The Role Leather Chaps Have Played Throughout History

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The Role Leather Chaps Have Played Throughout History

Leather is a great material that has been used for Centuries. It has always played an important role in western wear. Leather western wear items include cowboy hats and cowboy boots. Today we are going to focus on leather chaps and their history in western wear.

Leather chaps have been used for hundreds of years. They have been re-vamped quite a few times, but they have been around one way or another for centuries now. Chaps have constantly been a part of livestock handling equipment and have continued to serve the same functional purpose.

In the nineteenth century leather chaps were mostly stepped into garments, meaning they were attached to a belt that a person stepped in to. Mexican's called these leather protectors Armitas. Armitas were made out of calfskin, deer, or even goats.

Texas cowboys evolved their own style of chaps from the Armitas. They were one of the first to use full leather britches. The only problem with this shotgun style was that they did not have a seat and were often referred to as closed legs.

In the 1880s chap makers went to work to solve this problem. One way that fixed the stiffness was to make the chaps come in pieces now instead of one piece. They then curved the waistband to allow more movement for the cowboy.

The next chaps that were used were chaps that were used a lot during the popular Wild West Shows. Batwing Chaps, as they were referred as, allowed more movement for riders because they provided a wider cut then other chaps. They also were more elaborately decorated so riders could be recognized during Rodeos or Wild West Shows.

In the hot summers full length leather chaps were uncomfortable for some cowboys. A new western wear item became popular around the 1940s called Chinks. Cowboys had been cutting off the bottoms of their chaps to get rid of the restrictive nature of the full length chaps, and in the 1940s they finally started producing them that way. Chinks usually only went a few inches past the cowboys knee.

Leather chaps have continued to play an important role in western wear. Chaps have been used during herding and outdoor yard work for hundreds of years. They may continue to be used for Centuries after today.

About the Author

Since 1952, AA Callister has been proud to feature some of the finest western wear, clothing, western tack, boots , and horse and rodeo equipment made. Come live part of the American West today!