In West Texas, cowboy hats aren’t just an accessory; they’re more like a way of life. But, not every single person out and about here is wearing a hat and a pair of jeans to wrangle cattle and do tough cowboy stuff….
The cowboy look is iconic here in Lubbock and West Texas alike, and if you know, you know. Folks, and you’ve got to know what small signs to look for to actually identify if someone is playing dress-up, OR if they are the real deal.
How To Spot The Real Deal
So how can you really tell if that guy leaning against the bar is a real ranch hand or if he’s just some rando cosplaying a character from Yellowstone while sipping an IPA? Folks, consider this your cheat sheet.
Here’s how to weed out the real cowboys from the fake ones:
1. The Hat Test – If he’s a cowboy, the brim is curled just right, and there’s probably a sweat stain band across the crown that you can smell from a few feet away. If not, he’s wearing a blinding white hat that looks like it’s straight off the Cavender’s rack. May even have the little price tag on it…
2. The Boot Test – A real cowboy’s boots have creases in them like a roadmap. A cosplayer has spotless soles that have likely only touched the floor at the bar. Those fancy shoes have certainly never stepped on manure in the barn…