The official story is that John Stetson, recently diagnosed with tuberculosis, traveled west. During his journey he needed a hat. Just so happens that he was a hatmaker's son. He knew the craft. He developed what came to be known as the Boss of the Plains the first cowboy hat. Now be honest. Is this the first image that pops into your mind when you think of cowboy hats?
Frankly, the first hat that I think of is the slouch hat that saw lots of service for both North and South in the American Civil War. The design below is the Stetson Cavalry hat, a slouch hat. It is worth noting that slouch hats were not unique to the United States but found around the world in various form such as the Australian bush hat which differed only in having one side of its brim pinned against its crown.
The cowboy hat is also reminiscent of the Mexican sombrero.
While the sombrero served the peacock egoism of the vaquero, charro and gaucho, the cowboy hat evidenced the American cowboy's practicality. It was functional and durable. It didn't need to impress with garish colors or fancy designs. It got the job done quietly and efficiently.
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