The cowboy hat is Stetson par excellence, in fact it was thanks to John B. Stetson that in 1865 the first cowboy hat was marketed, the " boss of the plain " which had a 4 inch flat brim and crown with straight and rounded sides on top.
Made of felt, it had such a waterproof power that it was able to protect the cowboy from the rain for a whole day and based on the shape of the crown, you could guess the ranch of origin.
A type of hat that has become so iconic over time that it is universally recognized around the world as part of old west clothing.
The cowboy hat was brought to world notoriety, thanks to the western films of John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and James Dean.
In the collective imagination it is in fact the "tough" hat par excellence, perhaps worn lowered over the eyes or on the side. cinema, such as the Good, the Ugly and the Bad or For a Fistful of Dollars, accompanied by the fantastic soundtracks by Ennio Moricone.
What is the cowboy hat called?
The cowboy hat in Italy is simply called a cowboy hat, where cowboy in English literally means "cow boy", herdsman or buttero, that is the boy who is guarding the herds of oxen / cattle raised in the open.
Other names that the cowboy hat may have is country hat or western hat.
The shape of the cowboy hat
The shape of the cowboy hat is very interesting and particular, it is in fact a hat with a wide brim and high crown, mainly used by cattle breeders of the west and southern United States, Canada and northern Mexico.
It is made with various types of felt among which the most valuable as well as functional and resistant to rain is the “beaver” felt followed by that of hare and wool.
Later also used by rodeo participants and various North American country musicians, this hat has been specially designed to support the cowboy while working with the herds because it not only protects from the sun and rain but can also be used as a container to water the horses or to facilitate the lighting of the fire (used as a fan).
Inside the hat there is a (Moroccan) band in leather or anti-sweat fabric and externally it can have different types of decorative ribbons usually in leather of various types of animals with embroidery or studs.
The cowboy or western hat can also be made of straw, cooler for the summer but the most practical material is felt for the reasons described above.
It was also used by Texas rangers as a complement to the uniform and the ceremonial uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police also took the design of Stetson country hats as a reference.
Interesting facts about the cowboy hat
Contrary to popular belief, the most popular hat in the west was the bowler hat which was later replaced by more functional and suitable wide-brimmed hats.
The cowboy hat jumped to the forefront of the news, increasing its fame, when a Stetson hat was discovered in a wreck of an American military ship sunk in 1898 and which was almost intact after 14 years of immersion in mud and salt water. .
Despite the commonplace that we all have, that all cowboy hats are with the sides of the brim up, cowboy hats originally had a flat brim to protect from the sun and only later did rolled brim become fashionable.
I recommend a cowboy movie
If you are a true fan of western movies and the unmistakable cowboy lifestyle, then I recommend watching these movies:
The Giant with a fantastic James Dean or the many films by John Wayne, The Grit, Red Shadows, Rio Lobo, A dollar of honor. If you like Daniel Craig I recommend "Cowboys and Aliens", or Armie Hammer in "The Lone Ranger", and also "Appaloosa" with Jonny Depp and Helena Bonhan Carter, Viggo Mortensen and finally the film by the legendary Quentin Tarantino who directs " Django Unchained ”with Jamie Foxx.
Finally, a film that is worth seeing, very touching and intense, The Secrets of Brockeback Mountain, with the excellent Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal.