I’VE ALWAYS HAD a touch of cowboy envy. I’m not talking about the horse-riding, calf-roping, fence-mending kind, whose talents are best suited to a ranch or a farm. I know that’s not the life for me. But I’ll admit there is something enticing about the stitching on a pair of well-made boots, the bend on a classic Stetson hat, and the pearl snaps on a denim shirt—especially here in New Mexico, where Western wear is everywhere.
While I’ve worn out plenty of Levi’s jeans, that was about the extent of my Western wardrobe. My personal style might best be termed “casual dad” (although my fashion-marketing-major daughter says there’s some “granola aesthetic” mixed in, which I assume means I occasionally wear REI hiking shorts and Columbia shirts).
My closet does include a few vintage pearl-snap Wrangler and El Cattleman shirts, picked up while thrifting. On such outings, I’d linger among the boots and hats at Santa Fe’s Double Take vintage store. But I could never justify the price for something I wasn’t certain I’d wear.
Santa Fe's Back at the Ranch has plenty of Old West charm.
Every year during Santa Fe Indian Market, too, I’ve ogled silver-and-turquoise bolo ties and big belt buckles. “What do you think,” I’d ask my wife. “Could I pull it off?” And in the kindest way possible, she’d say, “No.” Every time. Without hesitation. No further discussion necessary.
Finally, though, at an estate sale this summer, I found several pairs of vintage boots in what seemed like my size. It was half-price day, so I figured, Why not? I tried on a pair, and when my foot slid—shhhooot—into those Justin 1945s, I knew they were right, and at $25, also a steal.
Maybe, as this month’s “True West” feature points out, I’m just leaning into what Vogue calls “the year of the cowboy.” But when I wore the boots for the first time, I felt like I’d tapped into some part of New Mexico I hadn’t experienced before.
As Amber-Dawn Bear Robe, program director of the inaugural Native Fashion Week in Santa Fe, says, “Southwestern style is Western wear.”
So whether you’re getting in touch with your inner Beyoncé or looking for that perfect “cowboy core” complement, there’s a true wealth of New Mexico Western wear inspiration to be found in this issue.
And I guess now I need a cowboy hat.
Read more: From Stetsons on stars to bolos on catwalks, Western wear is suddenly everywhere. In New Mexico, however, cowboy couture is hardly the flavor of the month. It’s a legacy of local style, forged by our history and our makers—including the next generation.
