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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas has customarily recognized a |
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variety of official symbols as tangible representations of the |
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state's culture and natural history; and |
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WHEREAS, The heritage of the Lone Star State is closely |
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associated with images of cowboys and the western frontier, and |
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these elements inform several of the current Texas symbols, |
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including rodeo, the official state sport, and the longhorn, the |
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state large mammal; and |
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WHEREAS, A singular fashion associated with the American West |
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is the bolo tie, also known as the bola tie, which is distinguished |
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by its decorative clasp that fastens a length of cord or string; a |
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staple of the western-wear fashions sported by a large number of |
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Texans, the bolo tie conjures up the romance of the pioneer era and |
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speaks to the determination and independence that figure so |
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prominently in Lone Star lore; and |
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WHEREAS, Patented in 1959 by an Arizona silversmith named |
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Victor Cedarstaff, who was said to have gotten the inspiration for |
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the design while on horseback, the bolo tie has been traced to older |
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elements of ranching culture and the people of the western United |
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States; the name derives from the bola or boleadora--a lariat with |
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weights at the end that was used by South American cowboys to |
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ensnare cattle; stylistically, it is similar to the string or |
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plantation ties popular in the era when Texas was being settled, and |
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it also resembles a type of tie worn by Native Americans in the |
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early 1900s, which consisted of a bandanna or string fastened by a |
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silver concho ornament; and |
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WHEREAS, The bolo tie remains popular among many American |
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Indians, and intricate designs fashioned by Native American |
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craftspeople using silver, turquoise, and other materials stand as |
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some of the finest examples of bolo tie artistry; these factors make |
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the neckwear a poignant testament to this region's original |
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inhabitants and also to the many people of American Indian descent |
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who are today Texas residents; and |
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WHEREAS, A fashion accessory that can be personalized to |
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reflect the wearer's taste and interests, the bolo tie is well |
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matched to the individualism that is so much a part of the Texan |
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identity; in selecting or designing a clasp, bolo tie wearers are |
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able to express their personal flair; moreover, the selection of a |
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bolo over a standard tie can suggest that the wearer refuses to be |
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bound by convention and relishes the freedom to exhibit a |
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distinctive sense of style even as they maintain a dignified, |
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formal appearance; and |
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WHEREAS, The bolo tie symbolizes both the state's iconic |
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western culture and the originality of its residents, and it is |
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indeed appropriate that this handsome and unique apparel receive |
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special legislative recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby designate the bolo tie as the official State Tie of Texas. |