By Emily Hooper

There’s no denying the romanticism of the American West. Whether it’s Glen Campbell’s “Rhinestone Cowboy” or childhood games of Cowboys and Indians, the images of the Old West have taken firm hold in people’s collective imagination, influencing American culture, values and, most visibly, fashion.

Western fashions have been reworked time and time again – adapting to new styles and trends. While Western fashions were originally reserved for those working with livestock, today people can wear Western styles even if the only cows they see are served on a plate next to a glass of merlot.

The original cowboy, the vaquero (literally meaning “boy who herds cows”), was the Karl Lagerfeld of Western style. Creating hand-crafted boots, jackets and chaps, the vaquero designed all clothing for functionality and durability. Even fringe, a popular 21st century trend, was created by the vaquero as a functional detail that allowed a garment to shed rain and dry faster when wet.

Western wear in the fashion world has ranged from accurate historical reproductions of vaquero clothing to the garish rhinestone-covered, cleavage-bearing styles popularized by singing cowboys and cowgirls such as Gene Autry and Dolly Parton.

Today, wearing Western clothing doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with riding horses, roping cattle or eating beans out of a tin can. Nor does it require getting triple D breast implants. There are Western styles students can incorporate into their closets that won’t make them resemble Annie Oakley or Dolly Parton.

One place that provides luxury Western couture (minus the rhinestones and cleavage) is Double D Ranch, a fashion house in Yoakum. While each Double D collection is inspired by the beauty of the American West, it is also interpreted in a modern way, incorporating velvet, wool, suede and leather to create fresh ready-to-wear styles.

“I know some people can be intimidated by the idea of dressing in Western styles. A lot of people believe that wearing one Western item will label them ‘cowgirl,’ but at Double D we sell items to women from all backgrounds,” Cheryl McMullen, the creative director at Double D Ranch, said.

Alice Adams is a stylist and buyer for M.L. Leddy’s, a high-quality Western wear boutique in Fort Worth. She styles Western wear in a contemporary way, combining the modern world with the Old West.

“The way people blend Western styles into their daily wardrobe is always changing,” Adams said. “Even women that ride in the rodeo are taking more contemporary approaches to their Western style.”

Some call this modern Western style “Cowgirl Chic” while others call it “Urban Western.” Whatever the label, editorial spreads featured in such trendy and contemporary outlets as Vogue, Marie Claire, The New York Times: Fashion and Style and InStyle prove that Western fashions can be just as chic on a city street as they can in a pasture.

In the January 2015 issue of Vogue, Kendall Jenner (probably the last person to be anywhere near livestock) modeled Western-themed leather, suede and snakeskin styles. For the August 2014 Vogue cover shoot, Blake Lively wore Western-inspired fringe and flannels at a Wyoming ranch.

Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Saint Laurent and Burberry (to mention a few) are creating sleek variations of old Western styles. Recently, The New York Times: Fashion and Style “Daily Bag” was a Western-inspired, camel-colored fringe Polo Ralph Lauren hobo.

InStyle declared Western-themed belts the must-have Summer 2015 trend after seeing Jenner and Selena Gomez rock low-slung silver and metal belts. And Valentino co–creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri wore a pair of cowboy boots at the brand’s spring menswear show, making Vogue wonder if 2016 will be the year of the cowboy boot. Not to mention Jeremy Scott’s new collection at New York Fashion Week 2016, eccentrically titled: “Cowboys and Poodles.”

However, students don’t have to buy Valentino or Saint Laurent to indulge in Western trends. Western-inspired styles can be seen almost everywhere. Liz Thrash, a personal shopper at Highland Park Village, believes Dallas is the perfect city to experiment with Western styles and give classic Texas looks urban flair.

“My advice to the modern woman is to invest in Western-inspired accessories such as turquoise, silver and pony-hair handbags,” Thrash said.

For the woman feeling a bit bolder, Thrash recommends investing in a leather or suede fringe jacket to wear with jeans and a T-shirt.

“Start with great accents and build upon that if you like the style,” Thrash said. “However, if you’re inclined to start saying ‘howdy,’ you’ve gone too far.”