Working Cowboy Clothes
When choosing working cowboy clothes, consider the type of activity that you will be doing. Whether you’re roping cattle, mowing pastures, or working on ranches, you’ll want to dress appropriately for the weather. While some people choose to dress in the latest designer apparel, you’ll want to stay true to the 1800s cowboy look. After all, they did not wear buttoned waistcoats or tight coats!
Boots are a key piece of working cowboy clothing. Boots are traditionally low-heeled and feature a high-upper. They also have mule ear flaps to help pull them on. Boots are also a necessary part of the cowboy wardrobe. These are not the type of boots to wear tucked in, but rather over them. In the early days of cowhand clothing, stirrups were wider, so the boots could easily slip through them.
Cowboys may sometimes wear blanket coats in the winter. These coats are heavy brown canvas lined with flannel, and are often issued to soldiers at Northern army posts. Teamsters say that these coats are as warm as buffalo overcoats! Despite their distinctive attire, cowboys often abandon their distinctive dress when they are out on the range in colder climates. When the weather turns cold, they wear whatever warmest clothes they can find.
A hat is a must-have part of working cowboy clothing. A cowboy hat provides an extra layer of warmth, protects the hands from equipment, and is essential for the safety of the wearer. A good hat shop will have many styles and hand mold your favorite crease pattern. Most real cowboys wear straw in warm weather and felt hats in cooler conditions. Real cowboys look for a little bow inside the hat, which indicates the back.
Another essential part of working cowboy clothing is the chaps. These chaps are made of leather with hair still attached to the leather. In the 1860s, vaqueros drove cattle from Oregon to the Montana mining camps. Although they didn’t represent cowboy culture until the 1880s, woolies were extremely useful for protection against cold. However, woolies were not used as a fashion statement. They were just practical, and cowboys often laid them off during the summer.
In the US, cowboys wear long sleeved shirts.
Long-sleeve shirts are another essential part of working cowboy clothes. They cover up the arms and keep them cool while working, but also protect them from bug bites. While they are functional, long sleeve shirts can keep you warm while protecting you from rough bushes and grass. The most important thing to remember is that working cowboy clothes need to be functional and comfortable. The cowboy’s clothes are a personal choice, and you’ll want to choose something that works for you.
In the past, cowboys wore a variety of outfits that were functional and stylish. Usually, cowboys wore wide-legged pants and boots with pointed toes, and even a chaparrera. Oftentimes, cowboys wore cotton bandannas, which helped them to keep cool and protected from the hot sun. If you’re interested in getting a chance to meet a cowboy in the wild, you’ll want to invest in a few pieces of working cowboy clothing.
A cowpuncher’s outfit included rope, which was carried in a short coil at the side of his saddle-horn and fastened to his waist by a leather or rawhide eye. A cowboy’s quirt was a heavy whip made of wood or iron. The stock carried a lash of loose thongs. You’ll find a cowpuncher quirt in many antique shops, and a few hundred on eBay.
The hat is an important part of the working cowboy outfit. It’s the most recognizable part of the cowboy costume, and one that is worn with a lot of care. On the range, you’ll see cowpunchers refer to one another by their hat. In Kansas, a cowpuncher is a man who is not afraid to wear a wide-brimmed white hat, and he’ll buy it for a few bucks.