History

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."

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. Another possible explanation is that it is a reference 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.