A Brief Look Into The Legend And The Clothing Of Buffalo Bill Cody

When you think of the clothing of Buffalo Bill Cody, you may conjure up images of elaborate Wild West shows of a bygone era. These shows were very important to many people in that time. The Wild West shows allowed the spectator a chance to live the Old West vicariously through its participants. However, this is only a part of the story of William F Cody.
William entered this world from Iowa in the year 1846. By the time he is 11 years old he was herding cattle and working on a wagon train across the prairies. At the tender age of 13 William traveled to seek his fortune in the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. However, this did not turn out to be lucrative, so within a year he was riding horses on the famous mail delivery system known as the Pony Express.
Riding the Pony Express may seem like an exciting adventure to those with limited knowledge. In reality, it was an extremely hazardous job. One had no idea what kind of hidden danger lurked ahead, especially in the form of hostile Indians.
After a stint in the American Civil War, William took up the task of providing food for the United States army. This was done by hunting and killing the abundant buffalo living in the prairies. He is believed to have killed more than four thousand buffalo during a period of about eighteen months, and this was where he earned the nickname, "Buffalo Bill".
In 1868, William returned to what he did best, and was back to working as an army scout. In fact, he became chief scout. His brave exploits eventually earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. Although the medal was taken back, it was reissued to him, after consideration.
William achieved his notoriety through what was called the "dime novels" of the late Nineteenth Century. These Old Westnovels were gobbled up by people living in the East, as they were full of tales of excitement, adventure, and heroism.However, the authors of these novels often overlooked the fact that many of these adventures existed only within the vivid imaginations of motivated writers. Yet, this did not inhibit their popularity. In fact, they played a major role in enhancingthe romantic image of the Wild West.
By the time William ventured east to join a Ned Buntline Wild West show, he was already famous. Buntline was a well-known dime novel author of this time. This show was known as the "Scouts of the Prairie" and included famouspersonalities like Wild Bill Hickok. The shows traveled about thrilling audiences for an entire decade.
In 1883, William Cody decided to strike out on his own and started an elaborate extravaganza entitled"Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show". This was where the audience witnessed the Wild West coming to life right before their eyes. Williamsigned up Annie Oakley and he also employed one of the mostfamous and powerful Indian chiefs known, Sitting Bull.
Buffalo Bill can be seen with his fringed buckskin and wide brim hat at the Buffalo Bill Museum near Denver, Colorado. William's attire and all of the participants of his Wild West show brought a great deal of entertainment and realism to the people of the late 1800s and early 1900s. Not onlywas their clothing authentic, but so was the act. The audience could witness roping, riding and shooting, that could not be seen anywhere else. There also was an enormous cast featuring hundreds of participants. This was a circus like adventure on an amazingly large scale for this time period, and was seen in other countries also.
The clothing of Buffalo Bill Cody can be described as "ornate" and might beconsidered flashy by standards of years ago. However, it was the perfect addition to the legend. The sets and costumes are mostly responsible for the enormous amount of popularity that he managed to generate during his lifetime.
The clothing of Buffalo Bill Cody and the legend are so intertwined that they cannot be separated. If one is interested in obtaining realistic William Cody attire and becoming part of this legend, there are several online sources to check. Look for Victorian clothing or Old West clothing and you will find some excellent deals on clothes, boots, spurs, and all kinds of accessories.