The fashion community has been hit hard by a nostalgia reserved for a certain kind of America. One that was simpler, wilder and full of hopes and dreams. Before the Internet captivated the world. Since we can’t return to that era, we can at least live out the fantasy by dressing like it. Urban country western looks have been popping up in the most unexpected places lately. With themes and motifs pillaged from the wild west, cowboy/cowgirl meets luxury fashion and streetwear this season.
Cowboy boots, stiff denim, contrast stitching, boot-cut jeans, and oversized embellished belts meet modern technology. Black fringed leather jackets and prairie girl-inspired patterned dresses pair with cow print, artisan leathers, and cowboy shaped hats. To confidently avoid looking like Woody from Toy Story, the trick is to not wear more than two pieces at a time, mixing it with modern streetwear. It’s an entirely new riff on the workwear trend and a comfortable weekend-appropriate backcountry aesthetic.
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The modern cowboy boot initially made a cameo in defunct luxury streetwear label Hood By Air’s SS17 collection during New York Fashion Week, but it was Raf Simons’s debut FW17 collection for Calvin Klein that put cowboy boots on the radar among the high fashion crowd. The collection featured all of the key western staples in unexpected modern cuts and colorways. Raf Simons’ cowboy aesthetics are part of an exploration of the dark side of Americana. The garments reference Richard Prince’s art, which reworks the Marlboro Man advertisements, and is no wholesome stars-and-stripes celebration. It’s a representation of the American man that was about individuality and a sense of adventure, a dream that is essentially hollow. Calvin Klein’s recent SS18 collection was genuinely scary. Inspired by horror films, the cowboy boots’ peeked out from beneath satin trousers and were covered in blood-like splatters.
Though Raf Simons is mostly credited with bringing the new wave of country western fashion to the masses, cult-favorite London based designer, Ashley Williams deserves equal credit as she also incorporated cowgirl aesthetics into her street savvy FW17 collection. Her models were draped up in gothic cowboy hats, fringe bralettes, cow print, artisan leather crop tops, and futuristic sweatshirts that read “misery”.
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On the music end of the spectrum, there has also been a recent interest in country aesthetics. Of course, there has always been a Fun fact– Thierry Mugler’s western-themed SS92 collection featured the legendary Ivana Trump on the catwalk. Very interesting that country aesthetics would be back in style as Donald’s presidency has affected fashion politics quite a bit in the last couple of years. Maison Margiela’s FW17 collection featured cowboy boots that were deconstructed, as though the boot’s shaft had been torn off and accessorized with delicate diamond spurs. Alberta Ferretti went for the double effect, layering on two different styles of diamond embellished oversized belts.
Peter Max and Wrangler Jeans under-the-radar 2017 collaboration is chock-full of Western-inspired pieces. They’re probably not fit for the saddle but perfect for exploring the arguably wilder frontiers of modern city streets. New York-based luxury brand, Santa Monroe, has been creating workwear-rooted country style jackets and trousers by applying western fringe on the arms of hoodies and legs of leather pants to create an angelic wing-like effect. From the brown leathers used by Versace to the softer textures used by Miu Miu and Chloe, wild west meets the grassland prairies for this all-American aesthetic.
@abelljoka
Commercial cowboy/girl style blends with new Americana looks for a modern, minimalist take on typical Western attire. Classic items such as Western shirts, high-waist jeans and shearling jackets are elevated through refined detailing and contemporary cuts. Tailoring and a smartened-up approach play a key role, with buttoned-up shirting and tucked-in styling making this look right for contemporary customers. Boxy cuts and large-scale placement embroideries transform traditional Western shirts for the contemporary customer. Novelty rodeo motifs bring a playful element to the country theme, with localized placements on elbows and the chest. Boxy cuts offer a more contemporary shape for menswear, while women’s silhouettes make use of fitted bodies and gentle balloon sleeves.
Travis Scott’s 2014 Days Before Rodeo album was one of the most significant recent markers of hip hop’s newfound interest in cowboy aesthetics. Ashton Traitor pulls off a variety of highly fashionable looks, most recently being spotted in a full rodeo getup holding a busted California license plate. Underground musicians, Gravelust and Lil Racecar have been making “cowboy music” under the pseudonym, OutWest. Along with their gang of producers and friends, they have been sporting a whole slew of fresh cowboy hats, boots, and buttoned up shirts tucked in to reveal lavish western style belts. You would never guess that they are recording electronic music on their computers. It looks like they’ve arrived straight out of an old western film but somehow have been photographed and uploaded to social media.
@lil_racecar
Country western style is a refreshing, spur of the moment trend that allows us to temporarily separate and detatch from the cyber faux-reality of social media culture and focuses on presenting a return to reality. As questions around American identity become more complex than ever, cowboy/cowgirl aesthetics open up a space to reflect on classic ideals of our country and what has become to modern American dream. A playful, nostalgic cousin of the workwear utilitarian trend and arch nemesis of the futuristic trends, classical western wear doesn’t follow seasonal cycles that come and go. Western wear is traditionally based on making successful, well-made products that have extremely long life cycles and are made for rugged wear. If you’re looking for utilitatian workwear with a bit of nostalgic flair, the country western trend may be your rodeo for this season.