🤠 TIL Cowboy hats, as we recognize them today, were popularized in the late 19th century. The first mass-produced cowboy hat was introduced by John B. Stetson in 1865. Stetson, who grew up in a family of hatmakers, designed what he called the "Boss of the Plains" hat, which became the standard for cowboy headgear.

The wide brim provided protection from the sun and rain, and the tall crown helped keep the head cool. Stetson's design was durable, practical, and quickly became iconic in the American West. Before this, cowboys and ranchers often wore bowler hats, sombreros, or other regional styles, but Stetson's hat set the template for what we now think of as the classic cowboy hat.