Cowboy Hat Guide

Click on the following link for further details on cowboy hats from Sheplers.com - Shop for Western Wear at Sheplers!

A cowboy hat often is one of a mans most personal possessions. The cowboy culture is of course well entwined in the United States, however it isn't of course quite so prevalent in New Zealand. Walking through the main centres such as Auckland for example, will yield very few people wearing such hats. Many people sport fashionable caps however, oddly enough endorsing US basketball and football teams. Of those people wearing cowboy hats, most of these aren't authentic western hats, moreso those designed to be squashed into a briefcase without getting ruined. The remaining people wearing cowboy hats are likely to be tourists, usually from either the US or Australia.

Part of the difficulty is of course that the main centres such as Auckland are a considerable distance away from regions such as Eastland and Central Otago where these hats are more prevalent. It goes without saying, that these hats are much more accepted in more temperate regions - and also regions where there is a fair amount of land use. Obviously in these instances protection from the sun is required, so the logical choice is to use a cowboy hat.

Few stores in New Zealand stock authentic cowboy hats - as discussed earlier, most the ones available are cheap squashable imitations. These hats lack the correct body and contour to be considered 'true' cowboy hats. When visiting A&P (Agricultural and Pastoral shows) in the regions, often it is possible to find a stall selling more authentic hats. As far as we are aware, there are no manufacturers of cowboy hats in New Zealand... thus most authentic hats are likely to have been imported from Australia or the United States.

Personal preference will determine which hat you purchase. Colour, design and overall look all play an important part in the final look of the hat. You should also consider where the hat is likely to be used - straw hats should not be worn in the rain as they can easily distort in shape if wet too much. The colour choice is also important - while white hats are essentially classy, if they are going to be worn while mustering cattle more example, you will likely find they will discolour after a short period of time.

A considerable amount has been written about etiquette for people who wear cowboy hats. Despite some conventional logic, in some instances it is acceptable to wear a cowboy hat indoor for example. For further details on these etiquette guidelines, click here.

For further reading on the history and styles of cowboy hats, click here: western cowboy hats.

Click on the following link for further details on cowboy hats from Sheplers.com - Shop for Western Wear at Sheplers!

The sites below all contain good information styles of western wear!

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