The East Coast is credited with many fashionable pursuits and exploits, housing some of the greatest fashion schools, designers, and well-dressed residents in the United States. But when it comes to the classic American look inspired by the cowboys of old, the West Coast tends to reign supreme. After the release of the critically acclaimed film "Brokeback Mountain," a craving for no-fuss, down-home western apparel has inspired contemporary fashion designers to tap into a more rugged sensibility. The result over the past few years has been a swarm of oversized belt buckles, cowboy boots, embroidered snap button shirts, and other aspects of western wear similar to that worn so well by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal on the big screen.
After "Brokeback Mountain," fashion designers had a field day competing for the best vintage-inspired western wear looks they could muster. Ralph Lauren opened two new stores devoted to RRL--a line with a vintage western feel. Marc Jacobs also threw in his two cents, collaborating with Wrangler to reinvent several classic 1940s-era cowboy designs. But perhaps the most successful of all is the inventor of the western shirt himself, Jack Weil, who founded the Rockmount Ranch Wear store in Colorado, where the famous western shirts seen in "Brokeback Mountain" originated. This is the handsome, no-frills look that many people find perfectly suitable when it comes to western apparel. The fashion irony of it all is that two of the Rockmount shirts worn in the film sold on eBay for over one hundred thousand dollars. It just goes to show that some of the best trends in fashion are created without motives of becoming so widely popular.
What is the key to achieving a simple western look? As with any particular concept in fashion, the trick is to avoid over-styling. As a fashion savvy individual, your job is to read between the lines. Why is a particular style resurfacing? Why do so many people find it appealing? Clothing that feels authentic and true to a particular aesthetic are design traits that consumers seek, although they are also qualities that are difficult to define. Once you can define the core values behind a design or trend, you'll develop an understanding of why that trend came back, or why it never really went away to begin with. Usually the fashions that survive the test of time are the simplest of designs--like blue jeans or cowboy boots. Ride out the ebb and flow of trends with casual confidence by knowing what components of a trend are truly worth redeeming again and again.
Written by Kacy Suther. Brand name cowboy boots and western wear at The Boot Store online store for western apparel. Ariat boots, Justin boots more at western-wear-store.com