The changing fabric of cowboy fashion
Cowgirl Sass And Savvy

By Julie

Cowboy fashion. There was a time those words wouldn't go together. Today, it's all about "cowboy fashion."

If there is any place to see it all, it is the Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium.

Retro, geographical, theatrical or just in from the cattle pens, if you sit still long enough, you will see it all go by.

Like a slide-show of cowboy combinations - the denim, cotton duck, suspenders, high top boots, jingling spurs, ten-gallon hats, Wyatt Earp mustaches, and buckaroo wear - make an appearance.

Many are in "performer" style as they hit the music stage or stand before a chuck wagon fire and an array of cast iron pots. An equal number come dressed similarly because they think it is expected for the event.

We that are born to the simple country life, raised in the rural and have at one time or another tried to make our living off the land, are often critical of those who strive emulate us. When, I suppose, we should actually be flattered by the parody.

In the past five years, I've seen a trend in many a working cowboy, ranch or rodeo, to jump into the vogue mode previously seen most often at trade shows and Western events.

Boots come in as many different models as cars and trucks and like those vehicles, the owners find a favorite and hang onto it for the lifetime of the leather. Therein comes the variety seen during a short period of observance wherever they gather.

Pointed toes, high tops and tall heels, roper toe and low heels, spur ledge or none, squared-off toe, wing tip, fat-baby style (roper-look with a thick neoprene sole) in bright colors made of faux exotic leathers and lace-ups all find a place in America's closets.

I'd go so far as to wager 95 percent of them have never been baptized at the corral by horse or cow manure.

According to the Wrangler(r) Western Index, a study on Western culture commissioned by the Western apparel giant, three out of five men and nearly half of women would like to be cowboys for at least a day.

Dressing the Western way is a phenomenon all its own. There doesn't seem to be a dress code for what is "in fashion" or not and that allows for the colorful, entertaining visual array.

However, Wrangler offers a few basic guidelines for dressing cowboy with authenticity:

· Real cowboys want clothes that work as hard as they do - rugged jeans, durable shirts, and tough boots.

· Most cowboys wear round or square-toed boots (or a combination of both) as opposed to those with very pointy toes. Low-heeled ropers and lacers are as popular as the tall topped, tall-heeled variety - both for their comfort and functionality.

· Few things define cowboy-correctness like a properly placed hat. It should never be worn on the backside of the head with the brim facing up. Instead, cowboys slant their hats forward and wear them snug on the forehead. A good felt hat is a must for fall and winter and a straw hat should be worn for spring and summer.

· Starch is optional in today's world especially in hot climates, but many still wear heavily starched creased denim jeans and starched pressed-to-perfection cotton shirts. A rainbow of color and design has become part of the norm.

· Jeans should be long enough to "stack" on your boot. Nothing screams "tourist" louder than too-short jeans over cowboy boots.

· Jewelry is optional but for men, understated is the rule. A trend among the younger cowboys today is the vast assortment of chokers made of assorted hechi, small stones, leather, metal or a combination of it all.

And me?

Well, I still have to brush off my cowboy "shoes" before I head to civilization. Recently I was embarrassed to look down and see some "corral" evidence on the floor under my feet while I sat in the beauty shop for a hair upgrade.

At least it was genuine.

Visit Julie’s Web site and blog at www.julie-carter.com


THE ELBOW..

An Italian grandmother is giving directions to her grown
grandson Anthony who is coming to visit with his wife Maria.

"You comma to de front door of the apartmenta. I am inna
apartmenta 301 . There issa bigga panel at the front door. With
you elbow pusha button 301. I will Buzza you in. Come inside,
the elevator is on the right. Get in, and with you elbow pusha
3. When you get out, I'mma on the left. With you elbow, hit
my doorbell."

"Grandma, that sounds easy, but, why am I hitting all these
buttons with my elbow?"

"What . . . . . .. You coming empty handed?"