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Making a Name Out West

Making a Name Out West

Through a series of the most fortunate events, I have landed into a life where we build a fence to last, a truck is a pickup unless it has 18 wheels, and a day on horseback beats just about anything else. Here is a glimpse of my life through my lens.

I wake up early every morning. A habit that I likely picked up from my dad. There is something inherently refreshing about the start of a new day. Catching the suns first rays in my cup of coffee gives me the fuel to make the day count.

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I walk fast, I wake up early, I drink coffee, and I have BIG dreams. Not the kind of dreams that would land me in a ritzy café in LA rubbing elbows with celebs…those are someone else’s dreams. My dreams are my own and are the right size for a girl with a last name no one out West really knows. They are the dreams of a girl who grew up with sandy toes and salty blonde hair but has her heart set on the West.

Shop the Tahoe Outdoor Hat.

I’m originally from Bellingham, Washington. A coastal city. I’ve made my way to De Beque, Colorado. Here, your family name means a lot to folks unlike where I’m from. It can be a blessing and a curse as it’s a tight-knit community and everyone knows everyone. Back home I am a Gerstenkorn, German in origin. Here, well, I’m not from these parts so people have a hard time pronouncing it. My blessings are many but I’ve had to make a name for myself out West, my family didn’t buy acreage from “Gus”, the local town landowner. It’s made me work harder and appreciate life deeper.

My continually restless heart has always been ready to wander West from the very moment I saw this country from under my sturdy Stetson and from in-between the ears of my horse. The next adventure is Wyoming.

Follow Lindsey Gerstenkorn’s adventures on Instagram here.

Photography for the last two images by @mariancole14

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Home with Cara Crossley and Open Road Florals

Home with Cara Crossley and Open Road Florals

Cara Crossley was born and raised in South Texas. Needless to say, she’s easily influenced by brilliant sunsets, the open road, and wild Texas tumbleweed. That loose, untamed, easygoing attitude comes to the forefront in all of her designs. They’re big, beautiful and striking on film. It’s no wonder, either, with a degree in photography Cara understands how life looks through the lens. She knows how to create florals with depth and character that won’t upstage an event but add to it in every way. This is her story with photography by Rowdy Dugan, Documentary & Lifestyle Photographer based in Marfa, TX.

I knew the first time I came to West Texas that this is where I belong. Things are slower around here.
I feel like I can breathe. Far West Texas always held a special place in my heart. I spent every birthday here for 5 years before moving to Marfa in 2015.

Much of my life involved styling for retail. I eventually hit a wall after almost a decade in managing clothing stores. At about the same time, I walked into my local flower shop and asked if they were hiring. They were, and it’s been my career ever since. Life is funny like that, ya know? I’ve always had a great love for plants and flowers. I’ve worked in floral design for 5 years now, specializing in destination weddings and large-scale installations.

I’m opening Open Road Florals because it’s time. I spend half the year on the road for destinations weddings. I want to pair that with working where I live. West Texas inspires me. I incorporate the natural elements of this landscape in my designs: textures such as grasses and tumbleweeds. I also draw inspiration from the spirit of Texas: my vibe is a combination of George Straits “Drinking Champagne” and Rocky Erickson’s “Starry Eyes”.

Stetson is part of the heritage I love. I got my first Stetson in my twenties. I feel most like myself wearing this hat (Vintage Tejano). I love the history that comes with Stetson. I have nine Stetsons. It makes me think about the legacy of Texans either hard at work or with humor–LBJ and his amphicar!

Shop a similar style here.

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Open Road Florals is about doing the work I love in the place I love. Open Road is also about being on the road. A big part of what I do involves travel. Work should be fun. I shake my boots out in the morning and thank my lucky stars.


 Follow Cara on Instagram at @unclecarl13 and Open Road Florals here.

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Discover the Desert

Discover the Desert

As a photographer, my experiences and memories on the road are the ones that stick around longest. I never imagined I’d see this much travel this early in my photography journey, but I am grateful for it. The road shapes you.

Recently, while traveling through the southwest, I brought a couple of Stetsons along for the journey.

This first leg of the trip brought me from Texas through New Mexico to a big off-road race in the California desert. The second half brought me through the Big Bend area of Texas.

I’ve come to appreciate the desert over these recent years of travel and these Stetson hats integrate with the landscape seamlessly. Everywhere I go I see them, and I’m always enamored with the personalities that choose to wear them. They tell a story.  I’ve grown fond of my ‘Open Road’ as I’ve found myself on the road more and more; I take it with me everywhere I go and I get compliments in every city.

I captured the hats in a way that reflects their storied history upon these locations. I typically photograph mountains, stars or vehicles and this was great to experience mixing in portraits while still trying to convey the magic and scale of the desert.

Models are Avonlea Villalobos and Aiden Franklin. Follow them here: @oneandonly_avonlea @aidenfranklin

Aiden wears a Stratoliner.

Nick Pacione is an explorer and photographer, documenting the landscapes of the world along with the tools used to navigate them. When he is not traveling in his Jeep or on his motorcycle, he is in the studio shooting for the agencies and brands that trust in him.  Follow him @nickpacione and visit his work at nick-pacione.com

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The Southern Route

The Southern Route

Frank Crowell drove the southern national wagon with a team of mules from Texas to Pennsylvania in 1976 to celebrate America’s Bicentennial.  The southern route of the Wagon Train Pilgrimage left Houston with 3 wagons on January 4th and arrived in Valley Forge to be part of the national celebration on July 4th.

Frank’s brother, Mike, saw an ad in the local newspaper and suggested that Frank apply to be a teamster and take advantage of being 26 and recently home from Vietnam.  As the wagon train traveled north, they picked up a wagon from each state and ended with about 60-70 wagons.  The southern route, one of seven, covered the most land miles – almost 2,000 miles in total. The biggest perk was meeting interesting people along the way, including Mooney Lynn who drove the Tennessee state wagon and became a friend.

*Frank Crowell pictured during the Bicentennial Wagon Train in 1976 (far right).


Frank states that the most eye-opening revelation was experiencing firsthand how our ancestors had to use that mode of transportation and how tough they had to be to survive.

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Being a part of this historical experience is something Frank says with pride was, “the chance of a lifetime.”

Frank is now retired and lives in a cabin he built.  He spends time with his cattle and his garden and says the best part of country living is being outside the city limits.


About Photographer: Kacie Newkirk is a freelance photographer based in Plano, Texas.  Frank Crowell is her Great Uncle who is featured in the story. Kacie focuses on capturing the spirit and uniqueness of Texas – the people, countryside, and southern way of life. Kacie enjoys traveling and documenting her adventures through the lens of her camera.

You can see more of Kacie’s photos at www.kacie-newkirk.squarespace.com.

Frank Crowell wears; Shasta 10X Premier Cowboy Hat, Classic Solid Snap Poplin Shirt, 1520 Fit Denim, and Sheridan Square Toe Hand Stitched Boots.

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Made of America – Our First Adventure

Made of America – Our First Adventure

This is the story of Photographer, Greg, and wife, Jill Pallante’s epic cross-country honeymoon road trip with Stetson along for the ride.

It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since Jill and I were married. It doesn’t seem like a long enough time for all of the things we’ve already shared. Looking back it was our first official act as husband and wife that really set the precedent. We planned and executed our entire wedding together and when the subject of a honeymoon came up she just shot those big brown eyes at me and offered, “You’ve always wanted to drive cross country and right now is as good a time as any.’  I thought about how lucky I was to have her in my life and the decision was made.

Anyone who’s driven coast to coast across the states knows it would take a lifetime to see it all but we did our best to take in as much as possible. I’d be remiss if I didn’t say these were the best three weeks of my life to that point.

We plotted our stops loosely between The Statue of Liberty and the beaches of San Diego favoring the southern states. We rented an American hybrid automobile and, like so many before us, we set out in search of our OWN American Story.

One of my favorite days we had on this trip was the one we spent exploring The Valley of the Gods. The sandstone valley just outside the town of Mexican Hat, Utah is a breath taking stretch of dirt roads ripe with ancient mesas, buttes, towers, and mushroom rocks. They all have fun names like Battleship Rock, Castle Butte, and Seven Sailors. We arrived just after sunrise and could barely drive ten feet without jumping out of the car to grab a few photos. A feeble attempt to bring it all home with us.

On her way back to the car Jill holds on tightly to her Stetson Explorer as the desert winds pick up.

Just up the road in Paige, Arizona lies Horseshoe Bend. This scenic overlook is just 5 miles downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam where the Colorado River makes such a dramatic turn that it almost appears to link a full circle. It is photographed a lot and though you’ve probably seen a photo like this before, none of them do it justice. If you ever have the chance take the hike in, park yourself on the edge, peer down on the miniature boats below, and feel the wind nearly take you away take it. You will not regret it.

Jill grabbed this cinematic shot of me looking out onto a valley in my Stetson Open Road. As the sun set on a cloudy afternoon the clouds took on an orangey glow.

We spent another notable day at Zion National Park scaling Angels Landing. The entire hike to the top is only 2.5 miles long but it ascends 1,500 feet onto a razor sharp hump back mountain ridge. We were warned that at least six people had died in the last few yeas attempting the hike and just last week I heard a thirteen year old girl fell to her death here. The hike is certainly no joke so if you do go take it seriously. I got the the top just as the sun was setting and got some great photos but in the end I prefer this view of the trail itself as a reminder to keep facing forward.

When you think of Route 66 you think of roadside oddities like this variant Muffler Man statue by artist Glenn Goode. He stands just down the storied highway from Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo Texas. Once riddled with bullet holes the statue was repurposed and erected at an RV park 2014. Like many Texans before him, The Second Amendment Cowboy, as he’s become known, is extremely fond of his right to bear arms.

Having grown up in New Jersey, I’ve got a special place in my heart for diners and diner culture. I may be a yankee through and through but I love southern biscuits and gravy. It’s become a quest in our travels to find the best in the country and though I’m not ready to hand over the crown to any contenders just yet, the historic Arcade diner in Memphis Tennessee is on the short list so far.

Some stretches of road offered only grazing horses and cattle for miles on end. What surprised us the most was how much we both enjoyed being in transit: taking in mile after mile of unfamiliar landscape, the anticipation of the next destination, and the search for local grub. The less attractive a place might seem to the everyday tourist the more the feeling of exclusivity and importance.

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‘Educational’ is an odd way to regard your honeymoon but we learned so much both about this country and about each other.


One of the many expressive rock formations you’ll find Within Lower Antelope Canyon in Paige Arizona.

Though the Stetson hat plant was not operating on the day we visited, we had the pleasure of meeting some of the designers and taking a tour of the facilities in Garland Texas. We learned all about the process of felting and the history of John B. Stetson who, much like us, left New Jersey in search of adventure.

Stetson, the son of New Jersey hatter, was diagnosed with tuberculosis in his youth and when doctors gave him only a short time to live he decided to venture west.

Stetson met and worked alongside ranchers, cowboys, and prospectors. The popular hat of the day was the coon skin which many complained stayed waterlogged or became infested with fleas. Stetson created a felt hat with a four-inch brim to keep sun and rain out of the eyes of the person donning it. The rest is history as they say. Pictured here is the El Presidente 100X Premier Cowboy Hat with custom carrying case.

The most memorable times often come from being open to unplanned experiences. Or at least that’s what I tell my wife when she says we could’ve planned things better. One day out of the week the famous Blue Bird Cafe in Nashville Tennessee sells tickets at the door. On this day the line stretched all the way down the road and the sun was blaring. We waited in the dry heat for upwards of three hours until the doors opened. We were literally the next two people on the line when someone came out to announce the place was at full capacity.

Upon being locked out of The Blue Bird we were told there were plenty of great places to catch a live show in Nashville. We ended up at a little honky tonk called The Stone Fox in East Nashville where we saw Chris Scruggs and his band perform their own mixture of bluegrass and early rock and roll. It was a night to remember.

In the third week, we reached San Diego where we basked in the sun and chilled out on the beach for a few days before hopping a flight back to Newark, NJ. If you’ve ever spent time in San Diego you know how close the airport is the city. It takes a few days to get used to the low flying roar overhead throughout the day but eventually you become accustomed.

No matter where we were on this trip we were together and there is something romantic about that. We continue to travel together whenever possible. This passed October, just days after returning from Hawaii, we found out that we will be welcoming not one but TWO baby boys to our family this June. The anticipation could not be more intense and we’re as excited about this new adventure together as we are thankful for all of the experiences we’ve shared.

My name is Greg Pallante and I am a commercial and lifestyle photographer in New York City. My wife Jill is a nurse in northern New Jersey.
I photograph people and tell stories with lifestyle energy.
Jill selflessly saves and/or improves lives.

We travel as much as possible and still love experiencing new cities and landscapes.

To see more of my work visit www.gregpallante.com or follow me at @gregpallante

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Interview with Meyer the Hatter: New Orleans

Interview with Meyer the Hatter: New Orleans

Meyer The Hatter  is the South’s Largest Hat Store. It was established in 1894 by Sam H. Meyer in the first block of St. Charles Avenue, in Downtown New Orleans. Originally called  Meyer’s Hat Box, the small shop prospered over the years by selling Stetson hats and men’s ties. 

 Expect to find good conversation, attentiveness and Meyer’s unique brand of hospitality.

What is your most popular Stetson style?  

During the spring, the Gulfport does really well for us! People love the safari shape that protects your face, neck, and ears. It comes in a light color straw with a universal black band that looks great on men and women alike. Sam Meyer, whose our 93-year old third generation patriarch, actually helped design it!

Would you say people are buying more hats than before?  

Hats have definitely seen a renaissance across the country, especially as it’s been taken on more by entertainers. But here in New Orleans, we’ve always been a hat wearing town, especially due to the heat and the springtime festival season. 

What hat faux pas do you see most often?  

We have a sign in the shop that reads: “No Pinching.” People are prone to picking their hats up by the crown instead of the brim. While it doesn’t automatically mean game over for your hat, it can definitely damage the shape of the crown over time. Further, if you do it enough to your straw hat, you can crack through the straw, leaving yourself SOL!

How has your store shaped New Orleans hat culture?  

Our store has been in operation for 124-years and we are lucky to have a loyal following amongst locals and visitors alike. We’ve outfitted everyone from bank Presidents to bank robbers. People know they can trust our expertise to help them find the correct piece of headwear because we’ve been doing it for generations.

What’s the best advice for a first-time hat buyer?

Wear the hat. Don’t let the hat wear you….And LOVE YOUR HATTITUDE!

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