We all need heroes. We need champions whose deeds and accomplishments thrill, inspire and teach. For much of the 20th century, the cowboy was the...
Dreamin’ of Being a Cowboy
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G. Daniel DeWeese
Life-Saving Buffalo Robes
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s Corps of Discovery passed the first winter of their epic 1804-06 expedition on the northern banks of the...
A Tribute to Paul Bond
Renowned bootmaker Paul Bond passed away in February. He was just 96 years old. He was “just 96” because, by all accounts, his youthful vigor belied...
Rodeo Ben’s Jeans
Western wear as a separate apparel category got its start in the 1940s after WWII ended. Rockmount Ranch Wear, Westmoor (Panhandle Slim), Miller and...
The Legacy of the Ranger Belt
The desperate clash between 14 Texas Rangers led by John Coffee Hays and 70 or more Comanches in the Texas Hill Country in June 1844 left 23...
Great Western Movie Hats
Movies both reflect cultural trends and influence them. The hats worn by cowboys in countless Western movies and television shows were and...
From Vaqueros to Buckaroos
“He is ever a picturesque figure, whether in groups or dismounted and standing alone on the great prairie, watching the train flash past him,...
Head Over Heels
“These boots are made for walking, and that’s just what they’ll do. One of these days, these boots are gonna walk all over you.” –”These Boots are...
Fake or Real?
“The difference between false memories and true ones is the same as for jewels: it is always the false ones that look the most real, the most...
Ponchos Ride Again
“Is that a real poncho?… I mean, is that a Mexican poncho or is that a Sears poncho?” —”Camarillo Brillo” by Frank Zappa In one of the few tender...
Artistas & Fashionistas
Western style, like Western art, is largely indefinable, but always recognizable. Sure, the two feature plenty of distinct clichés and...
Boot Scoot & Boogie
Long Ike and Sweet Betsey attended a dance. Ike wore a pair of his Pike County pants. Sweet Betsey was covered with ribbons and rings. Says Ike,...