Help Preserve the Spirit of the American West
Children all decked out in their western duds at Valley Ranch. Gift of Irving H. "Larry" Larom Estate. P.14.1
Dressed Just Right: An Evolution of Western Style from Function to Flamboyance
Currently on view
Special Exhibitions Gallery
When Montana cowboy Teddy Blue Abbot said in 1878 that he was "dressed just right..." after donning new cowboy clothes, he voiced one of the truths about western dress. There is a sense of being dressed just right in the West that often sparks a feeling of confidence, individuality, and freedom to those who wear it.
Western dress is known by familiar materials and details including embossed or fringed leather, felt hats, and silver and bead embellishments. Materials and patterns did not rise rapidly but developed over a five-hundred year period and were influenced by a number of cultures. These styles are still with us today and are recognized worldwide as American western dress.
Take a tour with Guest Curator Dr. Laurel Wilson:
View this engaging exhibition, currently on view at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.
Sharpshooter Annie Oakley fascinated audiences of Buffalo Bill's Wild West. Read more about her life.
