vintage cowgirl attire

[ssubialdea]

My most recent project is to recreate a vintage 40s / 50s cowgirl costume. I was hoping you ladies might have photos to post for inspiration, movie recommendations, resources for fringed gloves, hats, boots, and pattern suggestions. I originally wanted a vintage outfit, but I've scoured the internet and found that they are very hard to come by so I've decided that a remake is probably best. Here's a few photos that show the look I'm going for. I really like the first one of Dale Evans / Roy Rogers.
thanks ladies!

this pic is from Coal Miner's Daughter, I'd love a full length photo of this outfit but can't seem to find one anywhere, I may just need to get the movie again

 

[dhermann1]

Patsy Montana

Check out the one and only Patsy Montana, the greatest singing cowgirl of all time:
http://www.patsymontana.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patsy_Montana
http://www.cowgirls.com/dream/cowgals/montana.htm
http://www.talentondisplay.com/PatsyMontanaS.html

 

[ssubialdea]

ooh, thanks I have a picture of Patsy Montana, I just didn't know who she was! I 'm thinking about a trip to the Cowgirl Museum / Hall of Fame in Ft. Worth (I forgot that this was in Ft. Worth, about a 30-40 min drive from Dallas)
http://www.cowgirl.net/default.asp

 

[texasgirl]

I've been to the Cowgirl Museum, it's really nice. I'd definitely recommend it! It seems like I remember seeing a website that had outfits like these. I will look around and see if I can find it

 

[Lauren]

Woohoo! I heart cowgirls like crazy! There's nothing like this vintage western stuff. Music's fabulous, too. Yay! I'm glad someone else on here likes it.

Here's some random pics I've found over time:

 

[texasgirl]

Here's the pattern I was thinking of. It may be a little more old west than you are looking for but I love it. You could probably alter it, to make it shorter.

http://www.lafnmoon.com/cowgirl.htm

And here are some boots that I love too- check the site they have others too.
http://www.caboots.com/product/1XRTSPRING

 

[Joie DeVive]

I love the western look too.

If you are interested in patterns, here are a couple more to look for. Try searching ebay for McCall 1295 and 1297. They are western shirts from the 1940s. They tend to be a bit pricey though.

You could also check a nearby western stores. Some of them still carry western shirts that look a lot like those.

 

[Lauren]

I just ordered the pattern from Laughing Moon and I'm hoping to make it up once I get the fabric, too. Gosh, those boots are cute, but they're so expensive!

I have made up the Folkwear Riding Skirt pattern and it comes out really well! It's basically the same as the Laughing Moon one but without the extra goodies.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

If you've got the $buck$, here's a cowboy/cowgirl boot website:

http://www.rocketbuster.com/bootsCatCBlue.php

Nine pages of custom boots, I like them all except for Sasquatch. You couldn't pay me to wear those, except maybe at Halloween.

If those are a bit steep, you can find some pretty boots on eBay. I always use on the search engine, the words: tooled boots, custom boots, fancy boots, shortie boots or pewee boots (the latter are those mid-calf boots).

If you are blessed with a small foot, there are lots of neat boots on there you can get for a lot less money than the bootmakers.

karol

 

[BeBopBaby]

Here's a nice site for vintage looking western shirts:

www.vintagewesternwear.com

I have a 40s pattern for a pair of a-line culottes. I've always wanted to make them up and western-ize them by adding fringe and embroidery. You may want to look for a similar pattern and just add the trim yourself.

 

[sarah smith]

these are too cute!

I want one now too!

 

[Joie DeVive]

And just by chance I ran across this store in downtown today!

http://www.rockmount.com

Pretty cool stuff. Try the vintage section of shirts (they are reproductions). Makes me wish I had some extra $$$!

 

[Viola]

I love the links in this thread, I'm trying to put together the same kind of outfits. Yay.:eusa_clap

 

[gluegungeisha]

Oooh, I just found a cute white and turquoise (and sparkly!!) 1950's western blouse...I'll post a picture soon. Good luck!

 

[ssubialdea]

thanks for the pics and great links ladies!
Also check out Justin boots, they've re-made some of their vintage styles:
http://www.justinboots.com/BOOTS/default.asp?sDiv=01&sGender=2&sType=331&sSubType=679

 

[dhermann1]

How about the guys?

This western look has obviously started catching on among the Rockabilly set, especially the ladies. I think that Dale Evans is probably the ultimate example. But how about the guys? Other than band members, are any guys going for this look? You gals have my brain buzzing now. When I was a kid in the early 50's I was CRAZY for the Roy Rogers look. The man was a walking Christmas tree, but COOL. About 25 years ago, when my brother was newly wed, I got him a cowboy shirt for Christmas. It was electric blue satin, with pearl white shoulders and cuffs, and white piping along the seams. Rather conservative by cowboy standards. His wife practically threatened to divorce him if he wore it in public!
This thread made me play my Tex Ritter and Patsy Cline CD's yesterday.
Please make sure you show us the final product! YEEHAW!

 

[ssubialdea]

dhermann I think guys are getting into this too (kind of), most don't wear the more decorated shirts and aren't very authentic vintage western unless seventies western counts. Anyways, enjoy Patsy and play some Webb Pierce for me!

Here's more of the lovely Dale Evans and a few of Patsy Cline

 

[SarahLouise]

I love the cowgirl and western look! I have a few western shirts and belts and usually wear them with high waisted jeans, not skirts. We have vintage shops here in the UK (or just London, not sure) called Rokit where I've gotton all of my western styled clothing from so if you have them where you are it might be worth taking a look. As you mentioned vintage western wear is very hard to come by on Ebay but it does crop up once and a while, however they go for a huge amount of money. I saw a shirt and pants set with frills etc which went for over £200. Good luck though! I love all the photos everyone has posted too

 

[Babydoll]

Cowgirl boots!!! Oh, I love them so!

I am a honky tonk girl at heart, and love, love, love my fancy boots! I got them from Sheplers.

My first pair of boots I purchased about 5 years ago. When I wear them, they look like I have flowers tattooed on my legs. So pretty.

Bad picture of me, but the only one I have of this pair - and they are my babies! The toes are a snip toe (squared) that is red, and has a white star in the middle. The white around the top is stars and crescent moons.

My niece wore these in my wedding last year:

And I have another fancy pair sitting in my closet that I bought for her when she gets a little older (and her feet get bigger):

The online store at Sheplers has tons of cute boots - quite a few pairs of them are on sale for less than $100 now. (Several of the fancy Justin boots are in the sale section.) Take a look!

http://www.sheplers.com/womens/sale_western_boots/western_boots/boots/

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Babydoll -- you have some fine looking boots there!

I have several pair, mostly in storage, that I got from Champion boots, they make boots out of El Paso Texas, also sell, or used to sell, cowboy boots on eBay. Wish I had some photos to show you, maybe I do somewhere, or can take some pictures of the boots I have here.

Thanks for showing. There is nothing like a beautiful pair of cowboy boots, they are works of art.

karol