“Cowboys wear long-sleeved shirts year around, but not many wear leather vests and generally never have.”
While the statement may seem insignificant to many people, including today’s working cowboys, it answers frequent questions.
Often, those unfamiliar with the work that cowboys do wonder just why they don’t wear T-shirts or at least a short-sleeved cloth shirt.
An “expert on the subject,” Lee Ballentine, cowboy historian, clarified “Long sleeved shirts offer protection for cowboys.”
That’s “shield” from the elements, hot blazing sun or freezing cold, plus for defense and safety in their profession.
“Cowboys work with cattle in all types of surroundings from roping to pushing through a chute,” Ballentine said. “Their shirt sleeves help protect the cowboy from scrapes, cuts, bruises and rope burns.”
It’s been that way since the cowboy profession began. “In the American West, between 1839 and about 1880, cowboys actually wore about the same clothing as New York City men,” Ballentine said.
That was heavy cloth trousers, long-sleeved shirt, cloth vest, neck scarf, and their own-styled hat.
Denim was available in earlier days, but not typically used to make cowboy jeans. Denim jeans weren’t worn much by cowboys until mid-last century, it was noted.
“Of course, exception between city slickers’ style and working cowboys was leather chaps,” Ballentine pointed out. “Chaps were worn back then and are common attire of working cowboys today for protection of their legs.”
Chaps help prevent scrapes and bruises when riding horseback through sagebrush and timberland. Dismounted, a cowboy needs his chaps to reduce injury from rambunctious cattle when being worked.
While there are definite exceptions, most cowboys don’t regular wear vests of any kind, cloth or leather. “In the 1800s, cloth vests were common cowboy attire,” Ballentine verified.
“The Hollywood cowboy with his leather vest seems to have been mostly a Silver Screen invention,” Ballentine said. “Or at least the invention of the Western exhibition, or Wild West Show. Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley wore leather outfits, with fringe jackets, but these were the costumes of performers.”
Cloth shirts worn by cowboys of earlier years were sometimes made by tailors and available at “general stores.”
More commonly, shirts were sewed by wives and mothers of the cowboys, or “maybe by the cowboy themselves,” Ballentine noted.
Buttons typically fastened shirts, but buttonholes were not that easy to make. So, buttons were sometimes “hooked together” with a cloth remnant. “
Not as “stylish” today as the past century, snap-button shirts with “yoke-pattern” front and back became popular also following the movie trend.
When temperatures get too high on summer workdays, cowboys do sometimes roll up their shirt sleeves. “That makes it a little cooler and will also free up their arms for heavy work,” Ballentine commented.
During the coldest days, cowboys often wear two shirts along with a coat.
“One of the surprises of earlier day working cowboys, they dressed pretty much the same as every other man in America, only dustier,” Ballentine grinned.
CUTLINE
With long-sleeved shirts typical attire, early day cowboys dressed much the same as every other man in America, only dustier. (File photo.)
FAQs
“You need long sleeves to protect you from the burning sun and a collar that can be turned up in the heat, or the cold.”
What kind of shirts do real cowboys wear? ›
A Western shirt is a traditional item of western wear characterized by a stylized yoke on the front and on the back. It is generally constructed of chambray, denim or tartan fabric with long sleeves, and in modern form is sometimes seen with snap pockets, patches made from bandana fabric, and fringe.
Why didn't cowboys wear short sleeve shirts? ›
Cowboy Reason: For protection from the elements, particularly the sun. Some rodeos still won't admit you without long sleeves. Our Take: Many classic Aloha shirts also have long sleeves.
What did cowboys actually wear? ›
With slight individual and regional differences, the basic Old West cowboy attire the wide-brimmed hat, an ordinary shirt worn beneath a cowboy vest and waistcoat, the cotton or wool trousers, covered halfway with the leather chaps, the distinct tall boots with spurs, and the oversized silk handkerchief worn around the ...
Why do farmers wear long sleeve shirts? ›
Long-sleeved shirts and trousers are farm clothing essentials to keep you cool and covered even in warm-weather conditions. By buying farm clothes in technical fabrics with built-in SPF, you get the added benefit of sun protective clothing - one of the best ways for farmers to exercise sun safety every day.
What is the purpose of a long sleeve shirt? ›
Long sleeve shirts protect you from UV radiation from the sun, help retain moisture, keep you cooler, and even provide a certain degree of protection from elements that you may come in contact with – whether at work or even during the course of your day.
Did cowboys actually wear jeans? ›
The jeans from the cowboys period were made with unsanforized denim fabrics. Cowboys were wearing their jeans every day; day in, day out. They didn't wash their jeans so much, so they had to cuff their jeans because of the long length.
Why don t you touch a cowboys hat? ›
Finally, don't touch or try on someone else's cowboy hat without their permission. It's more than an accessory - it's a personal item that holds a lot of historical and traditional significance. Cowboy hats are often considered an extension of their owner's personality and style.
Why do the Cowboys never wear blue? ›
It began in 1968 when the Cowboys lost to the Browns in the playoffs while wearing the blue, and then solidified in 1971 when the Cowboys lost to the Colts in Super Bowl V, also while wearing the blue jerseys. In 1972, however, they won Super Bowl VI while over the Dolphins while wearing white.
What did female cowboys wear? ›
Full skirts were worn over petticoats and corsets and during this time the sleeves would have been puffed in various styles including bell, leg-o-mutton, or pagoda. Depending on the decade, it is also likely that the most current skirt style would have been worn on Sundays, whether it be crinoline, hoop, or bustle.
The most notable shootouts took place in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Some like the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral were the outcome of long-simmering feuds and rivalries but most were the result of a confrontation between outlaws and law enforcement.
Why do you put a cowboy hat upside down? ›
Hang your cowboy hat if possible, but if not, set it upside-down on its crown. This keeps your good luck from running out, and it might even catch additional good luck that's floating around. It also helps to air the hat out and maintain the shape of its brim.
Why does the military wear long sleeves? ›
The Army's official explanation is that the top was made to protect soldiers' forearms from the sun, insects, and other elements and it's not designed to be cuffed. While sleeve-rolling is not on the table right now, leadership is "always looking to make our clothing and equipment better," said Command Sgt.
Why are western shirts so long? ›
Longer lengths became customary to prevent the shirt from becoming untucked while on horseback, and the signature pointed yoke found across the shoulders and chest was added to provide better support and durability in the field.
Why do yard workers wear long sleeves? ›
Landscapers working in extremely hot areas must wear appropriate gear to protect them from heat-related illnesses and the sun's harmful radiation. OSHA provides safety standards for landscapers and anyone else working outdoors in warm climates. Cover up your body with loose-fitting, breathable long-sleeve shirts.
Why do cowboys wear hats all the time? ›
Felt hats used to be worn in the winter to help protect the cowboy from cold and dampness. Straw cowboy hats were made for the summertime to protect from sun and heat. The needless fashion rule is to wear straw from May to Labor Day and felt for the time between (much like the "never wear white after Labor Day" rule).
