“In the bag,” he said as he opened it and removed two objects, “is the broken shell of the iron kettle, a pebble from the butte, and a piece of the...
The Fabric of the West
Blue jeans have been described as “democracy in fashion,” and rightly so. Whether you’re busted flat in Baton Rouge or a highly paid celebrity jet...
Cowgirls in the Sand
The idea of cowgirls in the sand was once just a fever dream Neil Young had about beaches in Spain—that was his explanation for the creation of one...
Woolies & Chinks
For all its gritty Old West authenticity, the Coen brothers’ 2010 movie version of Charles Portis’s book True Grit includes some near misses, time...
True Fit
Y'know, my python boot is too tight, I couldn't get it off last night. A week went by, and now it's July. I finally got it off, and my girlfriend...
Cowboys & Steampunkers
Inspired by the Victorian era of buttoned-up gentility and amazing new mechanical inventions, Steampunk designers seek to rekindle a sense of awe...
Sweethearts of the Rodeo
Eschewing the bustle for the hustle, rodeo cowgirls donned long, wide-legged...
Buckles: The Cowboy Calling Card
Out West, the belt buckle’s significance reaches beyond its functionality of keeping your pants from sagging. The buckle can proclaim the wearer’s...
Outerwear Out West
"A genuine mountaineer is a...kind of sui genus, an oddity, both in dress, language and appearance, from the rest of mankind." "Associated with...
The Genesis of Jeans
"I have often said that I wish I had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant. They have...
The Genesis of Jeans
"I have often said that I wish I had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant. They have...
The Functional Side of Cowboy Boots
All the men were well shod in good looking riding boots, except the cook. I learned that the boots were mostly made by a boot maker named Hyer, of...