Yee-Haw! Harnessing my Inner Cowgirl

So what's Cowgirl Chic? I love a good Western, especially when it's female-led. Studying the outfits worn in some of my favourite TV series & films (The Hateful Eight, Godless, The Missing, The English and, of course, Dr Quinn: Medicine Woman) there's a Victorian/Edwardian aesthetic - floor length skirts, fitted blouses, waistcoats and wide-brimmed hats, brooches worn at the neck and belts with statement buckles worn with a practical edge, sturdy leather boots, battered hide jackets and occasionally a scarf knotted at the throat. Fabrics are natural, block printed cotton, denim, corduroy, calico, suede and leather and colours are earthy and muted, reds and rose pinks, terracotta, indigo, caramel, chocolate & forest green. Oh yeah, and the hair is always long and messy, so it suits my look perfectly!

Here's Monday's outfit. Using the blouse I bought from the charity shop the previous day as the starting point, I added a vintage India Imports for Rhode Island maxi skirt, my burgundy leather cowboy boots and a 1980s leather belt, another charity shop find. 

Liz popped round for a coffee and photographed me in a few poses for some future artwork. She sent me a What App message earlier with this image attached, she describes it as a "doodle"! She's immensely talented, you can check out more of her work HERE.

On Tuesday for swimming, 'Spoons and charity shopping I wore this...

The blouse was a recent discovery....original Biba for three quid! 

 

If I had a pound for the number of people who message me to ask about a Biba garment they've come across whilst charity shopping, I'd be rolling in money. 99.9% of the time I have to disappoint them, it's either the modern House of Fraser "Biba" or the Indian fashion brand, biba being Punjabi for young girl and vintage Biba was never made in China! 

I wore my Biba blouse with a vintage Anokhi block printed waistcoat, a Dilli Grey cord maxi skirt and a huge gilt and banded agate brooch I picked up in Age UK about 10 years ago for 75p.

Another pair from my cowboy boots collection. These are by the iconic brand, Frye and were listed for £20 on Vinted as they needed reheeling which is not a problem for me, our local cobbler charges a very reasonable £5.95. I've been taking my footwear to him since he opened over 25 years ago and he's always impressed by the quality of my second-hand finds, he particularly loved these!

I adore my Frye Campus boots and often wear them at festivals or for doing jobs in the garden but find them too heavy for walking around town, these freshly reheeled beauties are a lot easier on my feet.

Today's outfit, for a trip to explore the charity shops of one of our favourite Black Country towns. 

I made the skirt on Monday afternoon, using some vintage Anokhi fabric and a 1971 Style pattern (the skirt in the centre). It was so straightforward, it was hanging in my wardrobe 90 minutes later!

The blouse is vintage Anokhi and almost identical to the one beautiful Jane Seymour (the goddess of Cowgirl Chic) is wearing in this fashion shoot from 1971. The antique Ruskin brooch is set in gold and was made in Smethwick in the Black Country, a jumble sale find many years ago.  

The vintage Afghan waistcoat was another Vinted bargain - regular readers may recall that I already own something similar - this one's a much better fit so the other one will be sold at a festival over the summer.

It wasn't a bad morning for charity shop finds, I'll share them with you later in the week.  

Many thanks to reader Kirsten who recommended Aquarius, a 1960s drama where two LA cops are led into the sex and drug-fuelled web of Charles Manson, it's fantastic! We'll continue watching it later along with a glass of rum or two, well it is Wednesday! 

Linking to Nancy's blog HERE, she's another wearer of cowgirl chic!