The Evolution Of Western Fashion

The bright colors, crazy prints, sequins, wild hats, embroidery, high-waisted jeans, the abundance of fringe, bell-bottoms, and so much more is now something that frequently appears on the rodeo scene. But, if you really stop and think about it, hasn’t it always?

The girls from back in the day donned fringe and sequins quite frequently. If you look at today’s outfits, they’re really not all that different! Sure, we’ve gone through different phases and drastically different ways of styling throughout the decades, and it definitely can’t be argued that some staple pieces have had their day above others. However, many pieces have come back around.

Old clothing is being pulled out of mama and grandma’s closets and up-cycled. Rockies and fringe are sought after, maybe even more so than they were in the 90’s. Women actually have a selection of hats once again, which is something that sat on the back burner for quite a while.

The ladies of the western industry are looking back for inspiration, and it’s wonderful! Can you imagine what would happen if we started looking backward for other inspirations, advice, and thoughts?

1940’s – Dale Evans always has been and always will be an icon in the western industry. She was the “It Girl” of her time and it’s not hard to see why. She looked the part in her fringe, skirts, and sequins and was every bit the lady that we could all hope to be.

1950’s – Oh the 50’s! You might normally think of poodle skirts, neck scarfs, greasers, and bowling shoes, but not necessarily if you’re rocking the cowgirl style. What is that I spy? Neck scarfs, cuffed…Levi’s, and more hats! Here we see the rise of yoked shirts and so much more.

1960’s – Streamlined and classic is what I get out of this picture…but you simply cannot miss that yoked shirt, smiley pocket, embroidery, and fringe! Let’s face it, fringe was everywhere several decades ago, took a little break, and now it’s everywhere again. And embroidery is starting to get more and more prominent in clothing, accessories, and even on shoes and boots!

1970’s – Things calmed down in the 70’s…a bit. Simple looks with accessories became a point of style…still not all that different from looks you see today. Ripped jeans, solid tees, and jewelry galore is common anywhere you go now. And you can’t forget bell-bottoms! The 70’s were primetime for this flared favorite. Their popularity didn’t last very long back then, but thankfully they’ve found their way back to us!

1980’s – Name someone with more sass? I’ll wait! Sissy pulled this look off like nobody’s business back in the 80’s! Showing a little skin, but still able to kick up the dust in her boots and jeans in a no-nonsense kind of way makes her my kinda girl!

1990’s – Man! I feel like a woman in these clothes! Rockies, crop-tops, red boots, blazers, concho belts, and BIG hair were all a staple. Oh wait….I wear that today! Sure, it’s mixed in and out with other pieces, but I still get my Shania on from time to time. Rockies are now found on resale for $40 and upwards, they didn’t even cost that much when they were originally released! Colored boots have also made a comeback, thank goodness!

2000’s – In the early 2000’s, burnout shirts, low-rise jeans, and chunky jewelry were all the rage. Catalog pages like the ones shown here were covered in Swarovski and Gypsy Soule. While that brand is hard to come across today since they’re not made anymore, sparkles and shine are still a popular embellishment.

Now – Today’s fashion is a melting pot of absolutely everything. We’ve drawn inspirations from each and every decade, added our own flare, put our own spins, and wear it with the confidence of Dale herself.

The outfit on myself on the far left has a hat with a brim you might find in the 1920’s, an aztec pattern shirt that screams 1990, a solid tee that Emmylou might have donned in the 70’s, a fringe skirt that I bought with Dale and her 1940 fringe on my mind, and colored boots that make me wish I was Kelly Kapowski.

Beautiful Bobbi, pictured in the middle, has brought back the buckstitched embroidery and smiley pocket influence of the 50’s, a high-waisted vibe from 1990, and her own personal shine that she carries everywhere.

I think Shaley and Cayden, on the far right, have pulled from every decade possible. They’ve got 1940’s fringe, 1950’s cuffs, 1960’s hats, 1970’s sleeves and bells, 1980’s attitude, 1990’s high-waisted jeans, upcycled booties that can only be found today, and a classic overall look that will never go out of style.

The important thing to remember about clothing, is that it’s an outward reflection of who you are on the inside. Trends come and go, and some are more liked than others, but as long as you remain your beautiful, classic, one-of-a-kind self, you’ll be just fine.

Look at Dale. Sure, she was a little shinier than normal back in the day, but she’s still one of the most inspiring women in history.

Be your own kind of Dale.