You might think that the Old West cowboys, gunslingers drawing and holstering their guns faster than lightning, are an out-dated thing and that there aren’t any of them left out there. Well, although the chances that you’ll get robbed by the likes of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch aren’t high, and you can consider yourself lucky at that, there are still ways in which cowboys can come back to life. So let's have a look at who cowboys really are and how our holsters can help you look like one.
COWBOYS IN POP CULTURE
Literature and Hollywood take most responsibility for the resurrection of the Old West heroes and renegades and I doubt there is someone among us who wouldn’t have their favorite western novel or movie. Cowboys are kept alive also through toreadors and rodeos that are still a great source of entertainment across Northern America and the Spanish-speaking world. Last but not least, there have been a couple of PC and console games that have managed to immerse people in a world set in the Old West, especially the younger ones.
REAL-LIFE COWBOYS
However, there are people among us for whom it’s not enough to read about cowboys, see them on the big screen, or try to complete some quests as a character in a ten-gallon hat. These are the so-called modern day cowboys, through whom the spirit of the Old West carries on. Let’s have a closer look at who these guys are and how to become one.
First of all, there are still real-life cowboys among us. Although these guys can be hardly called gunslingers wielding pistols and they definitely don’t engage in any train robberies, they still deserve a lot of credit for what they do. By definition we talk about guys (and also girls!) who work as animal herders and tend cattle on ranches, mainly in North America, while on horseback, and they often perform many of other ranch-related activities. These guys are real professionals and there are those who even studied to become cowboys.
Rodeo cowboys are another category, closely connected with the above mentioned toreadors. These guys don’t only entertain others when trying to tame seemingly untameable broncos or some of the most fierce bulls, but many of them do so by taking part in serious competitions hoping it would pave their way to becoming real champions.
COWBOY AS A WAY OF LIFE
You’ve got to agree that not all of us have got what it takes to make it as real cowboys or bronco tamers. However, if you love cowboy style, then it doesn’t really matter what your skill set is or what career you want to pursue, you can still look like your western heroes. As I’ve already said, cowboys can be found mainly throughout North America, which is why the states such Texas, Kansas, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico can serve as sources of inspiration if you don’t know where to start. It’s not just professionals at ranches who dress like cowboys there, but you can find people who resemble them in the streets as well.
COWBOYS NEED HOLSTERS
(source: horsejournals.com)
I guess we all can agree that a cowboy without a good holster wouldn’t survive long in the Old West and, in the modern world, he wouldn’t look that stylish. So if you want to start crafting your cowboy look, you should start by getting one of our Craft Holsters. There are two main favorites when it comes to the carry style of cowboys. Cross-draw holsters make drawing a revolver look incredibly stylish.
LEATHER PANCAKE HOLSTER W 2 CARRY POSITIONS
Talking about modern day cowboys, most of you probably don’t ride a horse, but a car, which is where cross-draws give you a huge advantage - drawing from a cross-draw holster is incredibly easy when sitting. If I was to go out as a modern cowboy, I’d definitely strap on our Leather Pancake Holster. If you are looking for a thin and sturdy pancake holster that can be easily concealed and gives you two positions to carry, this is the one for you. There are many other advantages of this carry style, which you can read about here.
OPEN TOP LEATHER PANCAKE HOLSTER - PANTHER
As cowboys never really had to care much about concealment, OWB holsters are another category I advise you to check out. Although this group of holsters partially overlaps with the cross-draws, it mainly includes holsters that are worn on your dominant side, just like this one. Our Panther - an open top leather pancake holster - is made out of genuine leather and custom tailored to offer a perfect fit, easy and intuitive drawn and a fast and safe re-holstering.
BELT SIDE LEATHER HOLSTER
The last two features were extremely crucial and would be appreciated also by most of western gunslingers. Another holster I can advise any of you cowboys out there is our Belt Side Leather Holster, especially if you are looking for a tight fitting belt holster for the strong side carry. It has thin and robust wet-molded Italian leather. If you want to draw your guns in the western style, just go ahead and pick your cross-draw or owb holster from our selection.
WESTERN LEATHER HOLSTER
In case you haven’t found your winner yet, don’t look any further, because I have a one of a kind offer for you. Our Western Leather Holster will grant you as much authenticity as possibly on your way to achieving the modern day cowboy look. It’s designed to accommodate single action 6.5’’ revolvers and comes in the classic Old West design. The premium leather is quite detailed and features a basket weave finish. I’m sure any real cowboy or gunslinger would love to wear one like this, and you should too if you want to look like them.
LEATHER GUN BELTS & AMMO AND SPEEDLOADER POUCHES
Although we don’t offer clothes for cowboys, we have a selection of neat looking leather gun belts. If you are looking for a tight fitting belt holster for the strong side carr, any of these will work. They are made of thin and robust wet-molded Italian leather, they all look great and will even better with one of our holsters attached to them. Moreover, they give you an option to attach one of our ammo or speedloader pouches to them, so that you don’t have to worry about running out of ammo for your revolver.
FINISHING THE COWBOY LOOK
So now that you have your holster, let’s finalise your modern day cowboy look. This article is by no means a paid promotion for western wear companies, but a cowboy gotta have a pair of Levi’s, Wranglers or Lee Copper’s, there’s no denying that. Just run one of our belts through any of these and you’ll see how great you’ll look. If you combine it with a neat western or flannel shirt, you’re already halfway there. If it’s quite chilly outside, then put on a fringe jacket or a duster coat with a waistcoat underneath and people will instantly mistake you for someone who’s just hitched their horse or left a saloon. To finish off the cowboy look a pair of cowboy boots is another must. Most of them are made of cowhide, but if you want to achieve a bit more exotic look, there are also more exotic skins for you to select from - alligator, snake, elk, buffalo, etc.
Now that you are fully dressed, there’s only one last thing for you to do. You’ve guessed it right. Grab your Stetson from the peg, put it on, and you can start roaming streets looking like a real cowboy. And in case you are leaving for someplace more official, you can compliment your look with a necktie or cravat, to look like a cowboy gentleman (I wouldn’t advise a bandana, to be honest). If you go out looking like this, a mere tip of your hat and a “howdy” will be enough to get you the attention of any lady.
READY TO BE A COWBOY
So, now that you know that cowboys still exist, there is nothing that holds you back in becoming one even if you don’t have a horse or lasso. Just go out there, get your cowboy clothes and, most importantly, get one of our holsters. Don’t worry, they won’t disappoint you and they will get you that bit closer to achieving your modern day cowboy look, although we can agree that none of us can look as the good old John Wayne, who we have decided to put on one of our Custom Shop holsters.
(title picture source: horsejournals.com)
