Wikipedia

Jmmonty16

Joined 13 February 2019

Fellow Wiki-Editor Users: edit

Hello! I am currently a student at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. At this university, I am enrolled in an Technical Editing Class for the Spring semester of 2019. Our objective is to edit Wikipedia articles to better fit the user needing the information. I am not an experience editor nor an experienced Wikipedia editor, however I am excited to learn and try my best to edit these articles. In this project I will be editing Cowboy hat and La Croix. Listed below will be my edits per article. My talk page will be more detailed into what I edited per article. Thank you for visiting my User Page.

Formation of- Cowboy hat edit

How I will organize this page is first posting the original section from the Cowboy hat page. Then, I will post my edited version of the section. I will label each section. I will try to the best of my ability make it organized and easy to read. Now, I will list my edited version of the formation of the page.

  1. Introduction
  2. History
  3. Design
  4. Manufactures
  5. Variations
  6. Size

Introduction- Cowboy hat edit

Original edit

The cowboy hat is a high-crowned, wide-brimmed hat best known as the defining piece of attire for the North American cowboy. 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 and ranchero singers in Mexico, and for participants in the North American rodeo circuit. It is recognized around the world as part of Old Westlore. The shape of a cowboy hat's crown and brim are often modified by the wearer for fashion and to protect against weather.


It is an item of apparel that can be worn in any corner of the world, and receive immediate recognition as part of North American cowboy culture.

The first western model was the open-crowned "Boss of the Plains", and after that came the front-creased Carlsbad, destined to become "the" cowboy style. The high-crowned, wide-brimmed, soft-felt western hats that followed are intimately associated with the cowboy image.

Edit Version edit

The cowboy hat is a high-crowned, wide-brimmed hat best known as the defining piece of attire for the North American cowboy. 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. Also individuals that are country-western singers and ranchero singers in Mexico, and for participants in the North American rodeo circuit. It is recognized around the world as part of Old West apparel. The shape of a cowboy hat's crown and brim are often modified by the wearer for fashion and to protect against weather. The first western model was the open-crowned "Boss of the Plains". The high-crowned, wide-brimmed, soft-felt western hats that followed are intimately associated with the cowboy image.

History- Cowboy hat edit

Original edit

 
Painting (circa 1830) showing Mexican hats

The concept of a broad-brimmed hat with a high crown worn by a rider on horseback can be seen as far back as the Mongolian horsemen of the 13th century.[1] However, this hat is not just for riders. Many people wear this hat for casual or professional use. The hat has a tall crown that provides insulation, a wide brim, and shade. Hot and sunny climates inspire designs with very wide brims such as the sombrero of Mexico.

It is not clear when the cowboy hat received its name. However, European-Americans in the Western United States originally had no standard headwear. People moving West wore many styles of hat, including top hats, derbies, remains of Civil War headgear, and sailor hats.[2][3] Contrary to popular belief, it was the bowler and not the cowboy hat that was the most popular in the American West. The working cowboy wore wide-brimmed and high-crowned hats. The hats were most likely adopted from the Mexican Vaqueros before the invention of the modern design.[4] However, the original cowboy hats originated in Northern Mexico. John Batterson Stetson is credited for making the modern day American Cowboy Hat.[5]

The original "Boss of the Plains", manufactured by Stetson in 1865, was flat-brimmed, had a straight sided crown, with rounded corners.[6] These light-weight, waterproof hats were natural in color, with four-inch crowns and brims.[7] A plain hatband was fitted to adjust head size.[8] The sweatband bore Stetson's name.[2] While only making one style of hat, they came in different qualities ranging from one-grade material at five dollars apiece to pure beaver felt hats for thirty dollars each.[9] J.B. Stetson was the first to market the "Boss of the Plains" to cowboys, and it has remained the universal image of the American West.[10] In the 19th century and first half of the 20th century, a hat was an indispensable item in every man's wardrobe. Stetson focused on expensive high-quality hats that represented a real investment for the working cowboy and a statement of success for the city dweller.

 
President Ronald Reagan demonstrated the popularity of the cowboy hat as a movie star, as a resident of the American west, and as a horseback rider.

The durability and water-resistance of the original Stetson obtained additional publicity in 1912, when the battleship USS Maine was raised from Havana harbor, where it had sunk in 1898. A Stetson hat was found in the wreck, which had been submerged in seawater for 14 years. The hat had been exposed to ooze, mud, and plant growth. However, the hat was cleaned off, and appeared to be undamaged.[11]

Edited Version edit

 
Painting (circa 1830) showing Mexican hats

The concept of a broad-brimmed hat with a high crown worn by a rider on horseback can be seen as far back as the Mongolian horsemen of the 13th century.[1] However, this hat is not just for riders. Many people wear this hat for casual or professional use. The hat has a tall crown that provides insulation, a wide brim, and shade. Hot and sunny climates inspire designs with very wide brims such as the sombrero of Mexico.

It is not clear when the cowboy hat received its name. However, European-Americans in the Western United States originally had no standard headwear. People moving West wore many styles of hat, including top hats, derbies, remains of Civil War headgear, and sailor hats.[2][12] Contrary to popular belief, it was the bowler and not the cowboy hat that was the most popular in the American West. The working cowboy wore wide-brimmed and high-crowned hats. The hats were most likely adopted from the Mexican Vaqueros before the invention of the modern design.[4] However, the original cowboy hats originated in Northern Mexico. John Batterson Stetson is credited for making the modern day American Cowboy Hat.[13]

The original "Boss of the Plains", manufactured by Stetson in 1865, was flat-brimmed, had a straight sided crown, with rounded corners.[6] These light-weight, waterproof hats were natural in color, with four-inch crowns and brims.[7] A plain hatband was fitted to adjust head size.[8] The sweatband bore Stetson's name.[2] While only making one style of hat, they came in different qualities ranging from one-grade material at five dollars apiece to pure beaver felt hats for thirty dollars each.[9]

Design- Cowboy hat edit

Original edit

 
Stetson hat manufactured in the 1920s

Modern cowboy 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.[14] Hats can be manufactured in virtually any color, but are most often seen in shades of beige, brown and black. Beginning in the 1940s, pastel colors were introduced, seen often on hats worn by movie cowboys and rodeo riders.[15] "Today's cowboy hat has remained basically unchanged in construction and design since the first one was created in 1865 by J.B. Stetson."[16]

Cowboy Hat Page as another Section called "Modern Designs" I will be combining the two sections into one.

Modern Original edit

 
Modern working cowboys wearing cowboy hats. While providing less protection from the sun, their turned-up brims prevent them from being as easily knocked off during lasso use.

Ornamentation, such as bows or buckles, are attached on the left side. Historically this had a practical purpose. Because the majority of people are right-handed, in the absence of a wide brim, bows or feathers on the right side of headwear could interfere with the use of weapons.[17]

Inside the cowboy hat is a memorial bow to past hatters, who developed brain damage from treating felt with toxic mercury (which gave rise to the expression "Mad as a hatter"). The bow on the inside hatband at the rear of the hat resembles a skull and crossbones.[18] "Early hatters used mercury in the making of their felt. Their bodies absorbed mercury, and after several years of making hats, the hatters developed violent and uncontrollable muscle twitching. Lack of medical knowledge caused people to attribute these strange gyrations to madness, not mercury."[17]

The modern cowboy hat has remained basically unchanged in construction and underlying design since the Stetson creation.[19] The cowboy hat quickly developed the capability, even in the early years, to identify its wearer as someone associated with the West.[20] "Within a decade the name "John B. Stetson" became synonymous with the word "hat" in every corner and culture west of the Mississippi."[21] The shape of the hat's crown and brim were often modified by the wearer for fashion and to protect against weather by being softened in hot steam, shaped, and allowed to dry and cool. Felt tends to stay in the shape that it dries.[22] Because of the ease of personalization, it was often possible to tell where a cowboy hat was from, right down to which ranch, simply by looking at the crease in the crown.[23]

 
Silent film actor William S. Hart

Later as 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 hat came to symbolize the American West.[24] John Wayne christened them "the hat that won the West".[25] 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 first American law-enforcement agency to adopt Stetson's western hat as part of their uniform was the Texas Rangers.[26] A Stetson-based design is also part of the ceremonial uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.[27] Presidents Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, and Lyndon B Johnson wore cowboy hats manufactured by Stetson.[26]

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. Returning in popularity is the Carlsbad crease, now often called a "Gus crease" after the character Gus McCrae in Lonesome Dove. It maintains a high crown at the back, with the crease sloping steeply toward the front. 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.[28]

Edit Version edit

Modern cowboy 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. In some places, "stampede strings" are also attached to add more style. Stampede Strings is a string used to hold a hat on a person's head. In the cowboy world stampede strings range from the plain but functional (for example, a simple string of leather) to the fancy and fashionable.[29]Hats can be manufactured in virtually any color, but are mostly seen in shades of beige, brown and black. Beginning in the 1940s, pastel colors were introduced, seen on hats worn by movie cowboys and rodeo riders. "Today's cowboy hat has remained basically unchanged in construction and design since the first one was created in 1865 by J.B. Stetson."

The modern cowboy hat has remained unchanged in construction and underlying design since the Stetson creation.[19] The cowboy hat quickly developed the capability to identify its wearer as someone associated with the West.[20] 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. Returning in popularity is the Carlsbad crease, now often called a "Gus crease" after the character Gus McCrae in Lonesome Dove. It maintains a high crown at the back, with the crease sloping steeply toward the front. 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.[30]

 
Silent film actor William S. Hart

Casual Use edit

Later as 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 hat came to symbolize the American West.[24] John Wayne christened them "the hat that won the West".[25]

Professional Use edit

The first American law-enforcement agency to adopt Stetson's western hat as part of their uniform was the Texas Rangers.[26] A Stetson-based design is also part of the ceremonial uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.[31] 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.


Variations- Cowboy hat edit

  • Cattleman- The most common hat style has three parallel creases with a slightly curved brim. The tall, narrow crown lets the cowboy pull the hat down further to stay on in the wind and rain.[32]
  • Cutter- The cutter is a modified cattleman crease. The bumps on the side of the head give the wearer more head room.[32]
  • Ridge Top- Similar to the cattleman and cutter styles, but is taller and has more sever creases and pronounced ridges on the crown.[32]
  • Dakota- This hat has a wide rectangle crease on the top of the crown. it is preferred by many bull riders.[32]
  • Mountie- The Mountie or Montana style has four creases that radiate from the center of the crown and can have a flat or curved brim.[32]
  • Gus- The crown of the Gus style has a steep slope toward the front and three creases. The high crown traps in the hot air to keep the head warm on cold nights. Old west cowboys would grab the narrow part of the crown to bow to ladies.[32]
  • Pinch Front- Accentuates a narrow jaw line and makes the face look thinner. It is favored by many women.[32]
  • Diamond- Similar to the pinch front but it is also pinched in the back, creating a diamond shape on the top. John Wayne's favorite hat was this style.[32]
  • Gambler- The telescope came from the Mexican cowboys working in the Southwest. The low crown prevents hot air from accumulating and wide brim protects from the sun. The crown can be either pointed or round.[32]
  • Boss of the Plains - Called an "open" crease, this style has a crown without any creases. Historically, all cowboy hats started out open and the cowboys shaped them to their preference as they wore them.
  • "Ten-Gallon" Hat- The term came into use in 1925.[33] There are multiple theories for how the concept arose.
 
Tom Mix, an early-20th century movie star, wearing a ten-gallon hat

One theory is that the term "ten-gallon" is a corruption of the Spanish modifier tan galán, which loosely translates as "really handsome"[34] or "so fine". For example, "un sombrero tan galán" translates as "such a fine hat".

Another theory is that the term "ten-gallon" is a corruption of the Spanish term galón, which means "galloon", a type of narrow braided trim around the crown, possibly a style adapted by Spanish cowboys. When Texas cowboys misunderstood the word galón for "gallon", the popular, though incorrect, legend may have been born. According to Reynolds and Rand, "The term ten-gallon did not originally refer to the holding capacity of the hat, but to the width of a Mexican sombrero hatband, and is more closely related to this unit of measurement by the Spanish than to the water-holding capacity of a Stetson."[35]


Manufacture- Cowboy hat edit

John B. Stetson, a famous hat manufacturer from Philadelphia created the “Boss of the Plains” hat in 1865. By today’s standards, the hat was rather ordinary in design, with a round flat brim and smooth, rounded crown. Stetson made the hat out of fine fur from beaver, rabbit and other small animals to withstand the elements. Thanks to its durability, the “Boss of the Plains” was ideal for the demands of the working Westerner and became incredibly popular.[36]

Over time, the cowboy hat underwent changes in shape to better suit the needs of its owner and evolved into the form we are more familiar with today. The brim curved up on the sides to stay out of the way of a rope, and the crown became pinched to allow better control.[36]

Presidents Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, and Lyndon B Johnson wore cowboy hats manufactured by Stetson.[26] J.B. Stetson was the first to market the "Boss of the Plains" to cowboys, and it has remained the universal image of the American West.[10] In the 19th century and first half of the 20th century, a hat was an indispensable item in every man's wardrobe. Stetson focused on expensive high-quality hats that represented a real investment for the working cowboy and a statement of success for the city dweller.

Size- Cowboy hat edit

When selecting your hat size, measuring your head will provide the most accurate results. Don’t use your patrol cap, beret, ICH, ball cap, or beanie as a reference. Different hat manufacturers result in slightly different sizes, just like with shoes.[37] To measure your head for the proper fitting of a cowboy hats do the following, use a tape measure to measure the widest part of your head, just above the ears and eyebrows to the nearest 1/8th inch. It is best to not use a metal tape measure when measuring. Write down the measurement and use the chart below to help you decide the size you might need. [38]

 
A Chart showing Cowboy Hat sizes


  1. ^ a b Bender, p.#
  2. ^ a b c d Carlson, p.#
  3. ^ Cowboyhathistory.org. Web page.
  4. ^ a b Bender, p. 11.
  5. ^ Sobey, Edwin J.C. Young Inventors at Work! Learning Science by Doing Science (1999) p. 95. ISBN 0-673-57735-X.
  6. ^ a b Snyder, p. 73.
  7. ^ a b Snyder, p. 51.
  8. ^ a b Bender, p. 54.
  9. ^ a b Snyder, p. #
  10. ^ a b Reynolds & Rand, p. 17.
  11. ^ John B. Stetson Company (1927) Stetson Hats the World Over. The Story of 50 Years of Stetson Foreign Business. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: John B. Stetson Company .
  12. ^ Cowboyhathistory.org. Web page.
  13. ^ Sobey, Edwin J.C. Young Inventors at Work! Learning Science by Doing Science (1999) p. 95. ISBN 0-673-57735-X.
  14. ^ Christian, needs page #
  15. ^ Snyder, p. 27.
  16. ^ Reynolds and Rand, p. 8.
  17. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Bender? was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ Snyder, p. 32.
  19. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Reynolds82 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ a b Reynolds & Rand, p. 10.
  21. ^ Bender, p. 12.
  22. ^ The Fedora Lounge. Web site..
  23. ^ Cite error: The named reference Reynolds17 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  24. ^ a b Reynolds & Rand, p. 15.
  25. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Snyder52 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  26. ^ a b c d Snyder, p. 10.
  27. ^ "History" at Hitching post.net. Web site. Archived 20 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  28. ^ Blevins, p. 371.
  29. ^ "Stampede Strings For Sale". www.cowboyway.com. Retrieved 2019-03-04.
  30. ^ Blevins, p. 371.
  31. ^ "History" at Hitching post.net. Web site. Archived 20 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  32. ^ a b c d e f g h i "A Simple Guide to Cowboy Hats [Infographic] | Daily Infographic". www.dailyinfographic.com. 2016-04-28. Retrieved 2019-03-04.
  33. ^ Bender, p. 31.
  34. ^ "'The Story of Spanish' offers a rich history of the language". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  35. ^ Reynolds & Rand, p. 11.
  36. ^ a b "History of the Cowboy Hat". National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  37. ^ "Hat Size and Fit Chart". www.cavhooah.com. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  38. ^ "COWBOY HAT MEASUREMENT CHART". www.westernhats.com. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
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