ESSENTIALS

Westward Haute Get out your 10-gallon hat, bola tie or cowboy boots--or something with a twang to it. And mix it with a hacking jacket, chamois shirt or straight black skirt--or anything that isn’t purely cowpoke--for a new way of wearing the Western look. Designers are adding Western details to their fall and spring collections, calling the style “cowboy chic.” And French designer Claude Montana adds humor, setting off a short, tight, black-suede dress with “spur” bracelets.