The Cowboy Boot

Photo Via westernexpressinc.com

What are the things you have to take into consideration when buying a cowboy hat? The first question that comes to mind is choosing which type of material would you like your hat to be made out of. Although straw hats can be rather attractive and also provide good ventilation for the head of the wearer, felt hats are usually the top choice for many cowboys.

Why Get A Felt Hat?

A good quality cowboy hat made from felt can last for a very long time -20 years or a little over to be exact. Buying a hat like this one means you will be investing your money on a lifelong investment so do not be turned off by the higher price ranges.

Cowboy Hats: Size and Fitting

Do you know what your cowboy hat size is? A size 7 hat for example is a hat that will fit someone who has a head with a circumference of 7 x 3.145 or 22 inches.  One has to note however that different hats and different models are sized differently too so it would be best to go to a brick and mortar store and see how certain sizes fit you.

Colors

What color should you choose? The usual colors used on felt cowboy hats include white, brown, black and silver. Other colors are available too but this all depends on the felt used on these hats.

How Round Should The Hat Be?

This all depends on your taste. The oval of the hat depends on one person to the next since there are those who have more oval heads while others are more of the oblong kind i.e. longer oval.

The crown and the crease should also be taken into consideration but this of course depends on the individual who wears the hat.

The cowboy hat is part of Western cowboy lore –a defining piece so to speak. Back in the old days, it was very valuable for those who wore them because of its functions. Its wide brim was used in protecting oneself either from the rain or the sun and the whole hat was used as a means to signal other cowboys and also often utilized to fan a campfire. Cowboy hats were also used to get water from a stream and sometimes even used as a tool in swatting a horse. Today however, the cowboy hat’s uses is no longer that popular since the cowboy hat is now seen more for its aesthetic value.

There are different cowboy hats –some are made from felt, straw and other materials but the most famous amongst cowboy hats is the Stetson. The maker of the Stetson is John Batterson Stetson, a man from New Jersey who later on moved to the west. In his career as a hat maker, Stetson was known to make quality hats especially when he started making the Ten Gallon cowboy hat in the mid-1860s.

Cowboy hats are usually said to be sturdy but how long do they actually last? According to experts, a good quality cowboy hat usually lasts 20 years up to a lifetime especially if made from beaver fur. It is natural for felt hats to fade or lose its color after some time though but it does not mean that you will not be able to use it anymore –the elements usually cause the colors to change but this is definitely not indicative of the sturdiness of the hat.

Straw hats on the other hand have shorter life spans since they usually last only 2 to 3 years. It is natural for a straw hat to show signs of degradation by the 3^rd or the 2^nd year but this of course would depend on how you take care of your straw hat.

Cowboy hats and the big x –what’s that all about? Cowboy hats are usually made out of felt and felt comes from either rabbit fur or beaver. Although there are also cowboy hats made from straw or wool let’s concentrate on those made from felt.

Photo Via TutHat.com

Cowboy hats range from $20 to a little over $4000 depending of course on which material was used to make it. For felt hats, the cost is determined by its beaver fur vs. rabbit fur content. This is seen through the X marking on the crown –well inside the crown so be sure to check it out when you are buying a cowboy hat made out of felt.

The higher the X the softer the hat and the smoother it is. This means that it also has a relatively higher price because of its beaver fur content. Back in the day, 5X or 7X would mean felt cowboy hats of the highest quality while 20X meant 100% beaver fur. However, a lot of companies started making their own scales that it is almost impossible to compare them to other cowboy hat brands. The scales now are arbitrary so be sure to buy from a trusted brand.

It is not only hats made from felt that have an X inside the crown though because some straw hats also have that on the inside. It indicates how tight the weave of the straw hat is and how sturdy it is. One thing to remember when buying a straw cowboy hat is that the better the straw quality, the tighter the weave and of course the sturdier it is. Straw hats are of course less expensive as compared to felt cowboy hats but some of them also reach up to a few hundred dollars especially those of the best quality.

What are the best cowboy hat brands? If you are a new fan of western wear staple, you should pay attention to this blog to see which brands are the best.

One of the most well-known cowboy hat brands is Bailey. They have been supported by rodeos for a very long time and even sponsored the Miss Rodeo America Ahsley Andrews. Bailey offers sturdy cowboy hats –a top choice for those who use their cowboy hats while working.

Stetson, founded in 1865 is a Texan hat company that sells premium cowboy hats for men. The company offers top notch cowboy  hats and are readily available in your nearest department store since the company is the largest cowboy hat supplier in the world.

Lucchese –yep this cowboy boot brand also sells cowboy hats. Lucchese has been in the bootmaking game since 1883 and after their success included belts and cowboy hats in their repertoire. The brand only uses premium leather for all of their products so you can be sure that you will get high quality cowboy hats if you buy from them.

American West is another wonderful cowboy hats brand. They make cowboy hats fit for working the ranch. American West offers affordable cowboy hats for those who do not want to spend a large amount of money for a hat.

For those who want felt cowboy hats, Resistol is the place to go. Although most of the cowboy hats produced by Resistol are used by the fashionable, the hats they make are also built to be sturdy.

There are also other cowboy hat brands that you can take a look at online. The ones mentioned here are the biggest and the most reliable though. The Last Best West is also a good brand –although they can be a little pricey.

Photo Via beautyoffashions.blogspot.com

Cowboy boots are considered as the main attraction when it comes to a cowboy outfit. This familiar addition to western wear can be seen not only in the American West but also in other places. Although cowboy boots are iconic fashion items, many western wear fans are also into cowboy hats. After all, a cowboy outfit is not complete with a good cowboy hat.

Just recently, many fashion forward people have rediscovered the charm of cowboy hats and along with it, the charm of country music as well. You can be sure that every country musician rocks a cowboy hat and yes this includes Emmylou Harris, Kenny Rogers and Willie Nelson. All of these artists wear their cowboy hats well and they have become fashion icons in their own right when it comes to western wear.

That style that Mr. Nelson wore during his heyday for example can still be seen in western wear stores today and can also be found in online shops.

Hank Williams is also another star who rocked cowboy hats. When he was 14, he won a talent contest and later on, his song “Your Cheatin’ Heart” was allover the airwaves.

Other singers who rock cowboy hats include Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw and Garth Brooks.

It seems that with country singers paving the way to the cowboy hat revolution –although it is not called a revolution just yet but a revolution among those who love the type of fashion item. Singers like Kid Rock also wear cowboy hats and sometimes, Steven Tyler wears cowboy hats too.

Football star David Beckham also wears cowboy hats from time to time. He was spotted with his wife former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham sporting a straw cowboy hat.

Denise Richards was also seen wearing a straw cowboy hat at the beach –with her bikini!

Movie cowboys have made cowboys into Western icons but what really made their debut in the cinemas a lot better are the cowboy boots and the cowboy hats they wear. This time however, we shall focus our energies on cowboy hats.

Brokeback Mountain may not be a popular among cowboys but the cowboy hats in this movie are actually very nice –they are simple yet rather sexy.

The 1954 film that starred Marilyn Monroe and Matt Calder called River of No Return is also a good cowboy movie where you can see some good cowboy hats. If you want some of these hats, you can go to The Last Best West.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford also known as The Assassination of Jesse James shows Brad Pitt rocking black cowboy boots.

Another cowboy film from Brad Pitt that one can look at is Legends of the Fall. The film released in 1994 also stars Anthony Hopkins. Brad Piit wears a classic cowboy hat in this movie and needless to say –he looks super hot.

The 1992 film directed by Clint Eastwood starring himself and Gene Hackman is a wonderful movie where one can see uber cool cowboy hats.

In 2003, Kevin Costner directed the American Western film Open Range starring himself, Diego Luna, Robert Duvall, and Abraham Benrubi. The film shows different styles of cowboy hats as well as a range of ways you can shape your hat. The latter of course depends entirely on the wearer.

There are other movies one can refer to but these movies mentioned here by far showcases the best cowboy hats ever. This of course depends on your taste but considering that these are western films, you will surely see something you’d like. When you see something you like, you can just research and find that particular cowboy hat.

Straw hats are an uber cool addition to your wardrobe and not only because celebrities wear them to the beach or wherever but because they provide great protection from the sun and do not even make you sweat –literally.

There are a lot of straw hats being sold online and many of them are sold at real competitive prices too.

Photo Via Target.com

This Mossimo Supply Co. Cowboy Hat With V Design – Carmel is sold at Target for only $12.99. This is rather affordable and will definitely look great on you too.

Photo Via Target.com

Another wonderful straw cowboy hat sold at Target is Mossimo’s Cowboy Hat –Natural. This is also sold at the same price as the V Design Carmel one.

Photo Via Target.com

You should also take a look at Mossimo’s Seagrass Cowboy Hat With Cord Trim –Tan and see if it fits your style. This cowboy hat can be worn by both men and women. It looks quite versatile too, you can pair it with jeans or for the ladies, a cute dress. This hat can also be found at any Target outlet or at the company’s official website. It is sold for $12.99.

Photo Via Target.com

Do you want something beaded? You can get Mossimo Supply Co.’s Beaded Trim Cowboy hat –Natural. This is currently out of stock though but you can call other stores that carry western wear items and ask if they have this particular straw cowboy hat.

Photo Via Target.com

If you want something black, this cowboy hat from Mossimo should work well for you. This is a straw hat too. It is unfortunate however that this is out of stock at Target right now but you can always call other shops if they carry a straw cowboy hat like this one.

Straw cowboy hats are a wonderful addition not only to your wardrobe but to your cowboy hat collection as well.

Many of us follow suit when a celebrity wears something cool and cowboy hats from old and new cowboy movies are not exempted from this rule. This means ladies and gents that many of us keep an eye out for the latest cowboy hats or the coolest looking ones so we could wear them.

Most western hats worn by cowboy movie idols can’t be found at your nearest shopping center because most of these hats are custom made. You may find a few imitation cowboy hats that are mass produced but they are not as attractive as the ones worn by those uber sexy cowboys.

For over 50 years now, many western movies showcased some of the best cowboy boots and cowboy hats. This includes the 2007 movie The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Open Range, Legends of the Fall and other western themed films.

Duvall’s cowboy hat from the series Lonesome Dove for example is a great hat. In fact, it is envied by many a western wear fan. This hat is called The Augustus made by The Last Best West. If you order today, the company is selling it for $330 shipping included.

There are other hats available in the website and at the store for Last Best West. This even includes Tommy Lee Jones’ Captain Call hat from the Lonesome Dove series. Much like his character in the series, the hat is pretty simple and unrefined –making it one of the sexiest cowboy hats ever produced by the company.

Lonesome Dove seems to have a lot of The Last Best West cowboy hats since Robert Ulrich’s cowboy hat is also made by the company. The Jake Spoon hat is a big one befitting those who want attention to themselves or those who just want to stand out.

Zorro i.e. Don Diego de la Vega, a character created in 1919, may be one of the most popular Californians of his time. Although many only remember the Mask of Zorro, some remember him for his full regalia i.e. his cape, his boots and his Spanish Gaucho Hat. Lots of people actually ask those who collect hats what kind of hat Zorro wore, the way Indiana Jones fans ask what kind of hat Indiana Jones wore.

Photo Via Millerhats.com

Zorro may be a fictional character but one can always recreate him by donning a Zorro costume and by using a Spanish Gaucho Hat.

The Spanish Gaucho Hat is a type of cowboy hat. In fact, the term Gaucho means cowboy.

If you fancy having one of those Spanish Gaucho hats, there are many being sold online. These hats are sold at real affordable prices too depending on what type of material they are made of.

Why would anyone want to buy a Spanish Gaucho Hat? The fact that it is something that Zorro will wear makes it sexier and more romantic in a strange way. But whether you are a Zorro fan or not or just someone who fancies hats in general, getting one of these is definitely a good idea. In fact, you can wear a Gaucho Hat during special occasions or when you feel like it as long as the hat is simple and goes with modern clothing.

Most of these hats are made out of wool. There are some however that are made out of different materials. You can find Spanish Gaucho Hats in your local shopping center. If you do not feel like going out, you can always look for Spanish Gaucho Hats online. All you have to do is key in Spanish Gaucho Hat and you will find a range of online stores or brick and mortar ones that sell these types of gear. Millerhats.com, Gauchoclothes.com and Aztexhats.com sell Spanish Gaucho Hats.

According to women, cowboy hats on men fall in either of the 2 major categories –the ludicrously stupid and the uber sexy. Now one has to establish that real cowboys will generally not care about the sexiness of their cowboy hats so we will not be talking about the real cowboys. We will however talk about the men who want to look real nice in their cowboy hats.

For the men who would like to have that cowboy sex appeal, you should read the following tips:

Get a Stetson Malibu. It usually costs about $50 in your local western wear shop. This is a straw hat so basically it is great for the summer and you can wear this even if you aren’t a full fledged cowboy. Do not wear this with your suit though (of course you won’t). Another choice is the Stetson Santa Monica. This one is cheap too and made out of straw. This looks good with anything and is extremely sexy too.

Straw cowboy hats can also be worn at the beach –even if you are a guy.

Another cowboy hat you can wear in the city is a Stetson Durango. This is a felt cowboy hat in black. It costs over $100 but is definitely a good investment if you like cowboy hats.

If you are planning to buy a cowboy hat, make sure that it is not white –white cowboy hats have stopped being hot since cowboy movies became passé. 10-gallon hats, although still worn by some, are now also outdated.

Do not don the whole cowboy regalia if you live in the city though unless you keep things simple i.e. do not wear a plaid shirt.

A simple white shirt will do well with your cowboy boots and your cowboy hat –just take a look at David Beckham right there.