Whats Wild About Rags

Whats Wild About Rags

Susan Allen
Susan Allen

 

Barrel racers have their bling; crystal belts and studded halters. Bare back rider express their individuality through the tooling and dying of their chaps. Yet there is one piece of colorful cowboy attire that goes virtually unnoticed by the average joe, can you guess?  I’m Susan Allen I’ll be back with OpenRange. They come 30 by 30,  or 38 by 38, in a variety of colors and patterns. They’re designed to keep the dust and heat at bay but they’ve been used as hobbles, bandages, even  blindfolds for more than one wily  bronc.  A Wild Rag is simply a silk scarf but it is essential part of a cowboy’s   wardrobe.   With everything else in the west pretty darn tuff,  made from  leather, denim silver or horse hair it seems odd a silk scarf could merit such value. Here’ why.  Try it, pure silk is wonderful next to the skin, wicks heat in the summer and magically insulates in the winter. The ability to pull it up and breathe has saved many a cowboy tails during a dust storm. Polyester won’t  cut it. Wild rags must be silk, preferably China or Japanese Habotai for hot weather as it’s lighter and less expensive than Charmeuse used when working cattle in the cold. And they  are made using several different methods. The most prized are called Mascadas , squares from jacquard silk that are hand stitched and rolled taking up to four hours to make. If you’ve got it you’ve got to know how to knot it! Wild Rags are tied with the Four Square Buckeroo knot. A perfect collaboration of four tiny squares. It’s not easy.  The Windsor knot is a clip –on in comparison. Wild Rags cowboy  art and function.  I’m Susan Allen
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