Officer Vilai Thonginh, or Officer V, doesn’t utter a word. As his boots thump the ground, his belt shines in the sun, and his iconic cowboy hat stands tall, he is the great symbol of the Texas lawman. Why would he feel the need to speak? He has the winds of a Texas-sized tradition blowing at his back.
The hat itself is a new addition to campus police uniforms this semester. The Dallas Police Department announced late August that the hat would be returning to uniform permissions, and hardly anyone was happier than Thonginh. “I’m a retired state trooper, so the hat has always been a part of me.”
After 16 years serving under his black leather Stetson hat and winding up at Brookhaven, he was disappointed that the uniform regulations excluded his missing piece. However, after years of petition, he and his cohorts requests were finally heeded, and the cowboy hat has returned to his on-duty outfit.
Thonginh knew from the time he was 16 years old that he was going to wear the hat and carry on the it’s storied tradition. “I was pulled over on the highway, and I thought things were OK. Then I saw that state trooper step out of his car.”
He stands and begins to act out his own mental movie. “I think ‘this guy must be 7 feet tall,’ then he takes his hat from his side and slowly puts it on his head as he walks to my car.” He stoops down to the desk within the conference room that becomes his stage as his characterization of the officer continues. “Do you have a reason for speeding on my highway, son?” “No, officer, I don’t.” He concludes his scene with an unmistakable shine in his eyes and smile on his face; “And that’s how I knew that this hat was going to be on my head someday, he didn’t need to say a word. All I needed to see was the boots, the shiny belt, and the hat standing tall, and I knew.”
Traditionally, there is a great deal of mystique and superstition around the cowboy hat. From it’s material to when it is and isn’t proper to remove your cap, let’s walk through some standard cowboy hat etiquette for anyone hoping to earn the respect of a proper pioneer.
– You can show a great deal of respect or disrespect depending on how you greet someone with your hat. For example: when meeting someone for the first time, make sure to remove your hat.
– The hat stays on when you are outside, but when you enter a building, the context matters. If it is a formal situation, like doing business or entering a church, you should remove your hat. If it is informal, then don’t worry about it.
– In the old days, tipping your hat was reserved for greeting ladies, however, a more modern, gender-fluid approach would be to tip your hat to anyone you desire to show respect toward.
Traditionally, there are three types of cowboy hat: felt, leather, and straw hats. They have historically been reserved for different weather, with straw hats worn in warmer weather and felt hats in cooler weather. Leather hats serve as a versatile option depending on the wearer’s comfort. For formal events though, felt and leather hats are seen as more proper, so even during the summer, felt hats are traditionally worn for business and ceremony.
– The cowboy hat is an extension of its owner’s own personality and style. In the same way it would be rude to touch or try on someone else’s jewelry without permission, it’s rude to touch or try on someone else’s hat without permission.
– You should respect your hat as well. When taking it off of your head, grab it by the crown and hold it so that the interior lining is facing down or inwards towards you, so as not to show anyone the interior lining.
– When storing your hat, it is best to hang it, but if you must set it down, make sure to place it crown side down, so as not to affect the lucky brim.
– Whatever you do, here are some absolute do-not-dos from superstition history: Do not set your hat on a bed, do not wear your hat backwards, never correct another person on the way they wear their hat
Lastly, make sure that the style of hat you are wearing reflects your chosen identity. As Thonginh says, “The hat makes the man.” Find the one that you feel reflects you the best, and make sure to respect your fellow cowpokes and townsfolk alike.
