"Most cowboys' wardrobes are made up of three pairs of Wranglers: a regular pair in their accurate size, a riding pair in a size larger, and a bar pair in a size smaller. The unmistakable ring of a Copenhagen/Skoal can in the back pocket often causes the pocket to be the first part of the bar or regular pair to wear out." (59)
"Honky-tonks are like Wrangler jeans--there ain't no ball room." (189)
Salt Lake City: Gibbs Smith, 1993.
Bultman, Bethany. Redneck Heaven: A Portrait of a Vanishing
Culture. New York: Bantam, 1996.
Finlayson, Iain. Denim: An American Legend. New York:
Simon and Schuster, 1990.
Hix, Charles. Looking Good: A Guide for Men. New York:
Hawthorne, 1977. Photos by Bruce Weber. One stunning
shirtless photo reminds us of the 1970s when cowboy cut
Wranglers were more mainstream, just another brand. Sigh.
Anyone remember the beefy Italian boy in Wranglers in the
closing credits for the Welcome Back, Kotter sitcom?
Little, David. Vintage Denim. Salt Lake City: Gibbs Smith, 1996.
Good advice for vintage Wrangler hunters.
Morris, Michele. The Cowboy Life. New York: Simon & Schuster,
1993.
An excellent general guide to the life of the cowboys in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Gives a short history of the invention of Wrangler jeans in the 1940s as well as a guide to telling which part of a particular cowboy's britches are going to wear out first. Also discusses other elements of the cowboy wardrobe and how to get your own boots and hats in the proper size and materials. A fascinating read.
Swendon, Patsy and June Hays. Texas: The Beautiful
Cookbook. San Francisco: Weldon Owen, 1995.
What's the big deal about cowboy-cut jeans? Well, until Rodeo Ben [Philadelphia tailor reponsible for the 13MWZ design] came along, jeans had buttons rather than zippers. And then there's that extra room in the seat and thigh, making it easier to get on and off a horse or run after a steer. They also have higher back pockets so a cowboy doesn't sit on his wallet when riding a horse. The wide space between the front belt loops easily acommodates the big belt buckles that cowboys are so fond of. The legs are wide enough to fit over a boot but narrow enough to stack. Stacking is a western tradition. Cowboys buy their jeans with inseams about four inches longer than normal so that their pants legs cover the tops of their boots when they ride. No cowboy wants to be caught wearing "high-water" pants. When the cowboy is on the ground, the exra length layers on the boot from the knee down. It also drags in the back, which is why the back of a cowboy's pants cuffs are all frayed. (79)
Wingate, Bob, ed. Hazing: An Anthology of True Hazing Tales
New York: The Outbound Press, 1994. pp. 28-46.
Wingate, Bob, ed. Pledges & Paddles Volume 3.
New York: The Outbound Press, 1996. pp. 31-40.
"In addition to ball caps, sweat shirts and tees, all emblazoned with the club emblem, we also had a distinct group preference for particular brands of clothing, especially regarding jeans, hats and boots. For example, no Young Roper worth his saddle would ever be caught dead wearing any brand of jeans except Wranglers."
"Afterward, everybody agreed that Pastor Ray had looked like a real cool dude when he came forward to be sworn into Young Ropers. Except for his black shirt and clerical collar, he was dressed like the rest of the pledges in boots, hat, and a fairly new pair of Wranglers. After he had been inducted, the whole room went wild and gave him a standing ovation when he turned around and opened up his black shirt revealing his red pledge T-shirt underneath. But as the cheering went on and on, his face and neck turned bright red as he began to realize how much he was loved and respected by all these macho young men."
"All major jeans companies cover all bases but they do maintain elements of a signature shape. Levi's tend to break in and soften fastest, fit great in the crotch. Lee jeans veer toward the most slimming in the hips. Wranglers are tough to tame, but fit neat in the butt, especially if you have a great one. If you don't, go back to Levi's." (79)
But then he gets a little snotty...
"Rodeo riders wear their jeans (usually a pair of Wranglers) three or four inches too long, but that's because their pants ride up when they mount their broncos and they don't want to look unseemly before they're thrown. If imitating this choice makes you think it looks more authentic, get on that pony and ride. It will also make you look short." (78)
Hell, yes, it looks more authentic. The only way I want someone seeing the tops of my cowboy boots is if they're lying on his bedroom floor.
"Boot legs are wider from the calf to the ankle so that you can pull your pants over your boots with no hassle. But unless you work with cattle, this is rarely a big worry." (78)
Fair enough.
Rubenstein, Hal and Jim Mullen. Paisley Goes With Nothing: A
Man's Guide to Style. New York: Doubleday, 1995.
Patoski, Joe Nick. "True Fit." Texas Monthly, Sept. 1993.
with illustrations.