Cowboy, Tip Your Hat
By Blaine Davis | Contributing Editor
MOUNTING MY IRON STEED for another road trip to the Gulf Coast, my radio evidenced that the Doohickeys’ All Hat, No Cattle was still receiving an abundance of air time. With the lyrics resonating through my mind as the asphalt miles traversed under my steed’s steel-belted radial shoes, was I
wearing my hat properly and with respect for those whose don such during their daily livelihood? While I consider my chapeau to be a fun statement and not a representation of a large herd of bovines, the cowboy hat not only fashionably shades the sun, it is a manifestation of respect, heritage and identity. With a dive into the internet and particularly the site of AGDAILY, Heidi Crnkovic, an associate editor wrote of “Cowboy Hat Etiquette and the Superstitions That Come With It.” First, an authentic cowboy having manners, he removes his hat during the National Anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance, a funeral procession or while in church or during prayer. Following along, the custom of tipping or removing your hat when saying hello for the first time, entering a house, public building or restaurant is proper etiquette. But if in doubt, apply the rule of thumb, no hat indoors. I am not sure when or where I learned this lesson, but I always grab my hat by the crown, never the brim. This protocol preserves the shape of the hat and especially that of the brim. Further it is impolite to show the inside of your hat when removing it; the ace of spades could be hiding in the hat band. Placing the hat brim-side up on any surface was believed to keep you good luck in place. This placement is likened to hanging a horse shoe with the open end up over the bunkhouse door to keep the good luck from running out. Another lesson that I was late to the classroom, is never place your hat on the bed! It was believed that your hair contained evil spirits and they would spill out on the bed, when actually it could be attributed to static electricity that would occur from removing the hat in a warm, dry climate. Early cowboys didn’t know what static was and so believed it was evil spirits. Laying your hat on the bed was said to invoke bad luck, foretell an argument or, even worse, a premonition of hurt or death, evolving from the tradition of laying a hat on the casket of the deceased. The jest of the superstition may be actually more utilitarian. When bathing was every other Saturday night or less and head lice was prominent, placing the hat on a bed led to the spread of these parasites. As per Crnkovic’s writing, don’t mess with someone else’s hat. A cowboy hat is personal. It’s not only rude but
downright offensive to touch a person’s hat without asking. Taking it off and trying it on or putting it back can be considered an insult.
Thinking of all the John Wayne movies and other “oaters,” how many fisticuffs and ruckus evolved from knocking one’s cowboy hat to the ground? Chances were those hats were Stetsons, first made in 1865 by John Batterson Stetson on his return to Philadelphia from a foray out west to St. Joseph, Mo. The hat he offered was made of fine beaver, mink, chinchilla and rabbit fur in lieu of animal pelts, cloth or straw. These were lightweight, durable, easier to produce and water resistant, as denoted by the “X” rating with a higher number signaling the quality, i.e. 10X, 50X or more. His new hat had a high crown and a broad brim to provide ample shade against the sun’s rays. This iconic design became known as the Boss of the Plains. Through Stetson’s savvy marketing and quality production, their cowboy hats became as iconic in western lore as the Colt revolver. Even today, the U.S. cavalry’s uniform includes the classic blue Stetson with acorn-tipped braids. Just as European fashion house and periodicals profess not donning white after Labor Day, there is a protocol for cowboy hat selection. Based probably more on the weather than the calendar, cowboys tend to wear straw hats during the hot summer months and don the fur felt ones after autumn cool fronts arrive. But as Crnkovic writes,“when I was a kid and riding the wilderness in the summers, I discovered that felt hats may be warmer, but they also handle thunderstorms and hail considerably better than straw. Straw hats, on the other hand, are designed to be light and breezy – ideal for scorching heat on the plains or in the branding pen. Yet if you are attending a formal event or perhaps an indoor horse show, even during the summer, a felt hat may still be the best choice.” As my iron steed approaches the Gulf Coast and I hear the pleasant sounds of the surf, the temperature has risen for its time to lay my felt cowboy hat aside, but not on the bed. Keeping in mind the respect and heritage represented by the cowboy hat, I reach for my straw one with the broader, sun-shielding brim, apropos for a day at the beach.
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CALF News
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June | July 2025
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