‘1923’: Harrison Ford’s Hat Was the Hardest Costume Piece to Nail

Harrison Ford stars as Jacob Dutton in the new Yellowstone prequel, 1923. The Taylor Sheridan series follows the early 20th-century Duttons as they deal with Western expansion, prohibition, and the Great Depression. As a period piece, the series required even more attention to detail and costuming. The most difficult article of clothing to nail may come as a surprise.

Janie Bryant worked on costumes for ‘1883’ and ‘1923’

Costume designer Janie Bryant worked on the first Yellowstone prequel 1883. Bryant had her work cut out for her, transforming not just the Duttons back to the 19th century but hundreds of extras as well.

“On my first episode, I probably had a thousand extras. And, of course, designing the principal cast,” Bryant told The Hollywood Reporter while speaking about 1883.

The costume designer paid close attention to detail, telling stories through the outfits. Bryant told THR that she wanted the Duttons to look “well-dressed and prepared for this journey. It’s like the whole family really had no idea of what they were getting into. So, they prepared as best they could.”

On the other hand, Sam Elliott’s character Shea Brennan had a very different look. “He’s lost everything,” she told THR. “Just being in the long johns, the suspenders, the trousers, the boots. Just bare-bones and vulnerable.”

Bryant tried around 75 hats on Harrison Ford for his ‘1923’ character

Janie Bryant thankfully returned to handle costumes for the prequel series. Bryant especially put a lot of work into finding the perfect hat for Harrison Ford. Bryant told Variety that she tried around 75 hats on the seasoned actor. “It’s all about his hat,” she told the outlet.

“We made so many for him. All the different colors — trying the different creases, the different brims, the different crown heights. It was definitely a process,” Bryant continued. “Taylor is also very specific about the kind of hat that he likes, too. There was a lot of collaboration with Taylor, with Harrison, and myself to create what I call the ‘Jacob.'”

Jacob is the brother of James Dutton and the patriarch of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch in 1923. Jacob lives in Montana with his wife, Cara. His oldest nephew John also lives on the land with his wife, Emma, and son, Jack.

‘1923’ is the story of the Dutton family’s survival

The Dutton family history picks up forty years later with the upcoming prequel 1923. Jacob Dutton now manages the family’s land in Montana during a period of Westward expansion and prohibition.

“We’re going to see people who we didn’t know about come into the universe, and we are going to recognize certain characters who are now members of the present-day ‘Yellowstone’ family,” Sebastian Roché, who plays Father Renaud in the series, told Variety. “In 1883, you saw the genesis of the Dutton family. This is the survival of the family.”

1923 premieres Sunday, December 18, 2022, on Paramount+.