Cowgirls and Cowboy Hats

A cowgirl is not just a word; it is a way of life. Their tools of the trade are their cowboy hat, their horse and their heart. You can find these special girls anywhere all over this great earth.

Cowgirl’s favorite accessories are her boots and her hat. Cowgirls like to match their hats to their outfits, so you know the number they own is many. They range from inexpensive fun varieties to more upscale hats that cost a pretty penny.

The cowboy hat is her number one fashion statement. The come in numerous colors and styles. Go to any rodeo and you will be amazed at how different they all can be.

The hat serves her well in keeping the sun off her face. This comes in handy when you are spending all day up in the saddle. No one likes to have a chapped red face exposed from the hot sun.

There are many different places that you can buy cowboy hats at. These places range from a variety of high end stores to small town department and grocery stores. Most of these places have some to choose from, a specialist hat store is the place to go if you are considering making a hat an investment piece.

The hat should fit well on you. Too loose and it might blow right off of your head or dip low in front of your eyes. If it is too tight is can give you a headache or fall off the back.

As you look at the different types of hats that people wear you will notice why women love wearing these hats. They give a woman an air of confidence and make her feel good. Nothing is more appealing than a woman who embodies the cowgirl spirit.

It doesn’t matter if you live in the Wild West or just wish you did, you can still be a cowgirl. You may never get up on a horse, but you can feel the cowgirl spirit by wearing one. That is the idea that draws women to cowboy hats.

What Country Singers Wear Cowboy Hats

Cowboy hats are one of the most iconic symbols in history. These hats are known all over the world, no matter what your background or culture. There are few items that represent cowboys as well as it do.

People of all ages and ranks have worn these hats. Everyone from young boys playing cowboys and Indians, to little girls dressing up, to ranch hands and country singers wear them. Even people who have never set foot on a ranch and have no desire to be a cowboy wear them as fashion items.

Most people who wear them don’t even know how long these hats have been around. And they probably have no idea who it was that first invented them. Few people know that it all started as a joke.

It was John Stetson that first invented the cowboy hat. While on a hunting trip with friends, Stetson tried to amuse his companions by creating various items out of fur. During this time, he created an odd looking hat: it had a brim so large it could shield a man from the rain, the sun, and anything else Mother Nature saw fit to throw his way.

Stetson wore the fur hat for the rest of his trip. And because it worked so well, he wore it throughout the rest of his time traveling through the west. In 1865, just a few months later, he began making copies of his new headwear.

The first of Stetson’s cowboy hats were sold for five dollars. The hats have jumped a little in price since then. Today they are sold at prices ranging anywhere from $16 to $170.

Hats that were once worn for hunting and working outside, are now worn by country stars. Singers such as Kenny Chesney, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, and Brad Paisley all sport these hats during their concerts. They each seem to have a style of hat that they prefer, one that sets them apart a bit from other performers, but they are all cowboy hats just the same.

The cowboy hat is an icon of the western culture. It is the perfect and most recognized representation of the country spirit. Whether your hat is made of fur or felt, whether it’s brown or pink or covered in spots, it represents and keeps that spirit alive.

The History of Cowgirls

Even though they are named after cowboys, cowgirls wore cowboy boots, too. In fact, in the early days, cowgirls even worked in the cattle drives. Some even ran them.

Women made large contributions to the development of the west. Women worked side by side with men on ranches and farms. This was especially common among small ranches and farms that could not afford to hire a lot of workers outside of the family.

However, it was Wild West Shows that brought what we now know as cowgirls. In these shows, cowgirls were performers. They would ride, shoot, and rope for audiences everywhere.

Before these shows, sidesaddles were the respectable option for women. But soon, split skirts made it possible for women to ride astride. This allowed women to compete alongside men without offending the audience.

Cowgirls soon became a part of rodeos, too. Women and men competing for the same titles became more and more common. In many instances, women were taking the same risks as men, riding the same rough horses and bulls as the men did.

But in 1925, women were excluded from men’s events. Many of the events for women were dropped, too. That practice holds true for most events even today, even though women can technically compete in any event they wish.

All women rodeos, however, give girls in their cowboy boots a chance to shine in all events. Women compete in bronco and bull riding. These rodeos do not have a lot of the restrictions for women that normal rodeos do.

This does not, however, mean that cowboys and cowgirls are not equal. While cowboy boots were named after the men, women have been just as influential in the western culture. While the color of their cowboy boots might be different, they are fit for the same work.

These Boots Were Made For…

Cowboy boots aren’t just made for walking, they are made for riding. You’ll be hard pressed to find a cowboy with even minimal experience riding or working without them. They are, without a doubt, a staple of a cowboy’s wardrobe.

Riding boots originated in the 19th century by various manufacturers. Many boot makers take great pride in their product and guard their trade secrets quite carefully. This secrecy results in a varied fit between brands in their boots.

The name cowboy boot refers specifically to a certain style of riding boot worn by cowboys, riders and ranchers. Although in years past boots have been increasing in popularity. More and more people are wearing cowboy boots as a fashion statement and not just for practicality.

Most often they are made from cowhide leather. If you are willing to pay a more premium price, you can find them in such materials as ostrich, alligator, snake, eel or even elephant. They materials take extra care but can be well worth it if you are looking for something different.

There are two different kinds of cowboy boots, Western and roper. The Western style has a tall boot shaft, an angled heel over an inch high and a pointed toe. The roper style is a newer design that has a lower boot shaft, lower heel and has a round toe box.

The Western style boot is better for safety and protection. The pointed toe of the boot is designed to slip in and out of your stirrup with ease, making mounting and dismounting your horse safe and easy while the heel keeps your foot from going too far into the stirrup. The tall boot shaft helps keep our dirt and debris, while giving better ankle support and protecting the leg from rocks, brush and thorns.

The roper style boot is better for using in more everyday settings. They were actually designed for use in the rodeo as they were a bit more functional when roping, however designers what take them even further. Their popularity has really pushed the industry into creating more style options with boots.

Regardless of the style, cowboy boots are far from simple. Boots have a lengthy construction time, often necessitating dozens, if not hundreds, of individual steps until they are fully made. But, the cliché "you get what you pay for" really applies when it comes to this product.

Playing Cowboy For Real

Ever dream of escaping the hustle and bustle of the big city for a slower paced life? Sometimes the pressures of our lives make us look to the easier times of the past. A great way to really relax and rejuvenate is heading out west – for real.

Grab your favorite broken in jeans, a soft flannel shirt and of course your cowboy hat. Horse, saddle and cowboy boots will be provided for you. The willingness to turn off your electronics and technology is a must.

People are drawn to the Western frontier lifestyle for the many things it has to offer. Any day could give you a quiet calm, a days hard work and a relaxing evening around a campfire sharing stories with friends and family. Who doesn’t like spending an evening with their cowboy boots propped up and enjoying the night stars on the open range?

Dude ranches are a great way to experience this way of life. Even though it might be temporary, the escape exists if you want to give it a try. You can go anywhere from a long weekend to a month or more with the new title of “ranch cowhand.”

Playing cowboy for real gives you the chance to escape reality and go back in time. Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Utah are only some of the states that offer this on dude ranches. A quick search on-line can bring up dozens of establishments waiting for give you the experience of a lifetime.

You need to decide if you want to play cowboy on a working ranch or if you are expecting more of a relaxing fantasy vacation. Guest ranches are for families, but more and more programs are being offered for adults only to enjoy downtime. It is a growing trend on the ranch vacation front.

Many of the ranches offer an assortment of classes, such as roping or horsemanship. If you choose a ranch where you will be riding a lot, you might consider buying your own pair of cowboy boots. Be sure to properly break in the boots prior to your arrival so they feel comfortable.

Fall is the ideal season to head out to a ranch since all the summer crowds are gone. Dude ranches pricing often includes lodging, meals, horseback riding lessons and trail riding. The priceless items you will take away are a sense of adventure and relaxation.

Most Famous Cowboy Hats

The American cowboy hat is recognized all over the world as the quintessential part of a cowboys outfit. The hat literally defines the word cowboy. Many have worn this hat over decades; the rare few have made it famous.

One of the first to make the headpiece popular was John B. Stetson who designed and made the first one. He created the hat for a hunting trip with friends. Later he began selling the hats after demand for them came pouring in.

It has been over 100 years since the cowboy hat made its debut. There are more instances now of the hat making the person who wears it famous instead of the other way around. Many an actor who has taken on a western role has worn the hat to fame.

Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Gene Autry are three very famous actors who wore the cowboy hat. Rogers’ white Stetson with a silver hatband was one of the most famous cowboy hats. With the starts of television, The Lone Ranger was known as the masked cowboy with \his white hat who brought justice to the Wild West.

Ronald Reagan is a very likely one of the most famous actors who wore a cowboy hat. From his early movies and his years spent in California to the campaign trail taking him to the White House, he looked like a natural wearing the hat. He spent many happy times on his land, Rancho del Cielo, his home for nearly twenty-five years and the true Western Cowboy estate.

The booming popularity of Western films had actors such as John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford all wearing hats. John Wayne would be one of the most popular wearers due to the memorable way he would tip his hat. Clint Eastwood’s style was more subtle, an attitude if anything else.

Cowboy hats can look good on just about anyone. An unlikely star, Bret Michaels of the band Poison is famous for his white hat with black cross embellishment. Orders for his now famous hat come pouring in all over the country.

While it started as a basic need, the hat has now taken on an iconic image of its own. These days, it is mostly worn for the appeal of showing a Western lifestyle. With the right attire, anyone can claim the Wild West as their own.

Cowboy Hats on the Big Screen

The Western genre in film has been a popular one for decades. Hollywood has done well promoting the rural West to the masses. A good looking, rugged cowboy up on the silver screen has only added to the allure.

Much like the colors red, white and blue, the state fair or mom’s apple pie, a cowboy hat symbolizes the freedom that the Wild West offered. Nothing is more American than a genuine cowboy. It’s a character that is rough around the edges and complex to boot.

One of the first films to feature the cowboy and his famous hat was The Great Train Robbery in 1903. After being played four consecutive times in the theatre that day, the venue turned out the lights and sent patrons home. Film fans have been enjoying western films ever since.

No cowboy is more famous than John Wayne. His coolness was only emphasized by the tip of his hat when he was up on his horse. It’s a hard act to follow, but what’s the harm in trying?

While Western movies are far from the cutting edge of fashion, many hat styles have been made popular by the actors and actresses who wear them. Like Audrey Hepburn in her famous black dress and strand of pearls, a cowboy hat can bring the same classic feeling to the big screen. You instantly know a character wearing one is someone to be reckoned with.

Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford and Paul Newman all carried the hat off well. Their films are wildly popular and their talents highly revered. Although who is to say how memorable their characters would have been without the ultimate western accessory.

John B. Stetson was the first to construct the original cowboy hat in 1865 for a hunting trip. It was so successful to wear and with his traveling companions that he continued to wear it on other travels. He began making them for friends and selling them for a whopping $5.00 a piece!

The main plot of the Western film is simplicity at its best, the goal of maintaining the law and order on the wild frontier. It has a solid foundation of the most basic idea, good vs. evil. You cannot have a Western film without guns and gunfights, horses and train robberies, holdups, shoot-outs, outlaws and of course, the sheriff with the cowboy hat.