Our picks for this year's 10 days of western style during the Calgary Stampede.

Let's talk about this year’s style trends for the Calgary Stampede. 

The Calgary Stampede style embodies the melting pot of cultures of the city and the West surrounding it. It’s a mix of urbanites who love to dress the part for the 10 days, the authentic and true ranching community who come to the city for the horse and rodeo events, and the native indigenous sector. Everyone seems to have a bit different idea of dressing for the event. Really good Calgary Stampede wear – can be quite modern and contemporary – and gives a reverential nod to our history. 

The essence of anyone’s Calgary Stampede style however, should always reflect the city and province’s western heritage – that’s what made the West what it is today, and people still tend to be proud of that heritage. The grit and independent nature of our settlers and cowboys and First Nations peoples is a quality people of all cultures who have settled here can admire and be proud of. 

General Style Tips for Dressing for Calgary Stampede

- If you’ve decided this is the year to purchase cowboy boots, whether to replace the uncomfortable ones you’ve been limping through Stampede for years with, or finally purchasing your first real cowboy boots, remember there is nothing like a well-made pair. The old adage that a good pair of cowboy boots gets better with age is nothing but the truth. The idea that cowboy boots are only for the 10 days of Stampede is rather shortsighted. In fact, they adjust seriously well to city life. What pair you choose is really up to your personal style – some of our customers opt for browns and dark reds, which will work with almost anything, and others really like their boots to be the “pop-out.” This year, booties are a big trend. 

- If you’re on a budget, stick to wearing one or more of the three essentials of any cowgirl’s closet – cowboy boots, a belt, and a well-made hat – and work in your own wardrobe with it. We’ve been bringing in neat vintage leather belts from a collector in California, buckled up with the buckle of our local silversmith artisans, they cast a truly authentic and very cool look on a pair of jeans and tee or western shirt. 

What are some trends that'll be big at Stampede this year?

- Vintage-style western shirts are always in style, and especially if you know how to style them well. Cody & Sioux has a pop-up Western and Vintage Western Consignment, called ReWeston the second floor of their shop that’s filled to the brim with vintage jackets, dresses, belts, hats, boots and the coolest retro western shirts. Think pearl snap buttons, embroidered yokes and tailored cuffs. Open until July 15 with a constant turnover in neat pieces that can accessorize and really help a person create their own and very unique style for Stampede and beyond. 

- Dusters and kimonos over a graphic tee, vintage shorts and cowboy boots, paired with turquoise is still really strong Stampede wear, very fun to wear and transitions easily to wearing at some of our great music festivals coming up later this summer. 

- Fringe is practically a religion when it comes to Stampede style – you’ll see it on vests and dusters, jackets and short and tall cowboy boots. At Cody & Sioux, if we advocate bingeing on any item – it is fringe. 

- Cody & Sioux is the exclusive venue for a prairie artisan we work with who sustainably sources everything from pheasant to owl feathers, adds beads and silver and creates the most unique and Wild West earrings and hair extensions with them.  

- Native American Indians were enamoured with the spiritual healing powers of turquoise and nearly all of our turquoise jewelery is sourced from artisans in the Navajo and Zuni tribes of the Southwest. Whether boots, belts or jewelery the turquoise pieces in our shop pre-Stampede are hot commodities. 

- Cowboy hats are really taking a twist to the modern. We love the flat-top casino types and the Old West looks we’ve seen coming out of good hat shops. 

- Booties are a shorter version of the cowboy boot and we sell a lot of them in the store. Paired with shorts or a dress, they are a comfy and cute alternative to the traditional cowboy boot. Favorites in the store include anything with fringe or embroidery on them, or dyed turquoise or vintage brown. 

Tacky versus Chic

There are some real perennial style faux pas on the grounds – shorts that are simply much too short, for instance. We call them Daisy Duke shorts and they went out of style, permanently, in the 70s. 

Head to toe denim isn’t necessarily faux pas, but unless it has a few “right” touches like a vintage belt with buckle or really great boots, it can appear short-sighted and look rather silly. 

We love Madonna, but what’s known as the Madonna-type hats – trashy and cheap straw hats basically and particularly those adorned with beer labels mark the wearer as a gunsel, and are a big no-no for Stampede style.  

Red handkerchiefs are best left as part of your doggie’s Stampede outfit, not yours. If you want the necktie look, it’s actually very buckaroo and traditional and what it’s called is a wild rag. We have them at the shop now - in gorgeous deep shades, or patterned paisley and flowered and made of real silk. Worn against the neck in the winter, they’ll really do the job they were originally designed for, and keep you nice and cozy against the West weather elements. For the Stampede, they make an authentic and gorgeously unique accessory. 

If you’re looking for some personal styling attention and we invite you to attend one of our popular Calgary Stampede Styling nights. We’re hosting two this year: June 19 and 27. Grab a friend and come on down to get great shop-wide deals, check out our Vintage and Western Wear Pop-up – ReWest – and get yourselves styled up for the 2019 edition of the Calgary Stampede and all summer long!