No other piece of clothing carries such a complicated set of rules involving it's wear. Here's some traditional rules for wearing a cowboy hat - and some we think are just good manners.
- Any hat should be removed when eating anywhere, that includes baseball caps!
- Any hat should be removed when the national anthem of any country is played. Hold your hat in your right hand, over your heart. This applies to women, unless their hat is held on with hat pins.
- Cowboys tip their hats to ladies when out doors, remove them when being introduced, and remove them when entering a ladies home.
- Men never tipped their hats to other men in the Old West. It was akin to calling them a woman. A nod was a common greeting when not shaking hands.
- In commercial or public buildings it's not necessary to remove your hat - but should be when entering a private office. Generally considered polite to remove it in a private home, unless other people are wearing their hat.
- Wearing a cowboy hat to a theatre or movie is fine but should be removed if it blocks anyone's view of the entertainment.
The Code of the Old West
Here at CrazyHorseWest.com, we believe in the Cowboy Code. . .and not the one Tom Mix and his movie studio used to win over young fans to his early western movies. . .the sentiment was right, but the code was hokey.
The Code of the West was an intangible thing born out of necessity for survival, and is more of an observation on how people acted, then anything else. . .in essence this was the Code of the West:
A true Cowboy always helps his neighbor, feeds a stranger and his horse, and maintains his free and in dependant spirit. In the Old West you never asked a stranger his name or where he came from. It was considered a slight to call another man by his last name - and often last names weren't even known. A cowboy's loyalty to his ranch, his friends, and his abilities as a rider and a cow hand were all that mattered.
Questions? Don't hesitate to contact us.