WESTERN STYLE : FASHION : Western Exposure

Once upon a time in the West, only farmers wore blue jeans. But fashion has changed all that, and the Wild West image has been one of the most popular around the world. From Duke to Clint to Thelma and Louise, the look for women continues to evolve. So it’s no surprise that things Western are never out of style in Southern California.

“Angelenos will wear cowboy boots with just about anything,” says Marc Jacobs of Perry Ellis, and it’s this individual spirit that has influenced the designer’s recent collection. Isaac Mizrahi is known as the maverick who brought tooled-leather bustiers and chaps to haute couture. Gianni Versace heaps on the Vegas glitz, while Ralph Lauren’s clothes remain steadfastly rugged but romantic.

Many area shops specialize in vintage Western clothing and are great sources for the real McCoy. Look for hand-painted swing skirts and prairie petticoats, gingham checks and bandanna prints. And if something is fringed or embroidered, so much the better.