How do texans dress

Bushra's formula of high-waisted jeans and a boxy tee is a good reminder that sometimes great basics make for a simple but chic outfit. WHAT: Clearly, bra tops are a trend that's sweeped the nation this year.

I'm taking styling tips from Lola's minimalist ensemble here and layering a ribbed cardigan over mine. WHAT: Personally speaking, a relaxed suit is a timeless look that will never feel dated, but Karina styled hers with platform flip-flops to bring it into WHAT: Texan women have mastered the art of looking polished even when it's sweltering outside, and Meghan's belted blazer dress is all the proof you need.

Allison's printed pants and pink jelly shoes are nostalgic in the best way. WHAT: Nope, you don't need to wear any color to make a statement. Shay's two-toned Nanushka jeans—which she styled effortlessly with a bodysuit and sandals—speak for themselves. WHAT: The power that a really great blazer holds can't be understated. The only branch of the four Neiman Marcuses in the Dallas area that is not in a mall is the one on Main Street. Betty Lidji, a personal shopper, is set up in a nook not too far from the fur department, on the second floor.

A shopper can sip a cappuccino there as she looks over the pieces that Lidji has pulled off the racks for her. Angie Barrett, a philanthropist, threw a party for about fifty guests not long ago in her main closet. Nor does one usually find two shelves of Roger Vivier shoes including a perfect-for-never-walking pair that has bows on the soles , a shelf of identical crocheted slipper boots purchased from a store in L.

The man was her husband, who was joining us late. He was wearing two-hundred-dollar jeans and a sweater from Barneys; the waiter had worried that he was riffraff. On the way to the airport to return to New York with my suitcase of black and gray clothes, I stopped at Zara, the Spanish retail chain that sells trendy, cheap clothes knocked off from designer trends. There is some finery that even the most cunning personal shopper cannot lay her hands on.

Standouts include a bustled black velvet gown with ermine tails and a red velvet cocktail dress with pearl embroidery. Many of the ensembles had previously belonged to Claudia Heard de Osborne, a Texas oil heiress. I cried as I packed, as I loved each and every dress, coat and cape.

Patricia Marx is a staff writer. Enter your e-mail address. Generally the most expensive boots a shop will stock are horned-toe crocodile; a pair of those babies will set you back a couple of grand. Boot design can be no-nonsense or elaborately styled, with contrasting uppers, fancy stitching, and piping. Even more important than look, though, is fit: A boot has to fit properly.

It should be snug, requiring you to pull on with both straps and yank off with a touch of difficulty, but not tight.

Your heel should snap into place but allow for a little movement. A good boot seller can help you determine the right fit. Don't buy unless you're sure. Hats -- Cowboy hats are serious business. They're worn at all times and not taken off indoors; if you don't think so, check out a Western dance hall on a Friday night, where you'll find cowboys twirling about the dance floor with their best hats firmly in place.

The classic Stetson, like the one LBJ wore on the ranch, dates from the s. The key to your new hat is getting it formed, or creased, for that perfect range or courthouse look. A real-life roper retires his white straw hat at the end of summer, opting for a sturdy felt sombrero for autumn and winter -- a seasonal fashion dictum not unlike the one that demands that New Englanders banish white from their wardrobes after Labor Day.

Western Shirts -- Most traditional and urban cowboys go for heavy, pressed-cotton Western shirts in plaids or solids. Fancy Western swing shirts with pearl snaps, contrasting yokes, and little "smile" or "arrow" pockets aren't that easy to find these days. If you want a singing cowboy or fancy honky-tonk shirt, you'll need to either go vintage or shell out big bucks for a high-end designer, such as Manuel of Hollywood who dresses Dolly Parton and other flashy country-music stars.

At its most basic, though, the Western shirt should have a reinforced Western yoke, flap pockets, a full cut, and snapped cuffs. The shirttail is always worn tucked in.