When Stetson first started making its iconic cowboy hats in 1865, they were sold with an open crown (a rounded dome) that served as a blank canvas for the wearer to crease in a manner that best suitedtheir lifestyle. The custom crease communicated information about the wearers origin, profession and personality. The quality and type of crease worked as a kind of shortcut to judging the measure of a man. As times modernized, manufacturers began creasing their hats in factories so they could be sold pre-creased for mass distribution. The crease was no longer an indicator of social standing but rather became an expression of style, as it continues to be today.
![](https://infoingraph.com/infographic/the-many-famous-creases-of-a-stetson-hat_5029170ecf01e[1].webp)