The cowboy hat has a code of ethics. It has a meaning that goes
deeper than wearing a hat.  Some good stuff

to remember...
 

 

 

Cowboy Hat Facts:
• A good cowboy hat used to cost $15 a hundred years ago, today the same quality hat would
be around $400 on up.
• Southern and Northern cowboys had different hats. When Texans traveled north they found
that their wide-brimmed hats didn't stick on their head with all the wind. The northern hats
changed to be more narrow-brimmed and usually had a hat band of leather that was
tightened to keep the hat in place.
• The cowboy hat is a toned down version of the hats you see in Mexico. Cowboy hats don't
have any flashy designs or shiny finishes, as cowboys got dirty and they didn't have much
use for fancy designs.

Caring For Your Hat:
1. Putting on or taking off your western felt hat: try to always handle the hat by
the front and back of the brim just next to the crown with 4 fingers. This
process will help keep the crown clean and the shape neat and crisp as it
was when very new. Your hands (if possible) should be washed, especially
with the lighter colors such as Silver belly or Silver Sand. This step is
important because we not only may wash off dirt and grime but also grease
or oils that are naturally found on our skin.
2. After you take off your hat be sure and place it upside down on the crown
(top). This will help in keeping the brim shape or set as it was when steamed
and shaped for you. When placing your hat down in this fashion please
remember to look for a relatively clean area unless of course it's now a
"work" hat and deserves a good work site!
3. When your western felt hat gets dusty and needs a good quick freshening
you may simply dust it off using a hat brush, a small plastic sponge or a
whisk broom for the stouter western hat as opposed to a very soft, thin
bodied dress hat.
4. A good quality western felt hat should never be bothered by rain or snow
except in some cases acid rain can and will stain your hat. When possible a
rain hat cover is always a small price to pay to keep your hat dry. They
usually sell for between $3.00 and $5.00. But also, remember that a really
good beaver hat gets better with age. A good old fashioned rain never hurt a
quality felt hat! Remember, without water your fine felt hat couldn't have
been made at all!
5. If someone were to accidentally open a soft drink or beer and spray your felt
hat, simply take it to a cool water faucet and let the fresh cool water in a
small stream glide over the "stained surface" while using the "side end "of
your index finger to quickly but softly scratch those areas. When you feel that
the liquid stains should be washed out which shouldn't take more than a
minute or less depending on the depth of the stain. Remember, this step is to
be done before the stains are dry. Then let the hat dry naturally....do not
ever use a hair dryer or any other hot air machine for it can aid in shrinkage.
6. The more care that is given to keep your felt hat dust free will lengthen it's life
as a dressier western felt hat. The dust and dirt get down in the tiny crevices
of the crown and brim and work against the felt when left in this manner as if
there was a tiny "grinder" or piece of "pouncing paper"in there working
against the fibers. It definitely shortens the life of a good felt hat as a dress
western hat.
7. Technically your western hat should be worn sort of level on your head and
about 1/2" above your ears. Of course, you should wear your hat however it
feels the best to you.
8. The hat should fit slightly snug all around your head but not so that it hurts or
gives you a headache.

What It Stands For:
The Western film industry helped to transform the cowboy hat into a symbol of
strength, hard work, good deeds and a way of
defining outlaws. Hollywood depicted the cowboy hat
to carry a message. According to the western film
industry, a white Stetson was worn by the good guys
and the black Stetson was worn by the bad guys.
Cowboy film actors such as John Wayne, Clint
Eastwood, Sam Elliot, Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Kevin
Costner, Keith Carradine, Sharon Stone, Robert
Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones and others have made an
impression with their cowboy hats to movie viewers.
Hat companies of today that market cowboy hats,
offer replicas of the cowboy hats worn in recent western films by cowboy actors.
The popularity of the cowboy hat has grown...creating a demand for many different
hat styles. In addition, the higher end market of a quality hat company will design a
hat... made to your special order.

The Next Time You Wear Your Hat
The next time you wear your hat or step up into the saddle to ride your horse along
the open trail...or arena, think of the American Cowboy of today and from the days
gone by. The American Cowboy that worked hard at ranching to help place the
beef on your table. The American Cowboy that chose a lifestyle so different from
our own. The long days and endless nights of taking care of the herd, mending
fences, fixing trucks and tractors, hauling stock
and helping a young person with their horse.
The American Cowboy of today has grown into
a person that shows honor and pride...he
chooses to live by the Cowboy Code and The
Code Of The West. He will offer his hand to a
young person that may need it...to help guide
them and show them a better way in today's
troubled world. The American Cowboy believes
in God as our creator and shows responsibility
to his animals. Wear your hat with a sense of
pride and remember...people near you are
taking notice because you are wearing the
symbol from the Wild West that helped to shape
our American history. The cowboy hat, the legend from the Wild West...a salute to
the American Cowboy.