Red Boot-scootin’-boogie

There are the classic cowboy boots, tall leather, detailed, and the increasingly popular short suede or short fringe booties, but one set of footwear that never fails to bring the party, catching the eye of every cowboy and girl in the room, are bold red cowgirl boots. No matter who you are, in a pair of red cowgirl boots you will be remembered for all the right reasons.

Dress- Free People Bandana- Club Monaco Sunglasses- Ray Ban Bracelets- Links of London & David Yurman Boots- Alberta Boot Company Purse- Urban Expressions

Red boots, although bold, can be paired with essentially any stampede outfit. Dress them up or dress them down: the basic crop top and shorts, a romper, dress, jeans, no matter what you are wearing, red cowgirl boots will make any outfit.

Local Calgarian Bobbi Shewchuck shared her favorite stampede look with us. “I love red, its my favorite colour. It makes you stand out and works as a great accent, I always have it incorporated into my outfit” -Bobbi. She was wearing her signature perfume HOT by Givenchy.

Local blogger Alex Arndt in one of her favourite stampede outfits, black cloth shorts, a white crop top, open blue button-up and of course, her own iconic pair of red cowgirl boots.

If you do decide to rock the red boots, make sure to show them off on the dance floor, slappin’ the leather to “Cadillac Ranch”, gun slingin’ to “I knew the Bride”, or a nice twist and tush push to Dean Brody’s “Undone”. We guarantee that all eyes will be on you, so if you’ve never line danced or two stepped before it would be beneficial to look up some moves online (or you can contact us for the some tips and tricks!) or opt for a less noticeable boot, because classic brown leather is always a good option. Regardless, red boots are a show stopper, and will definitely ensure that you’re remembered for years to come: “the girl in the red boots.”

 

The Canadian Tuxedo

Infamously known as the Canadian Tuxedo, denim on denim, a regular fashion faux pas, is ONLY acceptable during Stampede- if you do it right.

 

To best master the Canadian Tuxedo its ideal to combine different denim presentations, as is evident in this outfit from @espyexperience with a blue denim shirt and white denim shorts.

This can also be accomplished with different lengths of denim, like shorts and a jean jacket, or long jeans paired with a jean vest.

 

3 Pieces

People can wear anything to the Stampede, but if you want to make sure that you’re going to fit in at the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, you will need one of three pieces with every outfit.

Item 1: The “Bling Belt”

Black Wilfred romper paired with Steve Madden heels, a Lammles belt, and Hollister jacket

Known as a “Bling Belt” by the authentic year-round cowgirls due to its sparkly appearance, most people have a basic belt in their closet which can double as a “Bling Belt” with the addition of a large western-style buckle. The cheapest of the three classic western pieces, a large belt adds a light touch of Stampede to any outfit.

Belts can be worn to add a waist to an otherwise airy dress, perfect for those 30+ days at the stampede grounds, or at a stampede breakfast.

A belt can also be paired with the otherwise basic outfit of short jean shorts and a bodysuit to add a more western feel, as long as there is a large belt buckle to transition the outfit from everyday wear to Stampede.

For a more classic look, a tucked in button up, jeans, and boots can only be completed with a classic western belt.

Item 2: Boots

Wilfred romper featuring a Espy (@espyexperience) turquoise necklace and Wrangler boots

Although one of the more expensive pieces worn to Stampede, a good pair of cowgirl boots are an incredible investment, especially if you’re one to frequent country bars/clubs like Knoxvilles, Cowboys, or Ranchmans. If you own a good pair of cowgirl boots you won’t need any other footwear during the Stampede; no matter your outfit, it is Stampede acceptable when paired with classic leather boots. Boots can be worn to work, a rodeo, clubs, and most importantly, if you’re actually riding in the rodeo!

A note from the wise: stay away from open-toed shoes when on the stampede grounds, your feet will get sticky and they will turn black with dirt, even more-so if you are planning on going out; because in addition to all that, your toes will be stepped on and it will hurt. There are many advantages to the classic cowboy boot: comfort, authenticity, and best yet, a place to tuck your phone and/or money when dancing; just make sure you wear longer socks to avoid getting blisters, and if you want more security for your money.

Other boots found in your closet can also be repurposed for stampede if you don’t want to go out and buy the classic western ones.

Item 3: Cowboy hat

Wilfred romper, with Steve Madden heels, and a Lammles stiff felt hat with gold trim.

Ah yes, the perfect Stampede piece. Anyone, and I mean ANYONE, can wear a cowboy hat, and at the Stampede you will see it all, from the cheap foam hats, the more relaxed straw hats, perfect for a day at the beer gardens or an outdoor patio, all the way to a stunning, traditional, stiff felt hat, worn by the real cowboys. If you want to bring your Stampede look to the next level, we definitely recommend the stiffer hats, they hold their shape better, keep the sun or rain off, and have a classic clean look that never goes out of style.

 

 

The Maxi Dress

Nothing toughens up an outfit like the right leather jacket! We partnered with Espy Experience, a local fashion boutique, to style this maxi dress to take it from feminine to edgy.

Since the maxi dress has a low neckline, we decided to add a gold body chain to enhance it’s sultry appeal. Then, we contrasted the femininity and bright pattern of the maxi dress by pairing it with a simple, black, leather jacket. For shoes we decided to opt for a pair of black leather sandals to complement the jacket and ensure that the look remains comfortable and casual. Lastly, we accessorized with a tan, leather purse to off-set the amount of black and break apart the outfit and bring a western/stampede feel to an otherwise festival-styled outfit.

The final look is a combination of western, bohemian, and edgy and is perfect for anyone looking to stand out of the crowd this Stampede!

To shop for this look go to espyexperience.com  or head to their Inglewood location  (1009 9 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0S6)!

Fringe with Benefits

Start the countdown because the Calgary Stampede is only ten days away! Although it’s quite possibly Calgary’s most exciting social event of the year it can also be the most daunting as we tear through our wardrobes searching for clothing and accessories that we can pass off as “western.” Luckily, this season it’s easier than ever to find western inspired clothing to fit into your wardrobe; you might have a few pieces already and not even realize it!

One western-inspired fashion trend that has been dominating the runway and popular retailers from See by Chloé to Zara is fringe. Fringe has been seen in a variety of different ways, ranging from statement pieces such as leather jackets to more subtle pieces including shoes and handbags. It is also increasingly popular as it complements last winter’s hottest trend, suede, which is predicted to remain a staple this summer.

Here, Kalea wears a black, suede fringe leather jacket with studded detail over a vintage red dress, back felt cowgirl hat, and brown Wrangler boots. The fringe vest is a great addition to the sundress as it is not overly distracting , yet adds a flare to this otherwise traditional Stampede ensemble. Other ways of styling a fringe vest include layering it over a band tee and denim shorts for an edgy, rocker chick look, or with a crop top and patterned trousers for a bohemian vibe.

No matter what form it comes in or how you decide to style it, fringe is an accessible, versatile, and inexpensive way to transform any summer outfit into a look fit for the Stampede. If you want to show us how you style fringe, take a picture and post it to Instagram using the hashtag #tagyoureit for a chance to be featured on our blog and Instagram!

-Grayscale

 

Howdy Calgary!

Introducing Grayscale, the first blog dedicated to the fashion of the Calgary Stampede. We have big things in store so stay tuned by following us on our website and on Instagram for the official launch on Monday, June 26th.

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