If ever something could survive the unwelcoming heat of the American southwest it is fashion. Through inter-national lines and across the creative palates of the fast-paced trend setters in the United States most glamorous cities; fashion’s enigmatic transformation accommodates the many personalities and extreme climates in Arizona, New Mexico, SoCal, Oklahoma, and Texas.
So, let’s appreciate the taste of our fellow Americans, and dive deep into an oasis of vibrant patterns and western silhouettes
Manifest Destiny. Two eloquent words that spelled a future of ambition and redefined the American state of mind. When the Lewis and Clark expedition ventured out into the western horizon, they brought back trails and sketches of the world that awaited farmers, settlers, and miners if they faced the setting sun.
“As we passed on, it seemed those scenes of visionary enchantment would never have an end.” Meriwether Lewis, William Clark (2018). “The Essential Lewis and Clark”, p.197, National Geographic Books
And what became of these ventures was a new age in American fashion. In this dawning era where low-heeled shoes and thick clothing weren’t suitable in the blazing climate Mexican and European Influences rose to prominence.
The rapidly growing cattle industry in the west created a demand for durable footwear so, the vaquero boot with its high shaft and pointed toe provided the durability many sought. The need for a sturdy shoe also brought forth a requirement for heavy work clothing; Jacob W. Davis saw potential in high wasted overalls with reinforced seams and pockets; this innovation gave rise to the modern denim jean.
Of course, a vital piece of desert wear that cannot go unmentioned is the classic sombrero. A staple in the closet of vaqueros, these wide brimmed hats protected residents of the southwest from the unforgiving desert sun.
With an understanding of the rise of the west, lets emphasize the wild cultural moments and figures that standardized this ecstatic new form of adornment.
In the mid-20th century when Hollywood pictures were king and it’s stars lead entire cultural movements; the Western genre of film is what truly bled through the far corners of the United States. Household names, including Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russel, were stylized in western fashion for photoshoots that shaped fashion trends for decades after.
Singers like Frank Sinatra and actors like John Wayne gave a soundtrack and a face to the wild west. This stardom hardly died out in the coming years instead it found itself in a transformative phase.
“Courage is being scared to death… and saddling up anyway.” John Wayne, Carol Lea Mueller (2007). “The Quotable John Wayne: The Grit and Wisdom of an American Icon”, p.34, Taylor Trade Publications
In this era Dolly Parton, with her big hair and bedazzled bell bottoms, gave a new shape to the familiar silhouette of the west.
“It’s hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world.” Song: Tennessee Homesick Blues, Album: The Essential Dolly Parton, Vol. 1
Along with Cher and Sonny who combined the popular Bohemian style of the time with cowboy boots and fitted suits, this continuous celebration and incorporation of the desert soul defined Americana as the nation ventured into the 21st century.
In the early 2000s designer brands like Jean Paul Gaultier and Tommy Hilfiger featured cowboy cut shirts and the signature-pointed heeled boots that ran the past century. Of course, this led to their continuous appearance in the high-end fashion shows of brands like Chanel, Calvin Klein, and Louis Vuitton, some of which also adorned their models with large belt buckles and pieces of their own signature style.
The presence of turquoise jewelry—which was worn by Indigenous groups in the southwest like the Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni—in a number of these collections is also an artistic move that made ripples through the nation.
Once these accessories trickled downed to affordable stores the average American obtained and stylized them into more minimalistic and casual ways—a representation of the styles endurance through cultural shifts.
Beyond westward expansion the frontier opened the gates to a subculture so embedded into the National Identity of the United States that we still feel the tremors it caused in its wake to this very day. The wild west with all its transformation somehow defines itself with the remarkable ability to remain it’s classic, sturdy, self—and if that isn’t American then what is?
