Cowboy hats are back in fashion and everyone just loves them! They bring back memories of a lifestyle that made America the great nation it is today. Hardworking, rugged outdoorsmen who battled the elements on a daily basis. The hat they wore was their only protection from sun, rain, sleet, snow, and dusty winds. No wonder it was tough, as tough as they were. And the toughest of them all is the leather cowboy hat. The lifestyle has all but disappeared but the leather cowboy hat remains, a silent witness to the resilience of those nation-builders. The leather cowboy hat is as tough as ever, and has its own handsome looks. They are hard wearing, yet easy on the head, so you can wear one comfortably all day.

Folks living in the Wild West required a hat which would provide them with reliable weather protection from sun, rain, and hot, dusty winds - and which did not require any maintenance. They chose leather as the material for the hat because the other materials available then were just not up to handling all-weather usage. Leather was tough, and weather proof. Natural leather is permeable, it breathes. So the leather cowboy hat kept perspiration from building up on the wearer's scalp even though he was working all day in the unbearable heat of the Mojave. Leather comes in a wide variety of natural shades: from almost white to almost jet. This degree of comfort with protection with good looks was unmatchable by hats of other materials, the closest competition coming from straw and felt hats.

Cowboy hats made of materials other than leather are available. Of these the straw and felt cowboy hats are very popular. Although they have their own good qualities, the leather cowboy hat stands head and shoulders above them. Maybe that's why rock stars, pop stars, society's movers and shakers, both ladies and gents, all dress up with this piece of elegant masculine haute couture.

Straw cowboy hats can't be worn in the rain and snow, and strong sunlight (and its heat) can penetrate the straw fibers. As a result, straw cowboy hats are not a good choice for inclement weather conditions. The other popular choice in cowboy hats, felt hats, do give good protection from all but the extremist weather conditions. Felt cowboy hats lack the natural feel of leather. They give the wearer the impression that he's wearing a cardboard hat on his head! They have a propensity to get deformed, and if the deformation is excessive, felt cowboy hats crack and break. Leather cowboy hats weather well, age well and wear well. They provide reliable protection from all climes and require little or no care and maintenance. Thus, they are well worth their price, even considering they're quite a bit more expensive than the other varieties.

Your leather cowboy hat requires little or no maintenance. An occasional brush down will keep it looking as good as new even after many months of service. If the leather cowboy hat does get soiled, you need only to give it a gentle wipe using a good quality leather cleaner. If it is thoroughly soaked just let it it dry out on its own. Do not attempt to hasten the drying process! The leather cowboy hat may alter its shape and size if it is exposed to heat or breeze when it is wet.

A poor quality leather cleaning solution will ruin your leather cowboy hat because it destroys the natural oils in the leather of your cowboy hat. You can always ask around at a store which handles high quality leather apparel for a good quality leather cleaning solution. A good quality leather cleaning solution preserves the natural oils in your leather cowboy hat, thus prolonging its service life.

In case the leather cowboy hat gets badly soiled or if you just don't have the time or inclination to clean the leather cowboy hat, or you are worried that you may spoil the leather cowboy hat, you can check the leather cleaning services offered by many large stores which deal in high quality leather fashion wear. If you are not going to use the hat for a long time, it is best that you store the leather cowboy hat away in a cool place, away from direct sunlight so that it does not fade.

Though the high price of a leather cowboy hat, compared to the price of a straw cowboy hat or even a felt cowboy hat, puts it out of the reach of many, it should not put you off if you consider the great value for money that you're getting. If you want to wear something eye catching, wear a leather cowboy hat - you can't miss!