What Did Old West Cowboys Wear: Fashion Of The Wild West (2024)

FAQs

What did cowboys wear in the Wild West? ›

With slight individual and regional differences, the basic Old West cowboy attire the wide-brimmed hat, an ordinary shirt worn beneath a cowboy vest and waistcoat, the cotton or wool trousers, covered halfway with the leather chaps, the distinct tall boots with spurs, and the oversized silk handkerchief worn around the ...

Western wear typically incorporates one or more of the following, Western shirts with pearl snap fasteners and vaquero design accents, blue jeans, cowboy hat, a leather belt, and cowboy boots.

From the mid 19th century to the 1880s, the pants that most cowboys wore were known as “California style,” because they were fashioned after the California vaqueros (the Mexican cowboys). These pants were made out of wool and designed with a tight waist and loose-fitting bottoms.

Jeans. All traditional Wild West cowboy outfits use jeans as the pants. This material was made popular at the end of the 19th century. Likewise, it was common to wear denim shirts.

American pioneer cowboys usually wore loose cotton shirts and wool trousers, vests with pockets, and canvas or wool jackets for warmth. They usually wore chaps, though the original style was closer to a loose pair of leather pants than the batwing style we see in Western movies.

Most women wore ankle to floor-length skirts and dresses made in gingham and calico even when they were riding, roping, or branding cattle. Riding skirts, skirts designed to help women ride astride, were split up the middle and similar to pants or skorts.

Pioneer Women Were All About Layers

Womenswear in the late 1800s was all about layers. In addition to the overdress of gingham, calico, or wool, a pioneer woman wore a linen petticoat, an apron, and a shoulder kerchief. She may also have worn a warm shawl or a coat in colder weather.

The original coat worn by cowboys in the Wild West was the duster coat – a light, loose, and long coat usually made of canvas or linen.

So Levi's® made the most of this and adopted the cowboy as a symbol. These tough pants became recognized as Western attire.

What kind of boots did cowboys wear in the 1800s? ›

One mass-produced boot style, the Wellington boot, (a shorter but cavalry-oriented boot) was popular with cowboys in the US until the 1860s. During the cattle drive era of 1866–1884, the cowboy was apt to ruin a good pair of dress boots while working, so some owned more decorative dress boots to wear in town.

Old West Cowboys were known for their flamboyant style. They wore brightly colored shirts, neckerchiefs, and bandanas. Their pants were usually made of denim or leather, and they favored high-heeled boots, vests, wide-brim hats, and spurs.

Blue jeans became synonymous with cowboys once they became mass-produced and affordable enough for them to shuck their wool, cotton, or even second-hand military uniforms from the American Civil War.

Chaps are intended to protect the legs of cowboys from contact with daily environmental hazards seen in working with cattle, horses and other livestock. They help to protect riders' legs from scraping on brush, injury from thorns of cacti, sagebrush, mesquite and other thorny vegetation.

The word “chaps” is the generic term used to refer to the piece of leather a cowboy or cowgirl wears over his or her jeans.

There are various kinds of casual western outfits for women, significant of them are: bodycon dress, A-line dress, wrap dress, Maxi dress, Slip dress, Halter-neck dress, co*cktail dress, Tube dress, summer dress, and Asymmetrical dress. For a boy, these are jeans, shirts, jackets, cowboy cuts, retro, and workwear.

Denim or plaid, snap pockets, fringe and embroidery are just a few Western top staples. If you're going for classic cowboy (think: Roy Rogers), go for a Western dress shirt with detailed embroidery or Western yokes.

While this unique piece of fabric goes by many names — bandana, kerchief, mascada (scarf, in Spanish), or buckaroo scarf — I call mine, a “wild rag.” They were and still are one of the most valuable tools of a cowboy. And, even though they go by a lot of different names, one thing is certain.

Wearing your denim inside your boots is a stylish move, but it started out as a practical one. 19th-century frontiersmen and cowboys would tuck their pants into their boots to keep them free of debris and prevent them from snagging on brush when they rode their horses.

If you take a look at old west Cowboy pictures from the 1930s and 1940s you will notice that they're most of the time wearing pairs of jeans with huge cuffs. Cuffing jeans was something common back in the days, but they didn't do it as a 'fashion statement'.

What did saloon girls wear in the Old West? ›

Saloon girls wore brightly colored ruffled skirts that were scandalously short for the time – mid-shin or knee-length. Under the bell-shaped skirts could be seen colorfully hued petticoats that barely reached their kid boots that were often adorned with tassels.

The wild rag was historically worn by cowboys and cowgirls; as far back as the 1800's. The primary use was protection from the cold, dirt, sun and wind. Way back when, these scarves were made out of anything a cowboy could find to cut and tie around his neck.

Cowboy bandanas go by many names, bandana, mascada (scarf, in Spanish), kerchief, or buckaroo scarf. Bandanas have always been one of the most valuable tools of a cowboy. Even though they go by a lot of different names, one thing is certain- no real cowboy in the old west would work without his cowboy bandana.

Necklines were high and sleeves were form-fitting and tight. To top it all off, women's fashion in the 1880s was highly decorative. Ruffles, pleats, and draped fabrics were staples in fashionable dresses. Accessorizing the dresses, women typically wore boots, bonnets, and hats, often decorated with lace and ribbon.

Gowns had low necklines and very short, off-the-shoulder sleeves, and were worn with short (later mid-length) gloves. Other characteristic fashions included a velvet ribbon tied high around the neck and trailing behind for evening in a similar style to Georgian era fashion (the origin of the modern choker necklace).

With limited access to trading posts or stores, pioneer families produced much of their everyday clothing. Even in larger cities, ready to wear, or “store bought” clothing did not exist until the early 20^th century. All clothing was made to order by a tailor, seamstress, or the women of the family.

Cowboys' shirts were usually cotton with long sleeves to protect from the dangers on the range: sun, sand, thorny shrubs and cranky heifers. The Cotton Bib Shirt is an iconic and practical look for any cowboy.

Buckskin jackets, often dyed and elaborately detailed, are a staple of western wear and were a brief fad in the 1970s.

At night they soaked their bed sheets in water and went to sleep. Many slept outside to take advantage of the wind. During the day, Westerners often took a nice, refreshing dip in irrigation ditches or canals. And they had access to ice—ice plants were around by the 1870s.

Regardless, Wranglers are the jeans most real cowboys wear. But many other brands are popular among rodeo riders, working cowboys, and cowgirls, including Levi's, Cinch, and Ariats.

Why do cowboys wear Levis? ›

After receiving complaints from miners that the weight of gold nuggets was causing pockets to rip, Levi Strauss added copper rivets that hold the pants together. That's when cowboys in Texas realized jeans were great to wear as rugged work pants.

Do real cowboys wear square toe boots? While many cowboys have become fans of the square toe boots for their advantages, the more traditional cowboys steer clear of them since they do not provide the same accessibility as the pointed toe boots allow them. The most common boots I see at rodeos are round-toe ropers.

Tall Heel:

Cowboys often ride young unpredictable horses, and the tall heel prevents the foot from sliding forward in the stirrup, providing a greater degree of control and stability.

Traditional cowboy boots have pointed toes because it makes them easier to put your feet into the stirrups while riding a horse. The narrow shape, slightly rounded tip, and angle around the ball of your foot help your boots slide effortlessly into the stirrups and lock your heel in place.

Most snake bites happen in the calf area. If a rattlesnake bites straight on, attacking the shaft of your cowboy boot, it will certainly penetrate the leather.

Although the change upset plenty of fathers, long hair wasn't new by any means. In classic Westerns, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers and John Wayne all had short hair.

Other pockets might carry tobacco and fixin's. Perhaps more important, a vest offered a sleeveless layer of clothing that kept a cowboy warm, but allowed his arms the freedom to swing a rope or engage in other trail activities. Vests were one of the few Old West styles that Hollywood got right in its cowboy movies.

Cowboys avoided Levi jeans because they were considered poor man's wear, as they were mainly worn by gold miners, farmers and the lower classes.

Felt hats will keep your head and ears warm, while also giving a more classic look. A Felt can be worn for a chilly morning on the ranch, or a Sunday church service.

In the Old West, cowboys would drink whiskey, beer, sarsaparilla, or coffee, if visiting a nearby saloon. While working on the prairie, though, cowboys would simply drink water or coffee.

What is the thing called that cowboys wear around their neck? ›

A bolo tie (sometimes bola tie or shoestring necktie) is a type of necktie consisting of a piece of cord or braided leather with decorative metal tips (called aiguillettes) and secured with an ornamental clasp or slide.

Pants These were often made of canvas or wool and were usually brown, black or tan. Pants had one small waist pocket or no pockets. Pockets were not used because cowboys found it difficult to reach items in pockets and uncomfortable to sit in a saddle all day with full pockets.

Cowboys donned bandanas and wild rags (the silk version of a bandana) beginning in the mid-1800's. Originally cut from flour sacks, the 30x40 inch square cloth was most commonly tied around the neck or face for protection.

Spurs are usually held on by a leather or leather-like spur strap that goes over the arch of the foot and under the sole in front of the boot heel. Some western designs have a leather strap that goes only over the top, with a heel chain or a rubber "tiedown" instead of a strap under the boot.

“The reasons the cowboys and cowgirls like it so much is that the starch impregnates the fibre and creates a seal, and dirt just slides off. You can actually slide through the mud, let it dry, and the dirt will slide right off when you rub it.”

Cowboys were mostly young men who needed cash. The average cowboy in the West made about $25 to $40 a month. In addition to herding cattle, they also helped care for horses, repaired fences and buildings, worked cattle drives and in some cases helped establish frontier towns.

In the mid to late 1800s, cowboy attire was a mix of the second-hand wool pants and military uniforms from the American Civil War. They also wore the flat-heeled marching boots required by the military until they could afford to have a custom made pair.

“Vests were worn as an outer garment because they didn't restrict arm movement when living atop a horse,” says Rodgers, 50, who has done a ton of living atop a horse. “They were made of wool for warmth and usually had four pockets.”

This attire was originally developed in California and brought to Northern cowboys by vaqueros who drove cattle to Oregon, Montana and Wyoming ranches and mining camps during the 1860 through the early 1900's.

Chaps (/ˈʃæps/ or /ˈtʃæps/) are sturdy coverings for the legs consisting of leggings and a belt. They are buckled on over trousers with the chaps' integrated belt, but unlike trousers, they have no seat (the term "assless chaps" is a tautology) and are not joined at the crotch.

What did a cowboy's clothing look like? ›

Old West Cowboys were known for their flamboyant style. They wore brightly colored shirts, neckerchiefs, and bandanas. Their pants were usually made of denim or leather, and they favored high-heeled boots, vests, wide-brim hats, and spurs. Dressing as a cowboy is not as simple as just putting on a cowboy hat and boots.

Yes, cowboys wore union suits. These kept evaporation and dehydration from happening during the summer.

Cowboys who spent hours and hours in the saddle found the cuffs handy as storage spaces: they could hold a tobacco pouch or pack of cigarettes, for example. It was a lot easier to reach into your cuff than your saddle bag, and you didn't have to get off the horse to do it.

A cowboy hat is a very personal, and sometimes very expensive, item that you don't pass around. In some places, to touch a man's hat without permission will get you hog tied to a tree so you just don't do it.