Rereading the thread, I do note an "unfinished" bit of information:

No, no. It's not the boots -- it's what's on the boots. Walmart cowboys don't walk around in corrals or feedlots.

Since even a plastic cowboy can buy a pair of boots, the real key to telling a real cowboy, as most commonly stated here by the few who still know, is:

          "The shit's on the OUTSIDE of the boots."

My old 'un pictured (at a link) 'way back near the beginning of the thread is now another year+ older, but still in use. I'm still looking for a decent replacement (or addition) but unable to find anything in the local market other than "party hat" throwaways and "novelties." We have a specialist "hatter" in town, but he knows his market, and can't really afford to stock "real hats" - so he's no help for those of us who want something for daily wear; and the places that actually do have anything that might last more than 30 minutes out of the store have only the broad-brimmed high-crown "cowboy" styles. While some that they stock could be worn by a workin' man (or lady) I'm not a "cowboy" - real or imitation - and don't need/want that kind of hat. So my couple of survivors will just have to continue to display their growing "character" for now. The three that survive (one now about 26 years old) look definitely like an "Indiana Jones" at the end of the movie.

John