The Trend Report: Cowgirlcore
A Dive Into All Things Country/Western
Welcome to The Trend Report, a newsletter for the paid list where I dive into current macro and micro trends and dissect what they are, whether they’re worth buying into (or not), and how to get the look. This first edition is free, so enjoy! This week: a deep dive into all things Cowgirlcore - aka all things country/western.
When I had the idea to start this series, I was a bit conflicted on how to approach the ever nuanced world of fashion trends. On one side of the argument, I agree that trends are becoming too fast and too fleeting, and as a result causing unnecessary mass production, over consumerism and subsequent environmental issues. But on the other hand, trends have been around for as long as fashion has, and forms an important part of our social and cultural identity. As long as we have creativity in fashion, there will always be trends.
So if trends aren’t going anywhere, how can we better navigate them and avoid getting caught up in the hype of the ones that are fleeting vs the ones that are actually worth it? There’s a lot of noise out there and if you’re not in the fashion world day-to-day, it can get overwhelming, fast.
My intention for this series is to bring you a practical take on the macro trends I genuinely believe are worth the hype and give you guides on how to incorporate the look into your day-to-day. I will also be looking into micro trends and best-seller predictions, as well as the trends I don’t think are worth buying in to.
Right now, the plan is to bring you a deep dive twice a month, with micro trend posts sprinkled here and there. Today’s post is a macro take on all things Cowgirlcore - aka country & western. Let’s get into it!
Cowgirl Core
It feels strange calling this one a trend so I want to start by stating the obvious: for many people, country & western wear is not a trend. For those living in rural and remote country towns, this is their everyday attire. I can only picture their faces reading comments and headlines about Beyonce and Bella Hadid ‘bringing it back’.
The reality is, most trends that we see come and go in fashion are the everyday attire for some type of subculture around the world. Preppy, coquette, gorpcore… these all exist every day outside of what the mainstream fashion world deems as a trend. I find it so fascinating though how at the same time, we as a collective somehow decide that we all like a certain style or type of look. And right now, it’s Cowgirlcore.
Personally, I see no wrong with trying out different trends that come into the mainstream world and this one is no different. My personal philosophy is that fashion is not that serious and exists for us to have fun with (in a healthy and sustainable way of course). At the end of the day, we’re all looking for a feeling when we get dressed. Whether thats by wearing a staple outfit like jeans and a tee or cowboy boots and a prairie dress, it doesn’t really matter how we get there. And you never know - by experimenting with these different trends, you might actually find what your true everyday style is that you love to wear.
Thanks to Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton Men’s FW 2024 collection, Beyonce’s most recent album Cowboy Carter and a string of other pop culture & fashion events like Taylor Swifts Era’s Tour and Bella Hadid dating an actual cowboy, all things country/western has now completely infiltrated mainstream fashion (for a more in depth read and really great timeline summary, I love this article in Elle by Kirsty Thatcher outlining all of the different pop culture and fashion moments that have helped get this trend to where it is today.)
I’m sure by now you’ve been seeing the western trend everywhere from brand posts and emails, to your favourite influencers and celebrities across social media (it was everywhere at Coachella). My personal verdict is that I like this trend and can see elements of it sticking around for a while. Here are the main themes I’m loving.
1. Denim on Denim
The most practical way to get into this trend (and probably something you already own) is through wearing denim on denim. As per @databutmakeitfashion, a sentiment analysis she ran concluded that the search for denim on denim had gone up by +14% in the week after Beyonce dropping her album (specifically mentioned in her song Levii’s).
Since then, it has also been a strong theme throughout Coachella fashion as well as branded Autumn collections.
Here are just a few of my current favourite denim on denim looks:
NUDE LUCY jeans // NUDE LUCY jacket // LU GOLDIE sunglasses // ALIAS MAE boots // SAINT VALENTINE earrings // JIL SANDER bag
KSUBI skirt // KSUBI trench // SKIMS tee // STREETS AHEAD belt // BRIE LEON bag // ZARA boots
HENNE skirt // HENNE shirt // ZARA boots // SOL SANA belt // VEHLA sunglasses
2. Panel Jeans
Another subtle way to pay homage to all things cowgirl is through panel or patchwork jeans. Levi’s are the OG’s with this, but there are some other great options out there too, like this brown jean/jacket set from Nakedvice.
LEVIS jeans // NA-KD tee // LU GOLDIE sunglasses // ALIAS MAE boots // FLATTERED bag // THE LAIR belt
NAKEDVICE jeans // NAKEDVICE jacket // LE SPECS sunglasses // ESSĒNE boots // PRADA bag
3. Leather & Suede
Contrasting materials like leather and suede are huge motifs in western wear. I love the look of contrasting paneled pants or mixing and matching leather sets with suede boots and vice versa. Again, Nakedvice has nailed this detail. Here’s how I’d style two of my favourite sets of theirs:
NAKEDVICE pants // NAKEDVICE top // HEAVEN MAYHEM earrings // ALIAS MAE boots // VEHLA sunglasses // BRIE LEON bag
NAKEDVICE jacket // NAKEDVICE skirt // ANNA ROSSI earrings // JW PEI bag // JEFFREY CAMPBELL boots
4. Leather skirts & cowboy boots
One of my favourite options, especially for a night out is a really good leather skirt and jacket set with cowboy boots. I’ve found this killer skirt set from Zara that has both a matching coat and a matching jacket (I have this jacket and I liveee in it). Another option I am obsessed with is a jacket and skirt combo from Ksubi. Yes it’s on the pricier side, but the possibilities are endless to wear these as separates too.
ZARA skirt // ZARA coat // NA-KD tank // VEHLA sunglasses // SINAI earrings // MNG bag // ZARA boots
KSUBI skirt // KSUBI jacket // HENNE tank // PARIS TEXAS boots // OLIVER PEOPLES x KHAITE sunglasses // ALIX YANG earrings // BRIE LEON bag
5. Accessories
If you don’t want to buy into clothing, accessories is an easy and more conscious way to have fun with Cowgirlcore. I am loving cowboy boots lately as an alternative to a sleek leather knee high boot. I find that they make a plain outfit more interesting and with all of the animal textures and prints out there, they’re such a fun way to dress up any outfit. I’ve included quite a few options above, but here are some more of my favourites:
1. ALIAS MAE boots // 2. ZARA boots // 3. TONY BIANCO boots // 4. GANNI boots // 5. RAYE boots // 6. ISABEL MARANT boots
If cowboy boots aren’t your thing, another practical way to incorporate western wear into your wardrobe is through accessories like belts and bags. I’ve styled most of my favourites in the outfits above! But another accessory I’m also loving is a practical cowboy hat. I love these two from Miu Miu and Monday because they can both be styled in a beachy way with a bikini and crochet knit dress if you’re heading into Summer, making it way more practical and a huge tick in my book.
1. MIU MIU hat // 2. MONDAY SWIMWEAR hat
There’s so much more we could talk about, but I’m going to leave this here. What do we think of this trend? I love to hear what you like or don’t like, and what you think about western wear making it’s way into mainstream fashion. Leave a comment and let’s have a chat!
Alexa x