It is during my last few minutes in the land of cowboys—Oklahoma, USA—that I am very pleased to bring you my wild, wild west themed #1 Black Friday Thrifting find.
I have learned many things about cowboys during my short time in Oklahoma. My boyfriend’s five-year-old British nephew, Leo, is fascinated by the subject, as there are no cowboys in London at all. With the help of Leo's research, I have come to understand that cowboys sing lullabies to cattle at night, that branding is not at all painful, and that spurs are commonly worn on last minute Christmas shopping trips to Walmart. I was also made aware of the shocking rapidity (approx. ten minutes) with which antiquated, highly questionable Hollywood depictions of the historical dynamic between “cowboys and Indians”, impress a childlike audience, resulting in timelessly politically incorrect playful reenactments.
But more importantly, we have cowboys to thank for a lot fantastic fashion. There are the jeans. There are the boots. Bandanas. Chaps. Bolo ties. OK, maybe not those. And of course, fringed leather jackets!
Rolling in at #1, a purple shawl collar drawstring waist fringed suede jacket!
This may not scream “cowboy” at you, as the purple and the suede are assuredly 90’s design hallmarks, but the influence is certainly there. There are truly many amazing elements to this jacket, but it is the fringe that really sings. While thrifting, one certainly comes across fringe on a pretty regular basis. It often looks mangy, chaotic, or tacky, amongst lots of other kinds of wrong. On this jacket, however, the fringe is like a beautiful soft cascading waterfall over your shoulders. And as though that is not enough, fringe laughs in the face of excess and takes it to the next level, adorning the pockets and the ends of the waist ties. The shawl collar is a modern, sophisticated twist, while the drawstring waist solves the problem that plagues so much 90’s outerwear: boxiness. It is a total package that is hard to resist.
And because it is Christmas Eve, here is a gratuitous picture of my own personal cowboy fashion icon, Marlon Brando. Enjoy.
A cowboy has never worn a paisley scarf so well.
No comments:
Post a Comment