Whether you’re watching live music under the hot sun at Austin City Limits or working hard all day out on the ranch, a Stetson hat is key. It’s no secret that cowboy hats are a western wear essential — they can act as fans, shield you from the sun and rain and, in a pinch, help carry water — and a Stetson hat is classic and dependable. At Allens Boots, we’re proud to carry several different kinds.

Stetson Hat: Royal Flush

Black and made of felt, the Stetson Royal Flush Hat features a silver metal accented band and a 3 1/4-inch brim. The detail of the accented band adds a little something special to this durable Stetson hat.

Stetson Hat: Shiner

The Stetson Shiner 10x Felt Hat is made of felt and features a small buckle with incredible detail. This black hat has a 4-inch brim. We’re not sure if this Stetson hat is named after the city in Texas, but regardless it’s a cool hat that would make a thoughtful gift for a loved one — or just for yourself.

Straw Hats

A straw Stetson hat is a popular style we see a lot at music festivals, beaches and casual affairs. These hats are affordable and versatile. Choose from the Stetson Malibu, Santa Monica or the La Brea hat, which features a “sweated and dusted” color as well as a longhorn decoration on its band.

Complement Your Stetson Hat

Sure you’ll get lots of compliments on your Stetson hat, but don’t forget to complement it with a pair of cowboy boots and Wrangler jeans. You’ll love the selection we offer at Allens Boots. Find cowboy boots from Lucchese, Ariat, Frye, Tony Lama and more. Check out our two locations in Austin, or start shopping online.

This morning, CBS’ The Early Show reunited cast members from Dallas, an extremely popular television program that aired for 14  years starting in April of 1978. And much to the delight of Dallas fans, Larry Hagman — the actor who played oil magnate J.R. Ewing on the show — wore a cowboy hat, just as he did on the show.

Dallas was basically a soap opera about a family of Texas oil millionaires and the troubling situations they’d find themselves in. The show may be best known for “Who shot J.R.?”, a cliffhanger from the final episode of the 1979 season. In total, just under 90 million Americans tuned in to find out the answer, breaking the previous record. That question inspired T-shirts and other memorabilia, as well as an episode of the Simpsons and countless references on other television shows and in movies.

When people think of Texas, many think of not just cowboy boots and cowboy hats, but of Dallas. It was no doubt a huge influence on American culture and is still today thought of as one of the greatest TV shows of all time. In addition to cowboy hat-clad Larry Hagman, CBS’ reunion this morning featured Linda Gray, who played Sue Ellen Ewing; and Patrick Duffy, who played Bobby Ewing.

To see more from this morning’s Dallas reunion on The Early Show, check out the video below, courtesy of CBS:

Each year, people come from far and wide to visit the State Fair of Texas at Fair Park in Dallas. Carnival rides, corn dogs, live music, games, livestock auctions — it’s a great time for kids and adults. If you’ve been, you know doubt remember Big Tex, the fair’s mascot who greets you with a “Howdy!” Big Tex has been around since 1952 and has quite the history. Texas Senator John Cornyn actually wrote a short piece in the Jacksboro Gazette-News about Big Tex that gave some great insight about Big Tex.

As Cornyn writes, many familiar with Big Tex may not know that he’s not just the Texas-size fair mascot. In the 1940s in Kerens, Texas, he was a different famous figure. In order to encourage Kerens residents to shop for holiday gifts at local stores instead of driving to Dallas or other nearby cities, the Chamber of Commerce came up with the idea to use iron-pipe drill casing and paper mache to build a 49-foot Santa. The huge figure, which Kerens officials claimed was the world’s largest Santa, even had a seven-foot beard fashioned out of rope.

From 1948 until 1949, the big Santa’s home was in the middle of the town’s main street. It was of course a hit at first, but after a while, people weren’t so keen on it, so they sold him for $750 to R.L. Thornton, the State Fair president, in 1951. An artist was hired to make Santa into a giant cowboy that was debuted at the State Fair of Texas the following year, 1952.

• Here are some more interesting facts about Big Tex that Senator Cornyn included in his article:
• Big Tex wears a 75-gallon cowboy hat
• His cowboy boots are size 70
• The artist used photos of himself, Will Rogers and Doc Simmons (a rancher) to model Big Tex’s face
• Dallas DJ Jim Lowe, Jr. voiced Big Tex for 40 years

This year, the State Fair of Texas opened on September 25 and will run daily until October 18. For more information, you can visit BigTex.com.

J.R. Simplot’s cowboy hat has finally been returned to his family, nine months after it was stolen from a floral arrangement set up at Qwest Arena after Simplot passed away. The cowboy hat was a symbol of J.R. Simplot, who had worn it for about 25 years, so his family was absolutely thrilled to get it back.

The founder of an agricultural supply company that specialized in potato products, J.R. Simplot was an entrepreneur and philanthropist who, at the time of his death in May of 2008, was also the oldest billionaire on the Forbes 400. He was 99 years old.

A great story in the Idaho Statesman talks about how the cowboy hat was finally returned. Turns out the newspaper had a big hand in its return: On February 22, the newspaper’s “Ask Tim” column urged the thief to call the paper. The next week, sure enough, someone called and agreed to return the cowboy hat so long as there would be a guarantee of anonymity. The caller said they hadn’t actually been the one to take J.R. Simplot’s cowboy hat, it was someone else who had taken it and later entrusted it ot them.

The Statesman story also posed the question, “Why would someone steal J.R. Simplot’s hat?” The answer given by the caller was “stupidity.” They explained it was an impulsive act that was “almost instantly regretted.”

J.R. Simplot’s cowboy hat has become Idaho’s famous hat, off-white in color with green and orange feathers. The cowboy hat was given as a gift by Tom Basabe, J.R. Simplot’s longtime friend, and was purchased and a western wear store in Boise, Idaho.

Simplot’s son, Scott, told the Statesman that in time the cowboy hat would likely be displayed publicly in an appropriate setting.”

Best wishes to the Simplot family — we’re happy to hear this very important and meaningful symbol of the late J.R. Simplot has been rightfully returned.

This weekend it’s time again for the Austin City Limits Festival, better known as ACL Fest, an annual music festival here in Austin, Texas. And while last year’s festival line-up was one that many thought couldn’t be topped, it seems they have indeed topped it. Big names like Beck, Foo Fighters, Robert Earl Keen, Blues Traveler and The Raconteurs grace the lineup of this year’s Austin City Limits Festival. There seems to be something for everyone, really, with the large amount of musicians scheduled.

So let’s take a look at the Day 1 lineup of ACL Fest, which is Friday, September 26. Headliners include The Mars Volta, named “Best Prog-Rock Band” by Rolling Stone this year, and Manu Chao, a musician born in France that sings mostly in French, English and Spanish. The Mars Volta is known for their live shows, often having more than 10 musicians onstage at once to perform their tunes. The Mars Volta get their name from a Federico Fellini book, in which Fellini used the word “Volta” to describe a changing of a scene or a new scene. As for Mars, well, the band members just really love sci-fi. As for the meaning of the combined words, The Mars Volta invites fans to come up with their own meaning.

Don’t go thinking The Mars Volta and Manu Chao are the only performers playing ACL Fest Day 1. No way — there are a ton of other fantastic musicians and bands to check out. There’s even a special stage aimed towards kids, the appropriately-named Austin Kiddie Limits Stage. Acts lined up for ACL Fest Day 1 that are creating a lot of buzz include Hot Chip, Gogol Bordello, David Byrne and Vampire Weekend, to name a few. If there are bands on the line-up that you’ve never heard of, be sure and try to stop by to give them a shot — part of the fun of the festival is being able to see new acts and hopefully go home at night with some new favorite artists.

Whoever you’re planning on seeing at ACL Fest this year, one thing’s for sure: Don’t forget your cowboy hat. The weather is expected to be hot and sunny, so wearing a cowboy hat will not only be stylish, but it’ll help protect you from getting sunburned. We suggest a Stetson hat, but with Allens Boots’ wide selection of great Western wear, you’ll surely be able to find the perfect cowboy hat to wear to ACL Fest.

Calgary Stampede is here! Calgary Stampede is here!

The Calgary Stampede has arrived. It is by far the biggest 10 days in Canada, well at least as far as rodeo enthusiasts and the city of Calgary are concerned. The annual Calgary Stampede turns downtown Calgary into one big salute to the cowboy. You will find everything that you are looking for from the rodeo itself to a midway and from chuckwagon races to free pancake breakfasts.

Calgary Stampede Rodeo

The rodeo part of the Calgary Stampede involves some of the finest cowboys in the world. They will be competing for glory and fame in such events as Bullriding, Barrel Racing, Bareback, Saddle Bronc, Steer Wrestling, and Tie-down Roping. You can even watch the little cowboys and cowgirls compete in wild pony racing.

Calgary Stampede is more than a Rodeo

There are so many other activities at the Calgary Stampede to enjoy besides the rodeo. If you are looking to catch a good show full of music and wonderment, then you are going to want to catch the Grandstand Show. The Grandstand show this year is based around a Dream Catcher theme to honor and recognize all the people that came to Canada full of hopes and dreams. The Grandstand Show is described as Broadway … Western Style.

Calgary Stampede Brings Big Music

If Broadway shows aren’t really your style, then you can always catch a great musical act at the Pengrowth Saddledome or the Coca-Cola Stage. This year brings many popular acts to downtown Calgary. So grab your cowboy hat and your dancing boots and come and catch the sounds of Sugarland, The Judds, Kid Rock, Natasha Bedingfield, Dierks Bentley, Finger Eleven, or the Plain White T’s.

Calgary Stampede Brings Big Screams

Finally, if you want to try your luck at the Calgary Stampede midway; there are plenty of games for you. You can do everything from target practice games to the ring toss to Whack-a-Mole. Now, if you are more of a daring cowboy, you can climb on into a seat on one of the many rides. The midway brings many adrenaline-pumping, heart-racing rides this year.

Forget all of this talking about the Calgary Stampede, we are grabbing our best pair of jeans and our boots and heading north. See ya there, eh?

*Photo by Calgary Stampede

N@ked Cowboy and the Blue M&M

N@ked Cowboy Sues M&M’s.  That almost sounds like a title to a comedy film, except it is an actual story. New York City’s famous “N@ked Cowboy” has filed suit against Mars Corporation, the maker of M&M’s.  The N@ked Cowboy, also known as Robert Burke, is claiming trademark infringement by the candy maker.  Apparently the blue M&M is dressed like Burke on the large animation screen outside of M&M’s Times Square store; and Burke claims that the may be construed as his endorsement of the product.

History of the N@ked Cowboy

The 37-year-old N@ked Cowboy walks around Times Square playing the guitar in nothing but a cowboy hat, white underwear, and white cowboy boots.  However, Times Square isn’t the only place that you can find the N@ked Cowboy.  He seems to make his way to New Orleans every year for Mardi gras; and he has even seemed to make an appearance or two in our very own Lone Star capital, Austin, Texas.  If you want to catch him here, start looking in March during the South by Southwest Music Festival.

N@ked Cowboy Look-a-Like

Now if you are finding yourself wanting to emulate the N@ked Cowboy, than you are probably going to need to swing by Allens Boots and get yourself a nice pair of white cowboy boots.  I am sure that you will be able to find exactly the boots you are looking for among our large selection of Justin, Lucchese, Tony Lama, and many other boot makers.

Now that you have your boots picked out, you will need to wander over to our hat section and see if you can’t find yourself the perfect Stetson or Resistol.

As far as the last part of the outfit, the white underwear … Well, as much as we would like to say we have everything you need, we got to tell you that you are on your own with those.

*Photo by LinksmanJD

Summer Camp for Summer Break

Summer Camp is the perfect way for you little cowboys and cowgirls to spend all that free time during their favorite break … summer break. There are several cowboy and cowgirl summer camps throughout the country. One of the cowboy summer camps that we know about isn’t too far down the road in Humble, Texas.

Cowboy City Texas, founded by Mike and Mary Wall, is home to six cowboy and cowgirl summer camps a year. The summer camps are offered to boys and girls ages seven to fourteen and are chocked full of cowboy boot wearing activities.

Summer Camp Teaches Horsemanship

Summer camp at Cowboy City Texas is all about fun for the beginner and immediate horse riders. But don’t you worry; Cowboy City Texas provides the horses for all summer camp participants.

Cowboy and cowgirl summer camp is centered on horsemanship. Summer campers will learn and work on horse grooming, riding, barreling, cutting, roping and many other rodeo type activities. In fact, there is a summer camp rodeo at then of the summer.

Summer Camp Chocked Full of Western Fun

Other activities summer campers will enjoy while at summer camp are western theater, nature awareness trails, mud fights (be prepared to wash camper’s jeans every night), archery and more.

Attendees of cowboy and cowgirl summer camp also have the opportunity to learn western arts and crafts, play sports with other cowboys and cowgirls, go swimming (make sure you take off your cowboy boots and cowboy hats first), and even go shovel surfing. Now, we aren’t quite sure what shovel surfing is, but it sounds pretty fun.

Western Gear for Summer Camp

Before you take your little cowboy or cowgirl off to summer camp, whether at Cowboy City Texas or another western summer camp, swing by Allens Boots and we will make sure your summer campers have all the western gear they need.

*Photo by Cowboy City Texas

Cutting Horse Adds Spice to CEO Life

There was an article in Fortune Small Business Magazine today about a woman who is CEO by day and a Rodeo Queen by night. Yes, you are reading this correctly.

According to the article, Anita Lind Janssen spends her days as CEO of a company that handles asset management for large firms in the middle of transition. This is a job that requires conservative decisions and very little risk. Wanting to add a little spice to her life, Anita put on a hat, polished up her boots, and became a cowgirl.

It also appears that cutting runs in the Lind Janssen family. Ryan Lind, Anita’s son, placed in the top ten of the youth division at the National Cutting Horse Western National Finals this past weekend. I am sure that his mother couldn’t be more proud of her cowboy son.

Cutting Horse: What is it?

Cutting is a western riding style event where a horse and rider are judged strictly on their ability to separate a calf away from a herd of cattle for a certain period of time.

Cutting, which is becoming quite a popular equine sport these days, is special in that once the calf is separated from the herd, the cowboy or cowgirl loosens up on the reigns and the horse then takes over in keeping the calf separated. These horses are known as a cutting horse.

Cutting Horse Queen is One of Many

After reading about Anita, we did some poking around into the careers of the members of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. We found out that Anita isn’t the only corporate big wig that likes to compete with their horses for stress relief. We found an owner of a women’s western store, a President/owner of a drilling company, a ranch owner, a Chief of Staff of a state assembly, and a CEO of a golf construction company.

Who would have ever thought that participating in adrenaline pumping rodeo events could be so relaxing?

*Photo by Mike Murrow

Cowboy Museum’s Annual Memorial Day Event

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, located in Oklahoma City, will be celebrating its 18th Annual Chuck Wagon Gathering and Children’s Cowboy Festival this Memorial Day weekend. The festival will run from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on both Saturday, May 24th and Sunday, May 25th.

Dressing like a Cowboy More than Alright at Cowboy Museum

Grab your kids, put on your jeans, boots and cowboy hats and head on down to what the American Bus Association has named one of the Top 100 events in North America. You, your family and more than 10,000 other Old West fans will sure to be pleased with all the exciting activities and food planned for this jam-packed weekend.

Chuck Wagons Circle the Cowboy Museum

There will be authentic chuck wagons present offering up some of the finest wrangler food from Oklahoma and Texas. Festival goers even receive their very own tasting bowl to fill up with cowboy favorites such as brisket, biscuits and gravy, stew, and cobbler.

Children’s Cowboy Festival Events at the Cowboy Museum

There will be plenty of good ‘ol western entertainment for the family at the festival. Little Cowboys and Cowgirls can get pony rides, stagecoach and wagon rides, learn how to make a rope, design a bandana, and even pet a Longhorn steer. For the older cowboys and cowgirls, there will be entertainment from the likes of Don Edwards and Red Steagall.

There is even a cowboy bootmaking demonstration, which we here at Allens Boots are the most excited about.

Cowboy Museum has More to Offer than the Festival

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum was founded in 1961 and is considered an institution of Western history, culture, and art. More than 9 million visitors a year come to see the Cowboy museum’s collection of Western art and artifacts and to garnish an insight into the Old West.

*Photo by National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum