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Winter is the perfect season to don a warm pair of boots! (Tecovas/Instagram)
So you just moved to the capital of Texas—isn’t that honky-tonk flair contagious? While you make your transition into becoming a true Texan, it’s time to grab some local garb so you can look the part.
The classic cowboy look typically includes a trusty pair of boots, blue jeans so starched they can stand on their own, a colorful button-down, a brimmed hat suited to your taste and a vest if you’re feeling formal.
‘Round these parts, you’re unlikely to see someone wearing the full getup all at once. However, each element has its place in your wardrobe and can be used to add a little bit of country sparkle to almost any outfit.
If you need some help getting started, here are some trusted outfitters that will take care of you.
Tecovas, 1333 S Congress Ave. and 11701 Domain Blvd.
Possibly the most essential Texan garment, a good pair of boots will last you for years if properly taken care of but they will cost you a pretty penny. A quality pair is likely to cost you at least $200 but prices can reach the thousands, so make sure you’re ready to wear those boots for the long haul.
This Austin-based company makes its boots completely by hand, each set with over 200 steps, in León, Mexico. Tecovas takes a classic approach to boots, with the aim that the pair you buy will be “as in style today as they will be 30 years from now.” A pair of Tecovas tends to hover in the $200-$600 range, with options for every price range, and also sells clothing so you can nail down the whole look in one place.
Allen’s Boots, 1522 South Congress Ave. and 1051 Interstate 35 Frontage Rd.
An Austin staple since 1977, Allen’s Boots offers a touch more color and variety than the latter brand. Located along South Congress, Allen’s carries everything from the traditional cowboy shape to booties, from neutral colors to a rainbow of different leathers. Allen’s boots may cost a bit more on average than a pair of Tecovas, but the sales—oftentimes 50% off or more on certain styles—can’t be beaten. Make sure to check out Allen’s “Wall of Fame” when you stop by to catch a glimpse of its more famous customers, including George Strait, Faith Hill and Sam Elliott.
Texas Standard, Several boutique locations
From the classic Texas check sport shirt to the winter-friendly flannel to the summery guayabera, Texas Standard stocks western-wear essentials. With a passion for outfitting the “Texas Gentleman,” the clothing brand also sells western-cut jeans and accessories to boot. Plus, there’s a size for everyone with a range from small to XXXL. As a proudly Texan brand, the brand gives 10% of its proceeds to local charity organizations.
Tiny’s Western Wear, 8403 Research Blvd.
Hooking residents up with western clothing and specialty Hispanic-styled items since 1958, Tiny’s is the place to look for all your 10-gallon hat-wearing, bolo tie-donning and belt-buckling needs. In addition to the well-known Stetson, Tiny’s carries desert hats and straw hats to choose from. This is a great place to find leather purses, wallets and kids clothing as well.
Callahan’s General Store, 501 S. Highway 183
This old-timey shop carries a healthy selection of boots, Stetsons, jeans and a wide array of accessories for any aesthetic. This shop doesn’t just sell western-themed garb—it’s a full boutique of country caboodles—you can find home decor, gifts, skincare products, gardening tools, feed and animal supplies for your ranch, and hardware on top of that.
Get along now, ye hear?
Popular
(Bob Daemmrich)
Hours following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that guaranteed a constitutional right to an abortion, on Friday, about 1,000 people gathered in Republic Square with signs calling for change.
The rally, organized by the group Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights Texas, started at the federal courthouse on Republic Square on Friday at 5 p.m. before the crowd marched to the Texas Capitol. More protests are expected to ensue over the weekend.
People showed up with all types of signs like Mindy Moffa holding up, "Keep your filthy laws off my silky drawers."
Austin joined cities across the country that saw protests for a women's right to an abortion after the ruling.
According to a recent UT poll, 78% of Texas voters support abortion access in most cases.
Sabrina Talghade and Sofia Pellegrini held up signs directed at Texas laws. A Texas trigger law will ban all abortions from the moment of fertilization, starting 30 days after the ruling. When state legislators passed the trigger law last summer, it also passed laws for more protection of firearms, including the right to open carry without a permit.
Lili Enthal of Austin yells as around 1,000 Texans marched to the Texas Capitol.
From the Texas Capitol, Zoe Webb lets her voice be heard against the Supreme Court ruling.
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(Paxton Smith/Instagram)
Paxton Smith’s 2021 valedictory speech at Lake Highlands High School in Dallas wasn’t the same speech she had previously shared with school administrators. She dropped the approved speech and made a case for women’s reproductive rights after lawmakers passed the Texas "Heartbeat Bill.”
Her advocacy made news on NPR, YouTubeTV and in The Guardian. Just over a year later, the “war on (women’s) rights” she forewarned has come to a head as the U.S. Supreme Court voted Friday morning to overturn Roe v. Wade, ending constitutional protection for abortion access.
“It is up to the people to show up and show the courts and the politicians that we won’t sit back and let this happen,” Smith told Austonia Friday morning. “We will show up, we will fight back. Before, we were scared of them, now they should be scared of us.”
Now a University of Texas sophomore and abortion rights activist, 19-year-old Smith said she wanted to give the same speech in the “the most public way possible” to reach “as many people as possible who don't agree that I deserve this right.”
However, she says the response was “actually overwhelmingly positive” and supportive of her cause. According to a recent UT poll, 78% of Texas voters support abortion access in most cases.
The speech opened up further opportunities for activism: she advocated for reproductive rights at the International Forum on Human Rights in Geneva, interviewed with Variety magazine and spoke to tens of thousands at Austin’s Bans Off Our Bodies protest at the Texas Capitol in May.
Smith also serves on the board of directors for the Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project, a national nonprofit organization that helps fund abortions or medication abortion—like Plan C pills—in all 50 states. Most recently, Smith has been attending protests in Washington, D.C. leading up to the ruling.
“This is land of the free. This is where you get to choose how you live your life,” Smith said. “Overturning Roe v. Wade violates everything that we have come to believe about what it means to live in this country. I think a lot of people aren't willing to accept that this is a human right that is most likely just going to be gone for over half of the country within the next couple of weeks.”
Bracing for the next steps, Smith gave some tips for supporters:
- Find a protest to attend.
- “I would say invite somebody to go to those protests with you, invite a couple of friends, invite people into the movement,” Smith said.
- Talk about the issue on social media—use the platform you have.
- “Have these kinds of conversations where people can just talk about their fears and then find ways to go and advocate for yourself,” Smith said.
- Volunteer at a nonprofit near you.
“I feel like a lot of the reason things have gotten as bad as they have within the abortion rights world is that people are not making a scene, not protesting, not putting the effort into ensuring that the government doesn't take away this right,” Smith said. “I want to emphasize that if you're not doing anything, don't expect the best scenario, expect the worst because that's the direction that we're going in.”
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