Welcome to the worlds greatest guide to cowgirl hats.
A hat is a type of headwear that is a shaped covering for the head worn for warmth, as a fashion item, or as part of a uniform.
A cowgirl hat is a broad-brimmed hat with a high crown, usually of soft felt, as worn by cowgirls and ranchers.
The cowboy and cowgirl hat is essentially the same thing. They may have first been worn by men, but woman can wear them equally as well. Cowgirl hats have long been the choice for those women who want to embrace their western roots. There are many hats designed for those who want to make a fashion statement and these come in a variety of materials and often include embellishments such as beads and tassels.
Influenced by 19th century Mexican culture, today it is worn by many people, and is particularly associated with ranch workers in the western and southern United States, western Canada and northern Mexico, with country-western singers.
Modern cowgirl hats are made of fur-based felt, straw or, less often, leather. They are sold with a tall, rounded crown and a wide flat brim. They have a simple sweat band on the inside to stabilize the fit of the head, and usually a small decorative hat band on the outside of the crown. Hats are customized by creasing the crown and rolling the brim. Often a more decorative hat band is added. In some places, "stampede strings" or "wind strings" are also attached.
The original "Boss of the Plains", manufactured by Stetson in 1865, was flat-brimmed, had a straight sided crown, with rounded corners. The Boss of the Plains design influenced various wide-brimmed hats worn by farmers and ranchers all over the United States. Later designs were customized for law enforcement, military and motion pictures. The modern cowgirl hat has remained basically unchanged in construction and underlying design since the Stetson creation. The cowboy hat quickly developed the capability, even in the early years, to identify its wearer as someone associated with the West.
the mystique of the "Wild West" was popularized by entertainers such as Buffalo Bill Cody and western movies starring actors such as Tom Mix, the Cowboy / Cowgirl hat came to symbolize the American West. John Wayne christened them "the hat that won the West".
What about the crease of the hat?
Creases in cowboy hats are used to give hats individual character and to help users identify with a particular subculture. Creases and dents make it easier to don or remove the hat by grasping it by the crown rather than the brim. A very popular crease used on modern cowboy hats is the Cattlemen. It is creased straight down the center of the crown with a dent on each side. The rodeo crease, the bullrider's crease (Formerly called the RCA crease, for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association), the quarter horse crease, and the “tycoon", with a pinched front, are also seen today.
These hats are popular because they are durable and provide ample protection from the sun, yet they are versatile and stylish enough to wear out on the town. Yes, this type of hat is a type of sun hat. Working on a ranch often keeps the rancher exposed to the sun. The cowgirl hat can offer shade for the eyes and a bit of sun protection for the face and neck. Women who need a hat that will provide lightweight protection from the sun may prefer a straw cowgirl hat while those consumers who want something more durable may prefer a hat made of leather or wool.
A
cowgirl is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America,
traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related
tasks. A subtype, called a wrangler, specifically tends the horses used
to work cattle. In addition to ranch work, some cowgirls work for
or participate in rodeos.
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