Yesterday I had the unique opportunity to meet Colette Jones, a bonafide Western-style fashion designer. I'm in Winthrop, Washington for 49er Days, a story in and of itself. But, I digress. I'm here to talk about fashion.
Colette grew up on a cattle ranch and began showing horses at a young age. She started out sewing up horse-showing jackets for herself, then friends and before long she launched Giddyup Tailored Western Wear.
The line has everything from tops and jackets to pants and chaps. The pieces are showy. Notice the use of rhinestones and gold studs in this jacket.
She draws inspiration from retro rodeo cowgirls. She made this leather belt by hand and had it hand-painted by a local artist.
Check out Colette's blog to see how she takes her sketch below to the final product.
The green movement is strong in the state of Washington and Colette is tuned into it. She incorporates retired cowboy lassos into her accessories line. She finds the lasso makes a strong strap for her hand-made leather bags. Interested in seeing one? I'm sure Colette would love to show you. You may contact her at colette@giddyuptailoredwesternwear.com.
And as they say in the Ol' West...happy trails!
--Gigi Hooghkirk







