What would the cowboy be without his hat? There is no other part of the cowboys’ outfit that is as telling as the hat is. This recognizable hat has been worn all over the world and made famous by a very few.
John B. Stetson was the very first to make the cowboy hat popular. He was going on a hunting trip with friends and needed something to protect his head. Imagine his surprise when friends started  ordering Stetson hats of their very own.
The cowboy hat made its debut well over 100 years ago. Now it seems whoever wears the hat tends to become famous. Many great actors have worn a Western hat and fame has followed.
Three early famous actors who wore cowboy hats were Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Rogers had a white Stetson hat with silver hatband that was one of the most famous cowboy hats of its time. When television became popular, The Lone Ranger was the black masked cowboy with a stark white hat who tamed the Wild West.
A memorable actor to wear a western gear was Ronald Reagan. He spent many years in California in the movies then moving on to the political arena; the cowboy hat was a perfect part of his image. He was a true cowboy, with his home at Rancho del Cielo in Santa Barbara, California.
Western films became wildly popular in Hollywood, producing such great men as Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford and John Wayne. John Wayne was one of the most famous cowboys ever, as he would tip his hat from a top his horse and the audience would go wild. In a more quiet fashion, Clint Eastwood was all about attitude in his hat.
Anyone can pull off wearing a Western headpiece. A more recent star, Bret Michaels from the band, Poison wears many hats. His cowboy hat is a white Diva Amy hat with a black cross on the front. Diva Amy receives orders from all over the world to replicate Mr. Michael’s famous hat.
Like most discoveries born from necessity, it now has a life of its own. It shows that the wearer is an admirer of the Western lifestyle. You can tame the Wild West on your own terms while wearing a cowboy hat. |
