your hat away from very very hot and humid locations (like the inside of your truck in July). The heat may shrink the sweatband.
4. If your hat gets wet, always let it dry with the sweatband up to let the moisture evaporate rather than soak in. Air drying is best– never use heat to speed up the process.

In the United States and England, this hat is also known as a derby hat (which, in itself, is derived from a style of outback hats), after Edward Smith-Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby, founder in 1780 of the Epsom Derby. The cultural significance in the United States was slightly different. Though certainly not exclusively so, the derby tended to be associated with urban culture, and particularly with the well-to-do that had risen from the working class. Hence, it was often seen on the heads of “machine politicians”, urban Irish-descended “ward heelers” and others, and so often appears in movies, comic books and comic strips of the 1930s and 1940s as a silent signal that the wearer is of this group.

Al Smith, who exemplified the urban Tammany politician of the 1920s, was often seen in his distinctive derby: typically, men’s full-sized derbies are black, but Al Smith always wore a brown derby.

The cowboy hat is a defining piece of attire for farm and ranch workers in the western and southern United States, Canada and northern Mexico, for country-western singers, and for athletes in the North American rodeo circuit. It is recognized around the world as part of Old West cowboy lore.

Today, classic designs are available in muted colors such as black and various shades of beige, brown and gray, notably a warm light gray known as “silver belly”. Styles for men and women are virtually identical, though women’s cowboy hats are available in a much wider variety of colors, including bright, vivid shades.

Both are old British terms that come from shortening other phrases. Don comes from “don on” meaning “to do.” Doff originates from the Middle English”doffen,” which became “don off” meaning “to do off.”  Hence, a gentleman dons (puts on) his fedora upon leaving and doffs it (takes it off or tips it) in the presence of a lady.

Ever wonder how you should handle your cowboy hat or fedora in polite company? It’s simple — sort of. The old rules still apply for true gentlemen. Attention to detail will impress — especially the ladies.

Should you meet a lady in passing, tip your fedora (just slightly lift the front of yur hat off your forehead). If things go well and you stop to talk, remove your hat. Tipping your hat is a conventional gesture of politeness that can be used to say hello (howdy), goodbye, excuse me, thank you or your welcome to anyone.

Men should remove their fedora or cowboy hat when inside (okay, here’s where it gets tricky), except when in a space that could be considered like a “public street.” What does that mean? It is commonly taken to be places like lobbies, corridors and crowded elevators (but only elevators in non-residential buildings). If the elevator is in a residential building it is always appropriate for a man to remove his hat because the elevator is considered to be like a room in a house. A gentleman never keeps his hat on in the presence of ladies in a residence.

Other times when a hat should be removed include during the playing of the National Anthem, the passing of the flag, a funeral procession, outdoor weddings, dedications and during picture taking.

And yes, there is a proper way to hold your removed fedora. Only the outside of the hat should be showing– the lining should never be visible.

Well, those are some of the rules. More later. Until then remember to always wear your hat with style and good taste.

Since the19th century the cowboy hat has symbolized the American wild west. It has been a subject featured on big & small screens from the very beginning of movies & television. Tom Mix wore his cowboy hat on movie sets at the start of the 20th century. Born in 1880 in Mix, Pennsylvania, Tom grew up shortly after the creation of the first cowboy hat. His greatest achievements came portraying cowboys in western silent films like “Ranch Life in the Great Southwest.”

Leonard Franklin Slye first stepped on screen as Roy Rogers in 1928 in “Under the Western Stars.” Roy Rogers first became a regular part of American households on the radio waves. His radio show entertained the public for nine years before it moved to television’s small screen from 1951 to 1964. Roy Rogers and Dale Evans will always be remembered for “Happy Trails” and the many different cowboy hats that became synonymous with Roy.

Since then cowboy hat fans from the Lone Ranger to Tim McGraw have proudly worn their cowboy hats as a part of their daily routine.

You don’t have to be watching fiction to see cowboy hats on screen. Celebrities and politicians alike have made cowboy hats common attire. Presidents from Teddy Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover to Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush have all donned a cowboy hat in public appearances, both on & off camera.

All kinds of hats were seen in the west before the creation of the first cowboy hat in 1862. Depending on the occasion, a gentle (or not so gentle) man might be seen wearing anything from a top hat or derby to civil war headgear, tams or even a sailor hat. But once John Stetson created the first cowboy hat (then termed “The Boss of The Plains”) it became the preferred and most well known headwear of the west and ultimately an icon of Americana. In this case of cowboy hats, fashion followed function. On a westward trip in 1862, John Stetson is said to have amused his friends by showing them how to make cloth out of fur without weaving. He then took his ‘fur blanket’ and fashioned a huge hat with a wide brim as a joke.

Well, the joke turned out to be functional. In the wild west the weather could be terrible and cowpunchers across the plains worked in all of it. The wide brim of the cowboy hat turned out to be perfect for protecting the wearer from cold, rain and sun. In fact, in modern times, the American Academy of Dermatology has determined that all hats with brims of 2 3/8″ or larger meet their requirements of a total sun protection regimen to help prevent skin cancer and premature aging.

Early cowpokes found other uses for the large hats including fanning fires, fetching water in the the crown or sharing water with their most important traveling companion– their horse.

The new hat quickly became a western necessity. Shortly after the turn of the century, the cowboy hat began to be seen as infusing the wearer with a link to the wild west as well as an aura of recklessness & ruggedness. It still stands as a symbol of authority and elegance. Today it is the one item that can be worn in any corner of the world and receive immediate recognition.