Western Shirts | BRANDS (2024)

A."Real" Western Shirt?

B.8 Western Wear Essentials

C.Pick the Best Fabric for your Western Lifestyle

D.Added Comfort with Innovative Western Shirt Patterns

E.Western Wear Terminology

A cowboy like you deserves to know he's wearing a genuine western shirt. While "real" western shirts don't typically have labels to indicate their authenticity, true western shirts share certain characteristics, including stylized yokes, denim fabric, and snaps. Genuine retro western shirts have additional embellishments: fringe, embroidery, or other distinctive details.

Yokes:

Yokes are a main design element of real western shirts. The term derives from the wooded harness that oxen wore to pull wagons. The yoke fabrics are a little heavier, made with an extra ply of fabric, and sewn from the shoulder seam down over the body. A western yoke is always stylized with a point or curve. Yokes come in limitless shapes: curved, scalloped, straight, and simple. Simple yokes are single point, while V-shaped back yokes are mostly curved. Highly embroidered shirts have no front yoke so there is more room for embroidery. Yokes on plaids and stripes tend to run the opposite way of the shirt body. From a design stand-point, yokes accent broad shoulders and make cowboys look and feel different from everyone else (that's a good thing!).

Fabric:

A real western shirt's beauty often comes down to the fabric that's used. Early western shirts were often homemade. Today, real western shirts are typically made from all-cotton, denim, poly/cotton blends, and/or rayon gabardine. Patterns include western plaid shirts and western check shirts. western denim shirts are still the most popular.

Snaps:

Snaps are another big design element in genuine western shirts. Why are snaps used? Simple--for the "break away" feature in case the shirt gets caught on a fence, saddle horn, etc. Snaps have a distinct country look, which is what cowboys want: not to be like city folks. Snaps are used for front closures as well as on the cuffs.

"Pearl" snaps are the typical snap now. They have a beautiful and unique color and luster. As their name suggests, at one time, they were made from shells. The first snaps were round, but then came the hex snap and diamond shaped snap with metal rims. Snaps come in all colors and usually coordinate with the fabric. All our shirts at AJ's Western Wear are western snap shirts.

Embellishments

Real cowboys love their fringed western shirts. The fringe represents a horse's mane. Fringe is a design that came from the Native Americans who thought the horse's neck stayed dry under the mane. They reasoned that if their clothing had fringes, they would stay dry, too. Today, fringe is used to accent yokes and sleeves. Fringe can be made from faux-leather or string.

Embroidery, Appliqué, Decorative Stitching

Retro cowboys love to show off their flair. And what better way to do that than with retro western shirts and embroidered western shirts? These embellishments also derive from the Native Americans, and they were adopted by the "movie" cowboys from the 1920s. These design elements are considered an expression of artistry--think images of flowers, bulls, steer, etc. The sky's the limit for the placement of these embellishments, too: front, back, sleeves, collars, and cuffs.

Jewels, Studs, & Rhinestones

Your rhinestone cross shirt and personalized rhinestone shirt will scream, "Genuine American Cowboy!" Jewels, studs, and rhinestones are often used along with embroidery. One of today's most popular designs is the rhinestone cross. As the infamous "Like a Rhinestone Cowboy" song seems to suggest, the louder the shirt, the better.

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When it comes to western wear, fabric options are plentiful. This is because fabrics have different purposes in clothing manufacturing. But how are we supposed to know which fabric is the best one for our specific needs? As a western wear buyer, it's important to understand how different fabrics are used.

Western wear uses a select amount of fabrics: cotton, twill, polyester, denim, rayon, and leather are all popular options. But when should you wear a cotton western shirt versus one made from rayon?

Let's discuss each western wear fabric type in greater detail:

Cotton western shirts. Opt for cotton western shirts in the warmer months. Cotton is a breathable fabric because of its ability to absorb liquids, like sweat, and release them. This characteristic makes it perfect for keeping cowboys and cowgirls cool and comfortable during the summer months.

Polyester western shirts. Polyester isn't usually found in "pure form" in western rockabilly shirts. Western shirts with polyester blends tend to last longer because of the strength the fabric provides. Polyester holds its shape well, which means it sees the iron less often than other fabrics. Also, this fabric is heavier than cotton and less breathable, so it's an ideal choice for keeping warm during the winter.

Rayon western shirts. As with polyester, you won't find rayon in pure form in western shirts. Blends of rayon, however, provide strength, which helps the western wear product last longer. Rayon has a smooth, silky appearance, making it useful for formal occasions.

Twill western wear. Twill fabrics are often used in western work clothes. Twill is a heavier fabric which makes it stand up well against wear and tear. Twill doesn't wrinkle as much as other fabrics, and it's less likely to show dirt.

Denim western wear. Denim is a popular western wear fabric since it's often associated in the media and films with the rugged American cowboy. But denim is popular for another reason: the durability of its weave. Denim's strength provides cowboys and cowgirls with a long-lasting western shirt that's perfect to wear while doing tough work. It's also a warm fabric…perfect when you're roaming the range during colder months.

Leather western wear.
Leather is considered a luxury fabric, but it's also popular in western wear. Leather has a long life and keeps the body warm. Leather is also a waterproof fabric, so it will keep you--and the rest of your western wear outfit--from getting wet in rainy weather.

When you're shopping, remember to check the fabric content of the western wear garment since it will have an impact on your buying decision. Bookmark this article and use it as a reference.

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Comfort is important when you're performing hard, physical labor. Working on the ranch, farm, or in any tough setting can get old fast when you're uncomfortable. Long-sleeved shirts that don't provide room for your arms and shoulders to freely move are a definite problem for busy cowboys. And nothing's more annoying than having your shirttails fall out while you're lifting or bending. Who has time to re-tuck all day? Well, we have some good news on both fronts. With the help of new technology, we've eliminated these annoyances in our western workman's shirts.

Our western work shirts have long pleats on the right and left back of the shirt. This gives a cowboy more mobility when stretching his arms and shoulders. These pleats are reinforced at the top and bottom to prevent tearing from the frequent movement.

Our western work shirts also have double gussets under the arms of both sleeves. Gussets provide more mobility for the arms. The makes it easier to stretch your arms above your head or in front of you. Also, the shirt is made with twill fabrics, so it's heavier, stands up to wear and tear, and won't wrinkle the way cotton does.

This western work shirt adds comfort in other places as well. On the cuffs, you'll find two snapping options for the best fit for your wrist. And the shirt is designed to be a bit longer in the back. This added length helps keep the shirt tucked in longer--no more endless re-tucking!

Of course, just because we incorporated lots of useful features on this working cowboy's shirt doesn't mean it's lost its flare. This shirt has western yokes and pearl snaps, so you can wear it anytime, not just for work! And this shirt comes in Big & Tall, runs from S to a 3XLT, which means every cowboy can be comfortable while working or going out. Yee-haw!

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As we all know, western wear has very distinct looks, from the yoked front/back to fringes to popular rhinestones. Some features might look familiar, yet, at the same time, you might not know exactly what to call them. Below is a list of the more common western shirt features and they're not-so-well-known names.

Accent Piping: Coiled cloth that outlines the hems on western shirts. Usually found around the hem of yokes or cuffs in a color that complements the shirt.

Lurex: A metallic thread, usually gold or silver, that's used in the production of the western shirt. Often used to detail a plaid design.

Yokes: Pointed designs on the left and right chest of a western shirt. Some are embellished with embroidery, while others are the same material as the rest of the shirt. Also found on the back of some shirts, pointed on the right and left sides at the top of the back.

Whip Stitching: Large stitching that is spaced far apart and used on hems in western wear. Adds eminent detail to the hem, whether on the yokes or cuffs. The stitching is reinforced with metal grommets to prevent tearing of the fabric.

Pick Stitching: Large stitches that are usually found on the hems of the shirt in a contrasting color of thread.

Smile Pockets: Reinforced S-shaped pockets with a heavy stitching in a color complementary to the shirt. Usually finished off at the ends with arrows.

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