But over time, the image of the cowboy hat began to shift. Instead of being worn in its traditional manner as a way to keep the elements and weather off the head and face of the cowboy wearing it, the cowboy hat quickly evolved into a fashion piece. Different colors were then made introducing a variety of styles for the cowboy hats. Team logos and other embroidered information were then stitched to the side of the cowboy hat to give it a more personal touch. And as great as this evolution of the cowboy hat was for the companies that were manufacturing them, it didn't accurately depict the history and tradition that the cowboy hat represents.
Joella Torres is a third generation hat maker. Currently, she is the president of Manny Grammages Texas Hatters, which specializes in making custom cowboy hats. As someone who understands the history and heritage of the cowboy hat, Torres said that potential consumers should do research when buying a custom hat.
"Some people are going to want a style just like a star in the limelight has," she said. "But the best way to choose is not based on what someone else is wearing or what colors look best on you because it goes deeper than that. You also have to determine what kind of face shape you have. You want to compliment your face shape with the way the crown is set."
"For example, if you have wide face or chubby cheeks, you don't want to have something with a tight pinch to the crown making you look like a pinhead," she added. "You also don't want to have something that's too round or bulky like a Derby or a top hat on a person with a long skinny face. That will only make the face look longer and skinnier."
Like many experts, Torres believes that a properly made custom cowboy hat should last the consumer several years. But when they're deciding which cowboy hat suits their face and structure, they should also consider the situations in which they will be wearing the cowboy hat.
"If you are going to be wearing it primarily outside, you'll need to have an ample brim to shade your face and neck to avoid sun damage," Torres said.
When cowboy hats were first invented back in the mid 1860s, they were designed to be worn outside. Cowboys would wear the hats because the large brims protected them from the weather. But even then, there was a certain way to wear the hat that Torres said all current cowboy hat wearers should follow.
"It should basically be worn around the center of the forehead," she said. "You don't want it cocked back, because you are going to lose it every time the wind blows. My daddy always said that a hat isn't a hat until it is cocked - which means that you shouldn't wear it straight across your forehead. Give it a little lean to one side or the other."
