How to Take the Western Trend from Runway to Every Day

The western trend is totally having a moment in fashion right now. From cowboy-inspired boots and plaid, to denim and Little House on the Prairie vibes, it’s kind of everywhere this fall. But how do you rock this trend without looking like you actually belong on a cattle ranch? Today I’m talking about how to take the western trend from runway to real life with tiny details and accents you can easily incorporate into your look. I rounded up my favorite pieces into one mix and match boutique that you can directly shop right here at the bottom of this post. No lasso required.

Isabel Marant, Dsquared2, Coach, Veronica Beard, Alberta Ferretti – Images from Vogue.com

Fashion shows always serve as a wonderful starting point for inspiration, but let’s just say often times the items coming down the catwalk aren’t quite… practical. Or, to be honest, maybe something is cute, but it costs an arm and a leg. Either way, you can take the runway’s trends and make them work for affordable, everyday life.

The good news is denim is a key player and a really easy start to any western inspired look.

• Dark and clean denim, without any fading and contrast stitching creates a wholesome, crisp look.
• Try a denim jacket with cozy shearling. Because you know, sheep.
• Remember above when I talked about Little House on the Prairie vibes? Add a girly element to your denim with a ruffle or two a la this jacket I’m wearing here as a shirt. (Bonus, this is only about $100. I’m wearing a small.)
• A classic button up denim shirt is always a good starting point.

I opted for more of a denim look here by wearing a jacket and black denim bottoms. However, you could easily go prairie chic with a dark floral dress and a denim jacket over it, or a little more rustic with some plaid.

As for footwear, I think it’s pretty obvious that booties are the clear winner here. There are a ton of really cute cowboy-esque styles with embroidered stitching, snakeskin, and/or buckles (I JUST bought these), but it’s not the end of the world if you wear regular ankle booties. I’ve had these brown buckle boots for a while now; they are a great shade and they go with a lot. Since they’re old they are sold out but here’s a similar pair with the same strap detail.

SHOP THE LOOK

Now let’s talk about the fun part: accessories and details.

I’m lumping both accessories and details into the same space here, because a lot of time accessories have these details and there tends to be a lot of crossover. But feel free to find these details in clothing, too! (Hello, fringe!)

Get creative and mix and match. There are literally no rules, and to me this is what takes an outfit to the next level to nail that western trend.

Some of my favorite things to look for or add on include:

• A bandana (obviously I’m no stranger to these and they are such an inexpensive way to be on trend).
• A wide brimmed hat like this.
• Southwestern inspired embellishments that can come in the form of a belt like this one, or jewelry (loving these rings by The2Bandits).
• Turquoise or other stones.
• Bolo style necklaces (I have this one from Madewell and when I want it to feel less western I move the circle further down, making it pretty versatile!).
• Prairie chic details like a ruffle (as mentioned above) or unexpected puffy sleeves.
• Fringe!!!! On jackets, pants, and clutches like the one I have here.

Are you into the western trend this fall? I’m 100% on board with it and find myself adding lots of plaid button ups, dark floral, and booties to my wish lists.

SHOP THE WESTERN TREND