Whether or not the “Yellowstone” effect is still the cultural marker that people use when talking about how Western music, fashion and lifestyle trends gained momentum a few years ago, there’s no denying that the movement has staying power.
The Shop Outpost, 5728 E. Colfax Ave., carries a variety of vintage and gently worn Western boots. (Suzanne S. Brown, Special to The Denver Post)The television show debuted in 2018 and aired for five seasons, starring Kevin Costner as the head of a Montana ranching family. It also led to related streaming productions and a variety of merchandise, including jewelry by Kendra Scott, eyewear from Diff, and even a restaurant, The Four Sixes Ranch Steakhouse at Wynn Las Vegas. (The eatery is named after the Texas ranch in which show creator Taylor Sheridan is an investor.)
The trend is also heavily influenced by music. When megastar Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album debuted in 2024, featuring a cover image of her in a rodeo-inspired outfit, it fueled further Western fashion fervor and brought diversity to the trend. Last fall, CBS premiered “The Road,” a series following a dozen musicians competing as opening acts for country star Keith Urban, with fellow musician Blake Shelton and — once again — Taylor Sheridan as producers. In cities from Dallas to Nashville, the aspiring Country singers perform in front of audiences clad in cowboy boots and hats.
Western wear, long a staple in Colorado, comes and goes on the national and international scene. Unlike the “Urban Cowboy” fad of the 1980s — propelled by the John Travolta film and epitomized by flashy outfits — modern Western wear is more lifestyle- and heritage-based, while still a great way to dress for a night out at such spots as Belles & Boots in Denver’s LoDo entertainment district.
“You have a good time in cowboy boots and a hat,” said Taylor Woodard, owner of The Shop Outpost on East Colfax, which specializes in vintage Western wear and home decor. “You feel happier, lighter. It taps into authentic nostalgia for the past, a slower time when things were easy going. There is a sense of freedom that goes along with (clothing that has) a distinctly American heritage.”
Woodard had a dual purpose when opening the shop. Not only does she love Western wear personally, but she also appreciates the idea of sustainable fashion. “I am grateful for the younger demographic of shoppers who want to combat fast fashion by buying vintage,” she said. “They are cognizant of what a large polluter clothing production is to the environment. Plus, with vintage, you can find beautiful pieces that are so well-made and handcrafted. There’s some history to them. You’re not going to look like everyone else.”
A model wears a fur-trimmed Double D Ranchwear coat during the fashion show. (Jensen Sutta, Special to The Denver Post)Woodward says her core demographic is customers aged 25-40, evenly split between men and women. The store hosts hat parties, where people customize a Western hat with bands, beads, feathers and brands. Accommodating up to 30 guests, these parties have become a popular way to celebrate birthdays, engagements and other special occasions.
Hat parties are also a staple at two other retailers in Denver’s Cherry Creek North shopping area. Hats by Parker Thomas and Rancher Hat Bar customize hats for customers by appointment and also host events in addition to stocking ready-to-wear items.
In November, Western wear sashayed onto the stage at Denver Fashion Week for the second year as one of the production’s theme nights, drawing an audience of several hundred people. Runway producer Nikki Strickler chooses the designers and retailers each season. “Trend-casting plays a part in our selection process and Western is very trendy in the music and fashion worlds right now,” she said. “I start with the first brand — this year it was Rockmount Ranch Wear, which is a classic. Then I’ll do a trendier take, and a fun styling version of Western,” she said of the runway collections by Bailey Heyman, Spytful and Denver retailer April & West.
Another notable fashion event was September’s Double D Ranchwear fashion show presented by Women of the National Western. Originally conceived by Angela S. Lieurance as a shopping pop-up featuring the Texas-based, women-owned brand, it grew into a major runway production attended by 200 women, and a two-day boutique.
Lieurance, director of the Honoring the Legacy Capital Committee, which is charged with raising $150 million for the National Western Center, said people have asked her for years where she finds her Western attire. Her go-to brand is Double D, and she decided to bring the company’s clothing and accessories to town since the high-end merchandise isn’t widely available locally now.
“Double D is known for expert craftsmanship and exquisite detail, and there are stories to all their collections,” Lieurance said. “In one jacket, you could have fur, studs, beading and embroidery. It’s appealing at that level, but at a bigger level, the clothes are comfortable and authentic. Women told me that they know they aren’t the size or age of the models on the runway, but they could relate to the clothes.”
Lieurance saids Colorado and its casual lifestyle are a match for Western wear. “We have a lot of transplants here,” she said. “I always tell people I’m a Midwesterner who’s more ‘West’ now than ‘Mid.’”
The suede jacket with fringe, full skirt and boots are part of Double D Ranchwear's signature look. (Suzanne S. Brown, Special to The Denver Post)Whether or not it’s considered trendy, Western wear is part of Colorado’s DNA, said Tara Kaufman, associate curator of clothing and textile arts at History Colorado.
“Today it is recognized as a classic American style, but it has always been a hybrid aesthetic, borne from the many cultures that collided during Westward expansion, including Spanish cattle culture, Native American cultures, Mexico and European settlers.”
Kaufman attributes the interest in Western wear partly to the popularity of country music, “but also because it’s an iconic and versatile style, through which people can express diverse facets of American identity, from rodeo to black cowboys to gay pride. Its hybrid nature makes it one of the most enduring styles of all time. It has all of these influences that people can play with to express themselves.”
The combination of function and fun is also key to its appeal. Pointed-toe boots not only look good, but they also are easy to slip into saddle stirrups, and wide-brim hats help protect the rider’s head from the sun, she said.
Colorado is also important to the history of Western wear, Kaufman said, “because major Western wear companies like Miller Stockman and Rockmount Ranch Wear were both founded here and played a role in distributing and popularizing the style.”
Kaufman, whose mother grew up on a Nebraska ranch, recalled her first memories of Western wear were when she saw her grandfather dressed in jeans and boots as a child. “And my cousins continue to wear it today,” she said, “from the belt buckles and shirts to hats and boots.”
Where to get your Western on
Belles & Boots country bar and restaurant opened in April, joining Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row as a Western-themed entertainment venue in Denver’s LoDo district. The OG of such destinations locally is The Grizzly Rose, where acts from Garth Brooks to Taylor Swift have performed since 1989. Line dancing lessons, two mechanical bulls, and live music six nights a week make the place a popular draw. In November, chef Michael Sanguinetti debuted Neon Cowboy in Denver’s Washington Park neighborhood. It offers coffee and light bites beginning at 7 a.m. and cocktails later in the day. The space is also available for special events and dinners. Other longtime area venues for enjoying a meal in a Western-themed setting are The Buckhorn Exchange and The Fort. Need an overnight stay after all that dancing and drinking? The Urban Cowboy Hotel in Capitol Hill is a Queen Anne-style mansion with 16 individually decorated suites. Additional locations are in Nashville, Brooklyn and the Catskills.Suzanne S. Brown is the former features editor at The Denver Post and owns more Western shirts, boots and belts than she’d care to admit.
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