Call it Texan girl, or cowboy cool; the western wearing trend has arrived. From Beyoncé’s new country single (with its matching reinvention of the red carpet) to catwalk interpretations at Louis Vuitton and Molly Goddard: new references can be found everywhere in pop culture.
Born in the wild North American West, cowboy duds are nothing new: they’ve been around for almost 200 years. “Whether it’s on a ranch, at a festival or walking the streets of London, the western look is a trend that’s coming back again and again,” says Marcus Fairfax Fountaine, co-founder of Norfolk-based brand Fairfax & Favor.
So, if you’re a cowboy-curious city dweller, how do you go “to the country” without looking like you’re the hired entertainment at Lottie’s eighth birthday party?
I spent the summers of my youth wearing a name tag that said “Howdy!” How can I help you?” at a rodeo and country music festival in my hometown of Calgary, Canada, I happened to get a little practice in this arena. My wardrobe is littered with boots, bolo-ties and rigged belts – but instead of these pieces languish in my wardrobe now that I live in London, I find ways to integrate them into my city style.
Elle Macpherson is a celebrity pin-up who has found the right balance. She paired her pearly white boots from Milanese atelier Paris Texas with a more subtle fringed skirt from Melbourne label Clea, giving a masterclass in interpreting the trend without looking like you’re wearing a fancy dress costume.
Combining the ‘country queen’ trend with some style principles of ‘quiet luxury’ works well. Real Western people know how to buy natural and breathable leather, such as cotton, as well as sustainable leather. Inherited and satisfyingly worn, like vintage. The kind of quality style principles that anyone, anywhere, can work with.
Whatever your style, these are the top four Western items I’d recommend you try.
The boots
Western-style boots are the easiest way to incorporate a little rodeo flair into your wardrobe. A pointed toe enhances jeans, a styling trick that Katie Holmes used to parade through the streets of New York.
If you’re looking for an authentic Western label, Alberta Boot Company has created custom pairs for King Charles and the Prince and Princess of Wales, while Texas-based City Boots gives classic silhouettes a flirty treatment with candy-colored colors.
For the best of British and American, Penelope Chilvers has been making top quality Western styles for years: “Our British customers love wearing them around town or in the country and our American customer says they are the softest, lightest and most comfortable boots they have ever seen. have made. ever worn,” she says.
Handmade Leather, £1,041, Brother Vellies; Silver Leather, £269, Penelope Chilvers
Isabel Marant Suede, £264.60, Cloakroom; Leather Lightning, £1,326, City boots
The western shirt
“I like frills!” announces Ryan Gosling as Ken in the Barbie movie, as he steps into the California sun with his glorious white wingspan. Cowboy Ken may be just a character, but his shirt is very real and can be purchased from Hollywood-based brand H Bar C.
Although Western shirts, with all their campy piping and rhinestone embroidery, can become more kitsch than cool. Counter this by pairing the shirt with an understated bottom half: black denim or a monochrome skirt and sleek leather boots will do – they don’t have to be of the cowboy variety.
Much of modern Western style is influenced by North American native cultures, and that includes the geometric patterns and beaded designs. Look to Ralph Lauren’s collaboration with Naiomi Glasses, a 24-year-old Navajo textile artist and designer, for an indigenously designed piece to cherish for years to come.
Cotton-linen blend with calico print, £319, Polo Ralph Lauren x Naiomi glasses; Tencel lyocell, £165, Nudie jeans
Lemaire Cotton Silk and Linen Blend, £495, Net-a-Porter; Saint Laurent Print Shirt, £285.60, Cloakroom
Suede zip top, £295, Fairfax & Gunst
The jeans
It’s simple: choose a bootcut or wide-leg jeans. A true cowboy would never be caught with his jeans tucked into his boots – it cuts off the line of your legs and makes them appear shorter. But when skinny jeans were in their heyday, it was more common for women to wear their boots on the outside.
At the Dior Paris Fashion Week show, creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri flawlessly executed the correct proportions as she stepped onto the catwalk to take a bow. The TelegraphLisa Armstrong was there and saw that Chiuri was wearing “jeans, a black cashmere sweater, and the most perfect black cowboy boots I have ever seen.” All Dior.”
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can literally get on board with the trend and try ‘horseshoe’ jeans, a rather avant-garde, convex silhouette worn by the likes of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and the social media set.
High Waist Slim Flare Jeans with Front Crease, £39.50, Marks & Spencer; Citizens of Humanity horseshoe jeans, £350, Selfridges
Wide leg studded jeans, £198, Reform
Put some border around it
This is a strong appearance. Wear something with fringes and you’ll instantly get a cowgirl look – you don’t need to add anything else. Suede is the most typical material for fringed garments, but if you want to make a glitzy statement that Dolly Parton herself would be happy with, check out South London label KNWLS – they have a great fringed dress in their spring collection -summer 2024. For those who want less commitment but still want to experiment with some Parton-esque ritz, fashion rental platform Hurr has a rhinestone cowgirl minidress from Nadine Merabi for a fraction of the price.
For a more casual, everyday style, Chemena Kamali’s debut collection for French fashion house Chloé put a Parisian spin on the look with shimmering fringed blazers and flowy open-toed heels. Back in Blighty, Fairfax & Favor’s new Western line is also being enthusiastically fringed: “We wanted to emphasize the dynamic movement of the pony as a focal point,” says Fairfax Fountaine. “[The collection] takes equestrian-inspired fashion to the next level, combining country and western influences with our signature, classic British silhouettes.”
Wool jacket, £250, Balzac
Suede embroidered jacket, £350, Rixo
Suede jacket, £450, Puzzle
Suede bag, £295, Fairfax & Gunst; Beaded bag, £100, Rixo