Wearing his signature cowboy hat, belt buckle and custom Lucchese boots, Big Tex has plenty of fashionable company. While some opt for practical clothes at the fair, where walking makes up most of the day under the Texas heat, others make dressing up part of the experience and choose cowboy-inspired accessories to embrace the Western culture.
Noella Werner, a flight attendant from Sydney, Australia, didn’t expect the fair to be on her itinerary. However, her unexpected visit gave her a chance to show off her wardrobe.
“I knew that I was coming to Texas. I didn’t know I was coming to the State Fair, but what a good chance to wear my strange combinations,” she said.
Werner often shops at thrift and vintage shops, building a wardrobe with international influences. Her fair outfit included a paisley-print dress in muted green and rust tones, paired with vintage boots, a hat purchased in Cape Town, South Africa, and a belt tied around her waist. The combination blended Western elements with Werner’s usual eclectic style.
Another Australian visitor, Leilani Ervin, who recently moved to Texas, took inspiration from her surroundings. She chose a mini white dress, cowboy boots and a hat for her first-ever visit to the fair.
“Texas inspired my outfit,” she said. “It’s my first time, so I wanted to embrace the Western culture.”
Her dress featured a lace-like hem that contrasted with her tall brown cowboy boots, cream cowboy hat and a tan crossbody bag.
As a new fairgoer, Ervin planned to try the fair’s food and rides to round out her State Fair experience.
For Ana Montero, a Venezuelan tourist visiting the State Fair of Texas for the first time, Western fashion was a family affair. Her young children joined in with miniature cowboy hats, while her outfit revolved around denim and bold statement accessories.
She said her clothing drew on cowboy influences she associates with Texas. A strapless denim top with matching shorts was the base of her look. She tied the outfit together with an oversized, decorative brown disc belt and a brown cowboy hat.
Sandra Carrasco, a visitor from Madrid, Spain, also interpreted Western style through denim. Her goal was to “find the most Texan thing” when packing her luggage to visit the fair.
She wore a denim dress with a bright blue cowboy hat and a crimson fringe bag, a detail she describes as “very cowgirl.”