What should I wear on Wild West Day?

Asked by: Adam Gutzwiller

Western wear usually involves a cowboy or cowgirl look involving jeans, chaps, cowboy hat and boots. Girls can wear the same, but may opt for a prairie look which may include a prairie skirt with lace up boots and a flouncy, ruffled top.

What do people wear in the Wild West?

What is this? American pioneer cowboys usually wore loose cotton shirts and wool trousers, vests with pockets, and canvas or wool jackets for warmth. They usually wore chaps, though the original style was closer to a loose pair of leather pants than the batwing style we see in Western movies.

What did girls wear in the Wild West?

Women wore knee-length prairie skirts, red or blue gingham dresses or suede fringed skirts derived from Native American dress. Saloon girls wore short red dresses with corsets, garter belts and stockings.

What would you wear to a party with a Wild West theme?

Think about what everyone is going to wear. Cowboy gear is the most obvious choice for a Western-themed party. Cowboy hats are an unspoken requirement, but if you want to go further, cowboy boots, scarves, vests, plaid shirts and leather pants will make for a more complete costume.

What did Old West cowboys wear?

Old West Cowboys were known for their flamboyant style. They wore brightly colored shirts, neckerchiefs, and bandanas. Their pants were usually made of denim or leather, and they favored high-heeled boots, vests, wide-brim hats, and spurs. Dressing as a cowboy is not as simple as just putting on a cowboy hat and boots.

How do you dress like an outlaw?

So a loose vest or jacket is preferred in case of full range of motions. Needed. If you're evading the law or the military carry some saddlebags with supplies.

Did they wear jeans in the Wild West?

Jeans. All traditional Wild West cowboy outfits use jeans as the pants. This material was made popular at the end of the 19th century. Likewise, it was common to wear denim shirts.

Did cowboys wear socks?

Yes, but early on they would have called them stockings, and cowboys and soldiers got very good at knitting up holes in them to make them last, but on a long drive or campaign they could still disintegrate, especially if your feet were wet for long periods.

What did Girl Pioneers wear?

Girls wore skirts or dresses, usually made of brightly colored cotton called calico or gingham. It had stripes, checks or flowers in different colors. It was very important for a boy to have a hat with a wide brim and a girl to wear a bonnet to protect their eyes.

When did cowboys start wearing jeans?

Canvas pants and denim jeans were not a popular choice until the late 1800s and early 1900s [4]. On May 20, 1873; Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis created a new form of Western wear that changed the image of the cowboy, the West, and America.

Why do cowboys wear tight jeans?

The reason jeans became so popular with cowboys is simple – they are tough and durable. Jeans can withstand the harshest conditions, and they don’t stain or tear easily. In fact, jeans are so rugged that they are the favored workwear for most people who work in construction or outdoors.

What Every cowboy needs?

Needs a hat, needs a hat, And he’s gotta have a rope, Have a rope, have a rope, If he wants to keep a-ridin’.

What shirts do real cowboys wear?

Generally, cowboys wore vests with standard work shirts, but not if the cowboy was wearing a bib shirt. Durable canvas, wool, and leather were common vest materials.

Is it OK to dress up as a cowboy?

Although students are allowed to party dressed up as ancient Greeks, Romans, aliens, prehistoric man, doctors, and nurses — cowboys are definitely on the banned list. As are Native Americans, priests, and nuns.

How do you pull off cowboy look?

To advance your cowboy look, find a long-sleeved, button-down shirt, preferably with a plaid pattern. Thicker shirts, of course, can be worn in winter, and thinner shirts when it’s warm. Some cowboys do opt for a simple T-shirts, but rarely while working in the sun. Either way, the look should be rugged.

What did cowboys drink?

Cowboys never had a reputation for being very sophisticated connoisseurs. The whiskey they drank was simply fuel for the saloons’ many other pastimes, whatever those happened to be. Quality and flavor among whiskies in the late 1800s varied widely.

Did cowboys drink milk?

Beans, biscuits, potatoes and fruit were popular



The only downside is that they were rock hard, so had to be soaked in water or milk before eating.

What kind of food did cowboys eat?

The staples. Along the trail, the staples of a cowboy diet consisted of beans, hard biscuits, dried meat, dried fruit, and coffee. Occasionally, a type of bread known as pan de campo (or “camp bread”), which was cooked on a skillet was also available.

Was beer warm in the Old West?

In warmer climes the beer was a little warm, usually served at 55 to 65 degrees. Though the beer had a head, it wasn’t sudsy as it is today. Patrons had to knock back the brew in a hurry, before it got too warm or flat. Some parts of the West had cold beer.

What food did saloons serve?

Every town had at least one restaurant, and meals were also served at boarding houses and saloons. She says many frontier menus in the 1870s were limited to the basics and locally available fare. Meals consisted of meat, breads, syrup, eggs, potatoes, dried fruit pies, cakes, coffee and seasonal vegetables. And beef.

How much did a bottle of whiskey cost in 1870?

It was usually 25 to 50 cents for unaged, basic corn or rye whiskey, often made right on the premises or nearby, as it was often the case with beer.

Why did cowboys drink so much coffee?

In contrast to wimpy tea, coffee was an invigorating, robust drink that provided a jolt of energy, which was why strong coffee became a necessity for many Americans headed for the Western frontier. Many diaries and letters confirm the importance of coffee to Western pioneers.

Why did cowboys wear ponchos?

They used these to cover the mouth and nose during a dust storm or, dipped in water, it would bring a bit of coolness to the neck and face during the heat of summer.

What coffee brand do cowboys drink?

To many of the older cowboys, Arbuckles’ Ariosa Blend is still known as the Original Cowboy Coffee. So brew up a pot of Arbuckles’ partner and enjoy the Sunrise!

What did the cowboys eat on a cattle drive?

Along the trail, cowboys ate meals consisting of beef, beans, biscuits, dried fruit and coffee. But as cattle drives increased in the 1860s cooks found it harder and harder to feed the 10 to 20 men who tended the cattle.

What toilet paper did cowboys use?

Mullein aka “cowboy toilet paper”



If the cowboys used the large velvety leaves of the mullein (Verbascum thapsus) plant while out on the range, then you can too!

Did cowboys eat bacon?

Bacon was a staple on trail rides and at line camps. The cowboys were actually eating “sowbelly.” It was pork fat from the belly, and perhaps the back and sides, of a hog carcass, cured with salt. Sowbelly could last a long time without spoiling.