Cowgirl Apparel

Some of my latest musings have been on the attire related to the western horse person. I saw one of the local “cowboys” at the gas station today, he was driving a Ford Escort and stepped out to pump gas wearing a starched western shirt, cowboy hat, boots, spurs, and nasty-tight Wranglers. I quickly averted my gaze and drove away.

What is it that makes people dress uncomfortably? When your clothing is as uncomfortable to wear as it is uncomfortable for others to look at, something needs to change! I understand there is a strong urge to “be who you are”, and I guess when you’re a professional horse trainer, you might feel the need to look the part. But I have to say that unless you’re sponsored by Wrangler or Cinch jeans, nobody’s dictating to you what you have to wear.  You can find riding boots, equestrian clothing, and horse riding clothes that are comfortable without looking overdone.

One of the best horsemen I know of trains horses in a ball cap, t-shirt, relaxed jeans, and worn boots. And as soon as he steps off the horse, he changes into sandals.  Long ago I cleaned stalls for a woman who had six AQHA world championships in trail and western pleasure, but always rode in her white Reeboks except for when she was showing.

My dad lives out in real cowboy country. He belongs to a grazing association with a lot of other local ranchers, and every spring they have a big all-day cattle drive up into the mountains to summer pasture. My dad will saddle up with the same old roping saddle he’s ridden all of his life, dressed in a long sleeved snap front shirt that’s about worn through, dusty boots, and a Pioneer seed corn cap on his head. But most of the other riders will be dressed to the hilt—big ol’ horn on their saddle, three inch ring snaffle bit, flat-topped vaquero-style hat, vests, and wild rags. And don’t forget the cowdogs trailing along behind them. They do make for some neat photographs, with the cow herd and mountain scenery as a backdrop. But it doesn’t mean they’re better riders than Dad.

See, you can have all the style in the world, but it doesn’t have anything to do with what kind of rider you are. Clothes don’t make a horseman. Me, I’m all about comfort, really. Mostly the comfort of my bank account, really—because I would definitely upgrade my style if the funds to accomplish that were not an issue. But it really doesn’t matter if I have on a pair of $500 boots or just my grubby tennis shoes. There’s still a lot of barn work to be done, and I may as well be comfortable while doing it.

So I made up some different styles of women’s western clothing, and you can decide which category you fit in.

The Show Queen
This shirt alone retails for $4,995. I don’t see what’s so special about it, but if you’re going to the top of the show circuit, I suppose it plays a big part. It baffles me how people brag about their horse’s performance record and how they’ve won over $10k. I always want to ask them how much it actually cost them to get there. You’re definitely just paying for the experience and the fame of winning, because you never make money in the horse industry. (Well, most likely never….)

The Farm Girl
I used to dress a little like this back in the old days, minus the mom-jean Wranglers. Growing up my mother insisted that we always wore cowboy boots when riding. She said our foot could slip through the stirrup and we’d be drug to death if we didn’t. (Well, I had my foot slip through the stirrup even with cowboy boots on, but thankfully I had a calm old horse, and that’s a different story, anyway.) But the boots were part of my riding wardrobe until I grew up and left home, and they were usually some nondescript hand-me-downs from one of my sisters.

The Sassy Cowgirl
This is the current trend I see a lot of today. You gotta have the latest t-shirt with the coolest design and smartest saying, and your jean pockets have got to have thick white embroidery or rhinestones on them. The boots that match this style are the “fat baby” kind, a look that I disliked at first, but have to admit is slowly growing on me the more I see them. The soles are thick and the tops are short, giving the whole boot the appearance that it was designed for a toddler. But because of that, they’re kind of cute.

The Bare Bones
This style is what you throw on when you aren’t thinking about it. You’re headed to the barn and there’s no one but the horses that are going to be judging you.   It’s just a plain old t-shirt, any old jeans that fit, and a pair of worn out running shoes. This is my favorite look because it’s my favorite feeling. It’s comfortable,  handy, and realistic. A far cry from the $5000 shirt.

So what category do you fit into? Or do you have a style all your own? I love watching people and seeing what they choose to wear, but sometimes they make me wonder at their motivations. I think if your outfit doesn’t have merits like comfort, purpose, and suitability, you shouldn’t walk out of your house in it. Maybe that motto would help give everyone a better day!

Tagged as: country lifestyle, cowboy boots, cowgirl apparel