Cowboys didn’t wear their infamous 10-gallon hats
While hats were essential for most activities in the Old West, they didn’t look like those oversized headpieces known as a 10-gallon hats. In fact, those were only made popular in the 1920s by Hollywood depictions of cowboys.
However, cowboys, ranchers, and farmers had a flat-brimmed Stetson, known as “Boss of the Plains”. It seems that John Stetson was the first man who noticed that the hats worn in the plains weren’t good for the weather, as they were made of straw, silk, fur, or wool.
During summer, it was simply too hot, and when it rained, the hats absorbed all the water. But the Boss was perfect: lightweight, waterproof, and durable.
The inside was enough insulated, and the brim shed water and was wide enough to protect the man from the almighty sun. They were made with nutria fur, and they retailed for $4.50, which would be $74 in today’s money.
