Boots, Hats & Fringe: Cowboy Fashion Explained

Country dancing as a style is being rediscovered by people all across the country. It’s famous for graceful turns, fast flips, and of course the fashion that goes with it. While many enjoy dressing “cowboy” for a night out, not everyone realizes the well-thought-out purpose behind the clothing and gear they’re wearing.

For this article, when I use the label cowboy, I’m talking about men and women who ride horses and work livestock.

Cowboy Boots

Protection, style and comfort

Cowboy boots come in all colors shapes and sizes, but have a particular purpose in

Leather Soles

One of a cowboy's deepest fears is their foot getting stuck in the stirrup while falling off a horse. The horse takes of running dragging the rider alongside, bouncing off rocks until death or dislodgement from the stirrup ends the pain. A leather soled boot is more likely to slide out of the stirrup should you end up getting tossed, while a rubber sole may stick. I knew a stunt rider once who not only wore leather soles but also bought his boots two sizes too big so that he could slip out of his boot.

The Shaft

The shaft is the upper part of the boot that goes up toward your calf. The shaft serves many purposes and you will notice that working cowboys often choose different heights based on their location. The very basic purpose of the shaft is to provide protection and stability. Your lower leg and ankle are protected from rubbing against the stirrups, trees and brush as you go about your day. Also acting as a loose brace to the ankle protecting the wearer from sprains.

A tall (15-19") shaft is often worn in areas with a lot of rattle snakes, thorns and brush. The idea is that the snake will bite the leather of your boot before your leg. As you are riding and walking through prickly brush, your legs are protected by the shaft of the boot.

In areas less threatened by snakes the riders appreciate the mobility allowed by a shorter boot shaft while still getting ankle support and leg protection.

Jeans

Why so tight!?

When horseback riding for 8-12 hours a day there is not much that compares to the irritation and pain a loose fitting pair of jeans will cause. The denim folds over creating a ridge to rub on the inside of the leg that will leave you with one heckuva saddle sore. Jeans that fit to the body eliminate the risk of getting caught on the saddle while mounting and dismounting.

Tucked in or pulled over?

The cowboys who tuck their jeans in often wear a high shaft. By tucking their jeans in they save their jeans from collecting thorns as they ride or walk through low brush. Common in the flatlands.

You will find mountain cowboys almost always pull their jeans over the boot shaft. This prevents pine needles, leaves and sticks from falling in your boot while chasing cattle through thick growing trees.

Fringe

Fringe has deep roots in Native American style, valued for enhancing movement in dance, blending the body’s outline while hunting, and wicking water from clothing. Cowboys later adopted it for both function and flair.

Fringe, the cowboys duct tape.

Fringe looks great on the dancefloor and is perfect for repairs on the trail. Traditionally all tack (saddles, headstalls, reins etc.) were made of leather attached to more leather. Large straps like a latigo are attached to the saddle with another, smaller, piece of leather. In the event of a trailside wreck the hope is that the small piece of leather will break instead of your major component allowing the cowboy to make a repair to get him back on the trail.

Cowboy Hat - Felt or Straw

Material preference depends on the environment the wearer is working in and of course personal style choices.

Felt hats can be dyed and shaped to fit your style

Felt

Felt is a durable, water resistant and also can hold water like a pot for a short time. Mountain cowboys love a felt hat when brush-poppin'. In scrub oak covered areas a cowboy will point his horse into a thicket and use his hat as a shield for his face and hands. Not as necessary when chasing cattle in a flat, treeless desert. Another benefit is that when your horse steps on your hat, a teapot will steam it right back to the cowboy's original desired shape.

Straw

Straw is lightweight, very breathable and comes in many shapes and popular in desert areas that lack rain and snow. Once wet it is nearly impossible to return a straw cowboy hat to its original shape. A straw hat wearer may flip to felt wen the whether gets cold. A cowboy/cowgirl needing a felt hat due to the environment they work in is not as likely switch to straw regardless of weather. Straw hats do not hold up while chasing cattle through the brush.

Pearl Snap Shirts

When riding horses everything needs to break away. Similar to the design of tack, a snap shirt will release when caught on the saddle, a cow's horn or a tree allowing the wearer to simply re-snap. Whereas a button down will leave our rider with a wide open shirt for the rest of the day.

Neckerchief/Handkerchief/Wild Rag

A large square of cloth worn around the neck, or in the back pocket. Acts as a face mask in a dust or snow storm, a scarf in the cold, a bandage when injured, a tissue when sick, a cooling rag on a hot day, a blindfold for a horse the list goes on. When living on the trail, having a 3x3 light cloth will always come in handy.

*Side note the original Wild Rags were made of used flour sacks. Today they are often made of silk printed with elaborate designs. Silk is softer, warmer, dries faster and is moisture wicking.

In Closing

Many outfits you see on the country dance floor are directly inspired by the practical dress of hardworking cowboys and cowgirls. Each piece has a story, a function, and a history.

It’s also important to acknowledge that many elements of what became “traditional cowboy” apparel were first worn by Native Tribes of the American West, later adapted into cowboy culture.

Do you have a favorite cowboy clothing item that carries its own story? Share it in the comments, we’d love to hear it!