A Cowboy Without a Cowboy Hat? - Topic of the day 7/12/24
Can you be a cowboy without wearing a cowboy hat? Or dress in ivy without a navy blazer? Or dress in streetwear without sneakers? How can you convey a particular aesthetic without the "traditional" items associated with it?
135 Replies
yankee w no brim??
I don’t think there’s any style where there’s one item that’s necessary to make it work. Obviously if you swap out all the parts of an outfit it’s going to read differently (if only xy style „adjacent“), but overall an aesthetic can just as well be conveyed by silhouette or just „vibes“.
Art‘s cut off double knees come to mind here. Many looks he wears them in read ivy to me even though the shorts as a piece of clothing are pretty far from ivy.
whoever fucking wrote this
im gonna fight them
"streetwear without sneakers"
on sight
me explaining how sneakers aren't some integral part of streetwear to mfa
I’m all cattle no hat unfortunately
Yes
i think people can sometimes get hooked onto specific items of an aesthetic without considering the fact that usually a style is tied to a feeling that can be expressed in multiple ways
anyway the answer is yes this isn't some deep fucking philosophical question
i was gonna say something else but we can lock this one up i guess
lmao
im just in bad mood
and whoever wrote this stupid question didn't help
I think this does bring up a conversation of how to dress in aesthetic that doesn’t come off as just cosplay
Alright guys pack it up, discussion is over. Smiles doesn’t want to.
I like western wear but there is a fine line between pretending to be a cowboy and looking good
Expert mode is pulling off a fedora in a way that doesnt look like cosplay or look like shit
Ya I feel that if you’ve associated one item with the aesthetic it will come off costumey
Wythe New York
Spring/Summer 2023 "Caravans"
The bygone heirlooms of the past, remade to fit well and last long enough to be passed down to the next generation of dreamers. The perfect oxford shirt, an authentic denim pearl snap, the grey sweatshirt worn to perfection.
whole lookbook of westernwear
0 cowboy hats
ok
1 cowboy hat
As if your goal is to look like a cowboy specifically as opposed to drawing some elements from it
hell not even cowboy boots
Like alot of RRL western stuff comes off as costumey to me tbh
long story short
:skillissue:
@Talbot nails that
Yah tal and ethan both
Yeah but Ethan’s just playing a whole different game at this point
He’s like a well dressed time traveller
0 cowboy boots
>whole lookbook of westernwear with no cowboy hats
>first picture
>cowboy hat
:SCsmug:
I do feel like i run into this issue alot and i believe its more nuanced than it seems in the surface. Like with western wear i wanna incorporate something like a bolo tie. But it has to be the right bolo tie or else it’ll look like a costume
And the wording of the question is problematic, can you be a cowboy without the hat? Of course… this is just fashion and style it has only tangential relationship to your larger identity. Defining yourself solely by what you wear is kind of lame
Ok I’m in a bad mood too I think :xd:
This can go for lots of stuff where a certain item or aesthetic needs to be executed in a specific way as to not appear like a cosplay
This is kind of the better conversation
How do to a style that’s kind of a prepackaged look
I think overplaying some parts and underplaying others usually works to define what you want to look like usually.
I thought we decided streetwear is rare jordans, bulls flat brim cap, black pullover hoodie and black regular fit jeans
would go crazy on r/sneakers
I feel like I struggle with this. Like “oh I’m doing an x style look today” and that feels not as fun
but if I break out of that it can feel disjointed a little. Like I just threw shit on
Definitely or you have to fully lean into like Warp for example. He pulls it off though really well. This is wear the swag element comes into play cause i think it could very easily feel like cosplay if done in not a perfectly detailed way
throw that mf shit on
accept the bricks for the love of the game
To your credit though @Digs you also have a really cohesive style that doesn’t feel gimmicky
Thank you! It took me a lot of time to dial it in and i feel like some of my early moves into my style were super cosplay looking
Tbf Warp is Cowboy adjacent for a living.
If I were to wear a bolo tie I’d choose a gaudy one and then maybe a western shirt too, but I’d try not to include any other western elements lest it look like costume. I feel like that’s what’s in it for us regular guys.
Like this is one from a few years ago and looking back it feels like a cosplay and not a fit
Idk I don't really agree with that because at a glance I wouldn't be able to know what somebody does for a living in any meaningful way
It’s really cool how much dope surplus and workwear you managed to dig up in a bigger size. I’m pretty envious of that (esp. your chinos with the red stain). I also applaud your bravery to wear like fucked up t shirts and stuff too.
unless: skinny navy suit light brown leather shoes
Woah ya that is cool to see because all of it is still so u but yeah ur personality comes thru less
I think it’s the hat in what is pretty obviously warm weather tbh
Totally, and its only subtle stuff like the beanie and the boots make it really try hard
Yeah like swap the bag out or toss on a regular cap (like u do now), you’ve grown your hair out etc
And it’s way chiller n fun
Compare to this which is essentially the same outfit but with slight modifications
Yeah deadass
Honestly I feel like the cosplay argument half the time is just a rationalization of ones own insecurity
I should check out wythe
If those damn shirts were even a little cheaper
It’s also fine to not be comfortable in everything though.
Absolutely
I have no issue with personal uncomfortability
Anyway to tie back into the main topic, do you need a hat to he a cowboy? No but you do need to figure out the delicate balance of achieving an aesthetic in a way that is natural and stylish without feeling forced, or not leaning enough into it to get the aesthetic at all
But I feel like we’ve all tried to fit into one niche in the past and failed at that because it just wasn’t us. When I was around 20 I tried so hard to go full ivy but it just didn’t stick because it wasn’t me. I’m not a guy that wears leather shoes everyday, or ties or blazers. And I’ve learned that my fits get better the more I just try to be myself.
And that’s the same point really - there’s no use forcing a look, it’ll come off wrong.
>cowboy adjacent for a living
>lives in massachusetts
uh huh
Yeah like for me. These 3 fits are all kind of in a mold. 80’s Japan. Mfad house style. Grungy. And they all feel like me but also maybe feel a little safe. Like I’m checking boxes
I’m playing rdr2 right now, I’m legit
But maybe that’s just life when u have multiple interests idk
I really like the 80s Japan btw
Yah i think its better to play safe if you jump styles alot. Its hard to achieve like a Bill or Joel look with out fully leaning into the the aesthetic
circ fwiw all of that just looks like circ to me. like I can see the inspo from other styles but also it just reads as circ.
That’s so flattering thank you!! I struggle to see that sometimes but I’m glad it’s all reading as authentic
That’s actually a rlly good way of thinking about ty
If I wanted to explore any of these aesthetics more I’d kind of have to commit n spend the money
to the “streetwear without sneakers” question i raise boots
like docs or timbs
depends on the individual fit of course but like
there are options
(you just kind of end up blending aesthetics while doing it i think)
I think this thread has inspired me to put some outfit variations on and see where the uncanney valley of cosplay-land starts. Gonna post that in #styling-suggestions once im through.
Because Im trying to dial in that westernwear look rn and it certainly has come up
Speaking specifically of western wear and my personal style, I like to just give a slight hint of elements of my previous life. I grew up in middle of nowhere texas and cowboy boots are my preferred choice for that, like todays fit. I actually don't like western shirts on myself and I own now western belts. I generally prefer work shirts over them so i dont project too much western. I don't own a cowboy hat but all my fedoras are wide brimmed to just give that hint of western vibe. Actually I do own one but it's just for fishing.
(primarily bc im stubborn and want to wear my cowboy hat lol)
i think there's some common themes between them (rolled and cropped hem, relatively low profile shoe) that makes it more like "circ attempting a different aesthetic" vs "circ cosplaying as [blank]"
i think there's value in that specifically when trying a different aesthetic - it grounds the look in something authentic to you
also i think the styles are "normal" enough they dont evoke a costume
you can legitimately dress up in a cowboy costume
not sure anyone would get it if you dressed up in a ocbd and loafers
yeah, there is a throughline there aesthetically
to answer the question asked, yes - I'd consider these westernwear inspired despite not actually wearing a cowboy hat or boots
it didn't so much feel like a costume as these were things i owned and wore repeatedly, it's moreso the combination hit in a certain way
Agreed
you look like the guy driving the horse trailer to the rodeo
it’s that kind of westernwear
though ig part of that also comes down to context; it's easier to do something like this since i don't have the expectation of a) being in an office where i'd have to dress in a particular dress code or b) in a particular environment where i'd be scrutinized moreso for not hitting all the details
In Nashville it’s hard to wear a cowboy hat without looking like a tourist
They were much more common when I lived in rural California
But yes you can be a cowboy without a cowboy hat. You just need a beat up trucker hat instead
Oh THAT is interesting like okay what r my universal truths/constants that ground me no matter what style I’m in, or whatever I’m throwing on
zeo is really good at putting these into words, I think he also described my style motifs in a similar manner once
Well start with this: my family isn’t from here and I try to not consider myself to be from anywhere specific—that said, western MA has some of the highest concentration of sustainable farmland in the northeast, and in the more rural towns no one bats an eye at a cowboy hat, or boots, etc. It is genuinely a completely different world. Plus we have so many transplants from the Midwest as well.
I appreciate this shout out ❤️ I am comfortable dressing how I dress partially because how I grew up and partially because I play country music. It’s easy to fall into it when your family and friends dress similarly.
I’m not sure if you meant for a living like, my job (false, unless we count cowboy shooting (hobby) or music (side hustle), or if you just meant I do this look all the time 24/7 (true)
But if it’s work, I’m in sales lol
That’s not to say I don’t dress like this for my job
I don’t know just the whole lifestyle I guess.
Yeah, I’ll cotton to this, I’m nothing if not consistent lol
the Cubicle Cowboy :joecowboy:
To my credit, I’m usually on the road or wfh
I sell to manufacturers, they tend to appreciate the cowboy thing
The tiki mug rocks!
Another weird hobby I picked up during Covid LOL
This is a phenomenal take
This is so good too
It’s possible to hold or be influenced by multiple different identities or experiences as well.
This is a great point as well. When I’m doing the shooting stuff I lean harder into it because it’s literally a part of the sport. Day to day is a bit more modern leaning. But it never feels like cosplay (to me, ymmv)
For example, I grew up in what would be considered a blue collar, poor, redneck family. Workwear was mostly the default (denim, work shirts, etc.). At the same time, my high school school experience was heavily shaped by hip hop music and style (baggy pants, rugbies, etc). I also have a PhD and went deep in the academic track
A true Parrothead wouldnt be caught dead without his flipflops. When Margaritaville plays are you gonna gesture down towards your novestas? Get real
Wearing full navy blazer, OCBD, repp tie would feel inauthentic to who I am but so would going full-on workwear in my 9-5 chemist office job. However I find myself pulling from various aspects of my own experience in ways that make sense and feel true to who I am
There are practical aspects to these things as well. I like loafers for example. However if I’m in lab (more and more rare by the week unfortunately) at work loafers are a slip hazard death sentence while boots are very practical
@punchouli true parrot heads don’t wear flip flops at all 🫡
Also damn I lost weight since last year lmao
Perhaps the only acceptable alternative
It's the beanie
Tiny hat makes any fit a meme
I do love my tiny hat even if its a meme haha. I stick to wearing it in winter now tho
I love tiny hats as much as the next guy, winter makes sense tbh - wearing a tiny hat in the summer is crazy (I still see it to this day)
I also just hate when a beanie covers my ears it feels bad lol
Esp when you’ve got earphones in or sth
cowboy hat is probably the hardest part of cowboy shit to style if you don't live in a place where they're common
honestly super easy to get the vibe without it
I think part of it is that most hats by now are pretty uncommon
huge thing yeah
But yeah, I really struggle with including mine in a somewhat serious fit
on the other hand in the instances when it works the reactions have been by and large pretty positive
I have a huge head so honestly Ive not been tempted.
The boots are the big one for me
Your fits are great, really enjoy watching your exploration of it
yeah, I have a big noggin as well, need a size 64 in hats. Basically the only reason I have mine is because i stumbled across a cowboy hat while thrifting which actually fit me and took that as a sign that it was meant to be.
It is a sign for sure
One of my fave older fits of mine is from when I had to wear suits for work but they were pretty loosey goosey on everything other than “suit” so I played around a lot with the cowboy stuff but with tailoring
Tryna find a good example lol
Now a western suit would be cool af
Okay here we go
These are just a few
It was this section of time where I still had a decent amount of designer stuff that I was wearing frequently
Hot damn
But I was really starting to lean full on into just like…dressing like my gramps in the 60s lol
That blazer fit bruhhhhhh
Yeah you nailed that
L u x e c o w b o y
Heels and bell bottoms look so fucking good
I don’t dress like this very often anymore but I’ll pull it outta my back pocket once in a blue moon
I still have most of these pieces I think
Are those black jeans or slacks?
In the last two fits
Flared, verrrry faint pinstripe trousers
Rad
It’s actually the same pair in all the fits with trousers lol
Ha wtf
:xd:
I def still have those somewhere, have to get em re-tailored
First two I can clearly see the stripes
Have you seen the wellema tee shirts?
No i dunno what that is
wellemahatco
Shop shirt - full restock in store & online. Swing by this weekend! ✌️
#wellemahats
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Wear that so i can rub my stolen valor in their faces
jokes on you I look good and play pretend
Oh cool, stuff from Wellema I can actually afford 😎
Those flares fuck dude
They’re Goochi 😏
Hot
Tailoring with western stuff is just
:chefskiss:
Anyway, no, you can't be ivy without a navy blazer. 😘