Cowgirl Fashion for 2012: WESA Previews for Spring

Since I’ve been a little under the weather this week, I wanted to bring you a very special post from my friend Raquel. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know her over the last year and finding out what an amazing person she not to mention her killer sense of cowgirl fashion. She has been a great resource for me for fashion tips and learning about new products I never would have known about. 🙂

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Well hello readers of The North Carolina Cowgirl, I’m Raquel from the blog Horses & Heels. I’m happy to be guest posting for you here today & was delighted & flattered when Ashley asked me to do so! Horses & Heels is my personal blog where I post about cowboy boots (every Monday), fashion, cooking & plenty of western fashion for you & your horse both in & out of the arena.

I started Horses & Heels just over a year ago & I use it to post about all of my obsessions. I’ve always been into fashion & pretty things; having blog has given me the opportunity to learn more about how things are made & meet the designers & minds behind the creations. I just believe that if you are going to do something, do it with style & class.

Today I want to talk about some of the things you should be on the look out for in 2012. I had the opportunity to attend the WESA Denver Market a few weeks ago & I was able to preview the new lines for spring & fall.

What’s hot:

*Color & lots of it. Wrangler is introducing a line of boot cut & skinny colored jeans in turquoise, yellow, red, white & other bright & bold colors that will be available in the spring. Definitely a do. When using color, focus on one or two that work well together because you don’t want to look like a rodeo clown gone wrong.

**Please note that these are not Wrangler Jeans. They are J brand & are being used to demonstrate the idea of color**

*Boots in a variety of heights & styles. I know this sounds very broad but it’s true. Old Gringo & Lane Boots have some adorable short styles coming out that I adore. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you should see Ariat & Lane Boot’s new extremely tall boots, to die for.

 

Lane Boots new short styles. Even bigger news? Lane Boots & Double D Ranch Wear is coming out with a collection of cowboy boots together.

Any guesses were these gorgeous tall boots are from?

Try Ariat.

As you can see, either boot height is hot & don’t forget about all of the sizes in between.

*More boots with Swarovski crystals.

*A little less sparkle, more color when it comes to jewelry. And I plan on wearing more of these pieces. Try adding more big pieces of jewelry with turquoise & a variety of other stone colors.

Both of these necklaces are pieces designed by Rocki Gorman one of my latest jewelry crush designers. You can find these necklaces & others at Cowgirl Kim.

*Concho belts, while these were in last year, I cold see the trend getting steamier & picking up for sure.

A great example of the concho belt paired with a dress. Clothing & belts from Sissie & Me Ranch Royalty Clothing Company.

*Pairing funky leggings with cowboy boots or skinny jeans in a variety of prints. While this might now work for you while riding, it’s a great look for going out.

Now while these are things that I could see trending, I also believe it’s good to have your own style & make some of your own rules. Follow the trends but put your own personal spin on it. So how do you stay unique? Splurge on custom pieces, I have a rule that expensive boots, shoes, belts, bags, jackets & accessories are always worth the extra expense. Find a brand or company that you like & dream up your own creation, the expense will be worth it in the end. I’ve been saving up for a couple of custom pieces & I can’t wait to order them this spring. dresses or tank tops or tees.

But remember, fashion is what you make it. I hope you enjoyed this post & remember to head over to Horses & Heels for more great fashion tips!

Look for more from Raquel on Twitter, Facebook & Pinterest.