Rodeo threads
Katy native and stylist to country stars offers tips for your getup.
Where rodeo fashion is concerned, no one does it better than Tiffany Gifford, stylist to country music’s brightest stars.
The Katy native earned her stripes at Glamour, Marie Claire and Condé Nast Traveler magazines before landing her dream gig: Today, Gifford dresses some of the genre’s top acts, including Miranda Lambert, Maddie & Tae, Brett Eldredge, Anderson East, Caitlyn Smith, Abby Anderson, Ashley Monroe and Jewel.
With a killer lineup of RodeoHouston concerts looming (Garth Brooks’ round 2, anyone?), Gifford shares her pro tips and tricks for elevating your westernwear game from “pedestrian” to “performer” status.
No. 1. must-have for building a timeless rodeo wardrobe: Boots, 100 percent. No question.
Mainstream designers or brands who’ve bitten the western bug: From Prada to Gucci to Calvin Klein, nearly every high-end fashion house has taken recent runway (inspiration” from country-music styles — take your pick from shirts with fringe and piping, floral embroidery suits and cowboy boots out the wazoo.
How to stand out from the crowd: Don’t go head-to-toe western. Mix something modern in that represents your everyday style. Rodeo outfit game-changer: Fringe!
Difference between dressing a performer versus a concertgoer: With the Houston rodeo, the artist is on a stage that is quite far away from most of the audience, so you really have to make sure the artist is seen. Strong color and sparkles almost always do the trick.
Brand to watch: I hope to see some folks in Miranda Lambert’s new clothing line, Idyllwind.
Best advice: Personalize something you already have. For instance, if you’re wearing a western-style shirt, add a cluster of brooches to one side above the bust. When the details feel like you, you’re always bound to stand out.