Jack A Weil CPR Colorado Post Card

Colorado Public Radio just began a reoccurring vignette featuring Papa Jack Weil, our founder who led the company until age 107 years old. These historical "postcards" are a special honor given to leading Colorado figures. He was a visionary who came up with Western shirts as we know them, creating a fashion identity for Westerners, now popular around the world. Papa Jack was our family's fond patriarch so its nice when others appreciate his story and impact. Link: https://www.cpr.org/show-episode/papa-jack-weils-western-shirt/

Colorado helped stitch the legacy of cowboy style in Denver. In the 1940s, Western shirts evolved from rugged leather to breathable cotton, and their design followed suit. Longer tails kept shirts tucked in in the saddle, while pointed yokes added strength across the shoulders. But it was a garter salesman, Papa Jack Weil, who made the Western shirt an icon. He introduced pearl snap closures, easy to rip open if caught on barbed wire or a steer's horn. Plus, cowboys no longer had to fuss with needles and buttons. Papa Jack also added pocket flaps, popularized the bolo tie and turned Western wear from work necessity to worldwide fashion statement. Papa Jack established Rockmount Ranch Wear in Denver, ran it for decades. "The West is not a place," he liked to say. "It's a state of mind," an attitude he held to the age of 107.

By Gillian Coldsnow