The Cowboy Hat

Working Cowboys

North-West Mounted Police (now RCMP) officers, Yukon, 1900, wearing

the famous scarlet uniform that includes a flat brimmed Stetson hat.

Felt Cowboy hat

US Cavalry Hat

The concept of a broad-brimmed hat with a high crown worn by a rider on horseback came primarily from the tradition of the Mexican vaquero. However, the cowboy hat as known today has many antecedents to its design, including Mexican hats such as the sombrero and galan, the various designs of wide-brimmed hat worn by farmers and stockmen in the eastern United States, as well as the design used by the United States Cavalry.

The shape of a cowboy hat once depended very much on the region from which it originated. At one time a person could tell where a working cowboy was from simply looking at the crease in his hat. John B. Stetson is credited with designing and marketing the first "cowboy" hat in the USA, which he called the "Boss of the Plains."

In the early days, the cowboy hat was valued for being functional, with the wide brim protecting working cowboys from the sun and rain. It could be used to signal others, fan a campfire, or pull water out of a stream. Today, while the hats can still serve these purposes, most people wear them for aesthetic value as a part of Western lifestyle. A cowboy hat even appears on the flag of Calgary, Alberta, where "white hat ceremonies" are held by the civic government to welcome visiting dignitaries - the traditional gift from the city's mayor to foreign guests is a white cowboy hat.

Today, classic designs are available in muted colors such as black and various shades of beige, brown and gray, notably a warm light gray known as "silver belly". Styles for men and women are virtually identical, though women's cowboy hats are available in a much wider variety of colors, including bright, vivid shades.

"Ten gallon" hat
Certain styles of cowboy hat have been called a "ten gallon" hat, and it is a common belief that the term arose because a hat could, in theory, be used to carry water. However, the expression does not actually refer to use of the hat as a container. A "ten-gallon" hat in fact holds less than a gallon of water. There are competing theories for the origin of the term, but it is possibly a corruption of the Spanish term tan galan meaning "so gallant", a reference to the headwear of the upper classes (as opposed to the more common sombrero), or a corruption of "galón", or galloon, a type of narrow braided trimming around the crown, possibly a style adapted by the vaqueros.

When Texas cowboys misunderstood the word "galón" for "gallon", the popular, though incorrect, legend was born. Ten gallon actually refers to the practice in the vaquero tradition of the galón, a narrow braid, being awarded based on the expertise of the vaquero. Ten galóns were the highest recognition of vaquero proficiency. These bands were wrapped around the crown of the hat, one on top of the other. If a vaquero, therefore, wore a ten galón hat, he was a top expert at his work. South Texas cowboys knew that wearing a ten galón hat showed cowboy prowess and bragged of wearing the ten "gallon" hat. Others hearing this misunderstood and the misinterpretations grew over time.

Stetson hats or Stetsons, sometimes known simply as cowboy hats, refers to a brand name and not a type of hat. The John B. Stetson Company of St. Joseph, Missouri, founded by John B. Stetson (1830-1906, USA), is the manufacturer of one of the more famous variants of the cowboy hat: a felt hat with a tall crown and very wide brim. It functions to protect its wearer's eyes from the sun, and can also double as a water bowl.

There are two versions of the history associated with the Stetson hat. The first is the most widely held belief. This version states that in the 1860s Stetson created a rugged hat for himself made from thick beaver fur felt while panning for gold in Colorado. According to legend, Stetson invented the hat while on a hunting trip while showing his companions how he could make cloth out of fur without weaving. Stetson made an unusually large hat from fur-felt he made from hides collected on the trip, and wore the hat for the remainder of the expedition. Although initially worn as a joke, Stetson soon grew fond of the hat for its ability to protect its wearer from the elements. It had a wide brim for protection from the elements, a high crown to keep an insulating pocket of air on the head, and a waterproof lining so the hat could be used to carry water.

Christy's Hat Factory in Frampton Cotterell, England where it is thought the 'Stetson' hat was created. It is now a private house. Studies have shown however that in fact, there is evidence to show that the 'Stetson' hat was actually originally designed by Christy's Hats from Frampton Cotterell, Bristol, England.

Bristol University lecturer John Moore, said: "Few people know that the ten gallon hat was invented in Frampton Cotterell but it's well documented in the records of the hat makers who built and owned the factory last century J. B. Stetson fought a long patent case with Christy's - and lost. The result was that he had to pay a license fee to market the famous Stetson hat."

Stetson might have lost, but he won in the long term. That style of hat is known universally as a Stetson, and Christy's role is nearly forgotten.

Christy's famous hat factory in Park Lane, which once employed a quarter of Frampton Cotterell residents, is now a listed building and a spacious house. Christy's built their factory in 1812 in an area where hatting was already a major cottage industry The main business was trading with the West Indies, making large brimmed felt hats for slaves harvesting sugar cane in the rainy season.

The hat was however more popular in the U.S. The hat was first sold in Central City, Colorado in 1865 in a style called the "Boss of the Plains,".

In 1869 Stetson returned to Philadelphia to found his hat company, which produced high quality hats for outdoor use.

By 1886 Stetson's hat company was the largest in the world, and had mechanized the hat-making industry.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Red Serge dress uniform includes a Stetson with a flat brim. The Stetson was first used unofficially by the North West Mounted Police, in place of the traditional white pith helmet. The color for the RCMP Stetson is sometimes referred to as "Belgian Belly", it is a reddish buff, pastel like color of the under fur of the Belgian Hare. It is also a very little used "second name" for the Stetson. Although called a Stetson, the hat type should be considered as a campaign hat.

In the Second Boer War, the flat brimmed Stetson became the standard issue of the second Canadian Contingent, becoming recognized throughout the British Empire as a symbol of Canada. The Stetson hat became a part of the uniform of the Royal North West Mounted Police, which later became the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The Legion of Frontiersmen created in 1905 in England also wore the Stetson. The South African Constabulary organized by Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell in 1901 wore the Stetson.

Stetson University and Stetson University College of Law in Florida were named after John B. Stetson in 1899 for his contributions to the school.

In some versions of the famous American folk ballad "Stack A Lee" Billy Lyons is killed by Stack A Lee over a Stetson hat.