A Short History of Western Clothing

Western clothing is a type of clothing that is very important to the history of the United States. From cowboy boots to the classic hat, the look of Western clothing today is very similar to how it looked in the past. It doesn’t matter how well-known and expensive the jeans or boots are, they show how 19th and 20th-century cobblers, shoemakers, tailors, and cowboys worked hard to make them, so they made a way of life that is still alive today.

The Original Cowboy Boots

Following the Civil War, many people in the United States moved west in search of land and a new life. Military-issued Calvary boots, Wellington boots, and other types of shoes like a shop mens work boots that were low-heeled didn’t stand up to long days in the field, so they had to find something else. In the early 1870s, Coffeyville, Kansas, made the first boots that could withstand the hard work of a cowboy. People who wore Cuban heels and round toes made their arches stronger. By 1879, H.J. “Joe” Justin had become one of the most well-known names in cowboy boots. Justin’s boots quickly became a popular choice in western America because he was the first to let people order his boots by mail. With movies, literature, theater and country music making these boots popular in the 1920s and ’30s, bigger companies started to form to meet the demand. In the 1990s, Ariat was one of them. Ariat is a well-known and trusted name in Western clothing.

Denim Jeans or Waist-High Overalls 

Jacob W. Davis, a tailor in Nevada, asked Levi Strauss for a patent for small copper rivets that could be used to strengthen the seams and pockets of his waist-high overalls. At the same time, cowboy boots were made. As Davis had been making these rivets for miners, Levi Strauss saw how profitable they could be and decided to work with Davis. As time went on, they switched from hemp sailcloth to cotton serge de Nimes, which is better known as denim.

 

People who worked in blue-collar jobs, like farmers and cowboys, wore denim pants by the 1890s. These, too, were used in mainstream media, which led to an explosion of “dude cowboys.” These men were normal people from the city who wanted to experience “real” cowboy life. With high-quality boots, denim pants, and hats, these men would help a lot to make Western clothing more appealing. People who sang country music in the 1950s wore rhinestones and sequins on their pants to show off their skills. Wei’s Western Wear knows that Denim pants have become an important piece of clothing for billions of people all over the world.

The Original Cowboy Hat

Vaqueros (cowboys in Spanish) in Mexico started to dress like the vaqueros. American and European settlers started to do the same thing. Their large hats, tall boys cowboy boots with leather chaps, and big sombreros were all useful. American cowboys started making clothes like those worn by European cowboys. One of these was the hat.

Conclusion

We think of Western clothes like satin shirts with fringe and rhinestones. The real cowboys, on the other hand, wore more utilitarian clothes that were made for work and not for show. In spite of the old Western movies that we still enjoy today, these rough clothes were built for a hard life in the weather. They were meant to be worn by people who lived in harsh conditions.