One of the latest "trends" that is trying to pick up some steam are western shirts. I lightly say it's a trend because they've been around for over 100 years. Frontier folks wore them to set themselves apart from the city slickers, and they were made famous by movie stars of the 1950s.
Some telltale characteristics of a western shirt are the two yokes around the collarbone area, one or two yokes in the back, chest pockets, and my favorite, the snap buttons. History says that the snap buttons, first implemented by Jack Weil, were used so that if the shirt were to get snagged while caught up on a fence, saddle horn, or anything for that matter, the buttons would just snap away as opposed to ripping off.
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| Shirt by Wrangler |
I've been seeing them pop up here and there over the last few seasons from a few brands, and Ralph Lauren has been making them since the beginning of time. Maybe it will catch on to the mainstream. Or maybe it will just be a niche trend. I happen to like it. As a matter of fact, I used the whole western aesthetic in my final project for my textiles class. My one rule is just be sure not to go full-on cowboy with a big Texas belt and boots. I like to try to keep it modern and less costumey with a slide buckle belt and loafers.
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| If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you saw a picture of my final project before I put the finishing touches on it. |
If you're looking to give the look a try, here's a few options for you to browse.
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| Michael Bastian |
