Western inspired clothing has been riding its way into everyday looks as well as in high fashion runways. Staple pieces such as fringed jackets, cowboy boots and bandanas have all made an appearance in mainstream fashion in the past year.

The western fashion trend is nothing new, it takes inspiration from the clothing worn in the 19th century Wild West and has been a phenomenon since. These styles were popularized by celebrities like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers in the 40’s and 50’s who sported western wear on the stage and influenced mainstream fashion to carry these looks. Recently there has been a resurgence of these kinds of looks and, similar to its initial popularization in the 40’s and 50’s, it’s yet again influenced by celebrities and the media.

Country-inspired artists have been influential in the outbreak of western fashion in recent years. Kacey Musgraves, Lil Nas X, and Orville Peck are all responsible for bringing these cowboy-inspired looks to mainstream clothing stores. What is unique about these varying artists is that, although they are all country-inspired, they are also influenced by pop music and a more mainstream energy. This platform allows them to actually have an influence on the fashion world because, unlike an artist that only sings country and dresses western because of where they come from, these are artists who have an influence on pop culture and who use western wear to promote their brand.

The Western wear explosion came shortly after Lil Nas X released his tap and country fusion song Old Town Road in 2019. Being that this song became a viral phenomenon and it blew up in the media, so did the fashion aspect. Fringe, bell bottoms, and cowboy hats all quickly became popular items and staples in the latest fashion trends. In similar ways, Kacey Musgraves and Orville Peck brought their own twists on country music and resurfaced older western wear in modern fashion.

This hype was not only popularized through musical artists but also through other forms of media. A clear influencer was the movie A Star is Born, released in 2018. The movie follows actors Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper who are major celebrities that carry a hefty amount of influence. The movie is a love story about country singer Jackson Maine and struggling artist Ally, which had great success and with this came the western wear that was shown throughout the movie. That Halloween many dressed in cowboy hats and other cowboy-inspired items to emulate looks from the movie, this of course carried into the mainstream fashion world as well. It has everything to do with who popularized the trend being that country singers have always worn western inspired clothing, but have not made a dent in the fashion world any time recently. The media has a great effect on how things are popularized and this is no different in the resurgence of western wear. Only time will tell how much longer low waisted jeans and flannels will be considered fashionable - until then it’s all fair game.

Western Fashion Rides Into Mainstream