Just as compelling as the acting and plot development in cowboys movies is the wardrobe, especially the vintage cowboy shirts. You always know a North American cowboy when you see one: the cowboy hat, boots, rodeo belt, plaid shirt, worn blue jeans and jeans jacket are the cowboy’s standard uniform. For a while the cowboy look was seriously “in”. During the early 1980s everyone wanted cowboy boots, the thin knotted string called a cowboy tie, and a vintage cowboy shirt.
 Vintage Cotton Lilac Western Cowgirl Shirt M US $.99 |
 VINTAGE plaid 80s shirt western grunge emo rockabilly US $.99 |
 vtg womens Plaid WESTERN rockabilly Pearl Snap shirt M US $.99 |
 vtg Plaid WESTERN pearl snap Rockabilly shirt S M US $.99 |
 VINTAGE PLAID SHIRT GARDENING PICNIC WESTERN GIRL M S L US $.99 |
 PERSONAL VTG Aqua Western Cowgirl blouse Shirt Top 10 M US $3.99 |
 Vintage 80s western BILLY THE KID shirt DENIM jacket XS US $4.21 |
 VINTAGE PINK ROCKMOUNT DENVER PEARL SNAP WESTERN SHIRT US $4.99 |
If the cowboy look is your style then you're going to need the wardrobe to carry it off. New cowboy shirts aren't difficult to find because they aren’t the real deal most of the time. They’re usually plaid shirts with some embroidered detailing around the chest and the front pockets. They look good but they aren't the real thing. If you want to really feel like a cowboy your best bet is a vintage cowboy shirt once worn by a real cowboy at some point in time.
“Isn't that going to be more expensive?” you ask. Yes and no. Start with Ebay and see what you find there. They wont be common and it will be difficult to find your precise fit since most sellers will only offer one, two at the most. I went online and checked out the amount of vintage cowboy shirts on Ebay and this is what I personally found. When I simply entered cowboy shirts I got scads of pictures and items up for bidding. On the front page, without entering the word vintage, I found five pictures of cowboy shirts wherein the sellers claimed them to be vintage.
Another avenue to try is the Salvation Army. Don't roll your eyes in your head at that one. If you scour through the clothing bins and racks at the Sally Ann you'd be surprised at some of the treasures you can find there. You might even be lucky enough to find a discarded cowboy or rodeo belt while you're at it. One young man who was into designer wear searched through a Salvation Army store and he found a nearly new Marc Jacobs men's designer wear shirt marked down from $200 to $50. Who knew?
If you’re lucky enough to be in Texas or Kentucky anytime soon the best way to shop vintage will no doubt be at the source. Doubtless shopping in person rather than online for this type item of clothing has to be a lot of fun. Strap on your cowboy boots, match it with a vintage mini dress, and get scootin' pardner!
Are you an old western movies fan? It’s pretty much impossible to resist the allure of Clint Eastwood fighting for a prostitutes honor in “The Unforgiven” or John Wayne exacting revenge from a gang of ruthless, rogue cowboys.
I'm not so sure about that! The shirts looked pretty new and modern to me, hardly the mark of a vintage item unless of course it’s been very carefully preserved. Still here is the wording for one of these so-called vintage cowboy shirts that just made me smile: Western Snap Cowboy Vintage Punk Rock Shirt. Say what? I didn't know that vintage and punk rock belonged in the same sentence. For that matter, I didn't know there was such a thing as a punk rock western cowboy shirt. Oh well, as long as you match your vintage cowboy shirt with a nice pair of vintage cowboy boots, you should be good for the long haul.