The Top 10 Everything of 2009

What could more quintessentially signal a special feature on Texas style than a classic cowboy hat, in this case a 20X Resitol felt? (Take that, Stetson.) The beauty of this cover is its understated simplicity, rendering the white hat in subtle shades of gray to set it off against a paper-white background. Nothin' fancy here, including the typography — all the cover lines and the logo are either black or gray, preserving the palette of the photo. Sometimes the best covers look the simplest; this one conveys a confidence and ease that allows the cover to resonate by way of its familiarity with the magazine's readers. It's totally traditional, yet sleek and modern — probably the way Texas Monthly readers see themselves.