Americana, or western and workwear, is one of the trendiest styles lately, and for good reason. After all, it’s comfortable, no-fuss authentic, and extremely practical, even if you’re not slinging hay bales, giddying up for the daily chores, or felling trees like an urban lumberjack.
Americana includes real people: hats, buckles and denim are the way to go. This guy with the denim shirt is featured on Robb Report’s Instagram account.
Whether you’re browsing the pages of Vogue or walking down the street in a small town, you’ll see people decked out in Americana. And this trend isn’t going away anytime soon, so you can expect to see western staples like denim, belt buckles, and cowboy boots going into 2023 and beyond.
Over at The Robb Report luxury magazine, they’re celebrating a guy dressed in a denim shirt who looks like he’s going to sling you some tasty slow-cooked ribs.
And in Esquire magazine, the popularity of Americana and “Urban Lumberjack” style is linked to “a desire for quality instead of consumption…especially at times of national crisis.”
This trend isn’t going away anytime soon, so you can expect to see Americana popularity going into 2023 and beyond.
Here’s exactly what the Americana look entails and why it’s so popular.
Why Americana Is In Vogue
We can answer why Americana is in Vogue with one buzzword: Yellowstone. Fashion draws inspiration from pop culture, and what’s new and hot is the revival of western TV shows like Paramount’s Yellowstone, HBO’s Westworld, or Disney’s Spaghetti Western-inspired The Mandalorian.
But it’s not just TV shows pumping out westerns; we’re also seeing the success of western-inspired video games like Red Dead Redemption I & II. And of course, what’s successful in Hollywood makes its way into the stores we love to shop.
Toss in our post-pandemic lockdown mad rush to get back to nature, and it’s easy to understand society’s craze for a culture that epitomizes “the great outdoors”, or Americana.
Why Americana Is In Vogue
Americana has its roots in the idea of a simpler way of looking at things: what’s real and authentic is good and what’s false is not good. The good guys win, and the bad guys get punished. What you see should be what you get.
While real life is not quite that simple–sometimes a little spandex can be a good thing in your jeans, and contrast colours on your Western shirts look pretty cool– the yearning for a less complicated and more authentic lifestyle is a trend that’s not going away.
Toss in our post-pandemic lockdown mad rush to get back to nature, and it’s easy to understand society’s deep need for a culture that epitomizes a real and authentic experience, such as “the great outdoors”.
In entertainment, what’s new and hot is the revival of western TV shows like Paramount’s Yellowstone and HBO’s Westworld. The long-running Canadian western series Heartland has started its 16th season, and is now on Netflix in countries around the world.
In music, the popularity of streaming country music grew 15.8% during the pandemic, according to measurement company Neilsen, compared to a growth of less than 3% in other music types. This trend was covered in a major TIME magazine article.
Heritage country stars like Alan Jackson continue to call for getting rid of musical tricks and returning to country roots, and Heartland Rock and Roots Rock are holding their own against electronic sounds. People want simplicity and honesty
But it’s not just TV shows pumping out westerns; we’re also seeing the success of western-inspired video games like Red Dead Redemption I & II.
More than any other style, Western wear and Americana ticks all the boxes: keep it simple, make it real, let’s be comfortable and authentic.
And of course, what’s successful in Hollywood makes its way into the stores we love to shop, like Wei’s. The Yellowstone success spawned not only Yellowstone clothing with sayings from the show, but also
We’re used to Wei’s selection being on-trend and in demand, and that’s why we have so much inventory: more than 100 styles of Men’s Wrangler jeans, plus lots more Western and Casual jean brands, and more than 100 cowboy boot styles.
We have more than 1,000 belts on racks in our stores, from waist size 26 to 60, and we wish it was simple to get them all online!
Want Americana selection? Come to Wei’s.
Americana Looks Are Comfortable and Functional
Anyone can rock the Americana look and it definitely doesn’t require an overhaul of your wardrobe. From big cities to small counties, the Americana look is growing in popularity because of how easy it is to style and comfortable to wear, and now it’s your turn to make the look your own.
Americana clothing is all about practicality, comfort, and durability, and being down to earth. It’s more about the real thing and less about the frills (unless they’re authentic frills). You can have an accessory or two without becoming frilly.
If you’re new to Americana style, you’ll want to slowly incorporate these pieces into your style. You can mix and match them with items from your closet, like a western shirt paired with a mini skirt or cowboy boots and a dress. Over time, you’ll get more and more comfortable wearing different western pieces.
These are some traditional western wear staples that are both comfortable and functional:
Americana Jeans
- In 2022, Ariat brought out their R.E.A.L jeans for women.
- Wei’s has stocked Wranglers, Levi’s and other heritage denim brands for decades. But we know some people want to try a new jean style while staying close to their roots, so we also stock Silver, Cinch, Buffalo, Miss Me, Ariat and many more brands.
- Don’t forget that these brands bring out new styles, preserving a lot of their identity but maybe modernizing the wash, or the fit. Wei’s has more than 100 styles of Men’s Wranglers, including original styles, vintage styles and new styles and materials.
- You probably have jeans in your closet already. For women, fashion is moving away from skinny jeans and into bootcut or women’s flared jeans, like Rock & Roll’s bell bottoms.
Americana Cowboy Hats
For a quick way to westernize your ensemble, pop on a Stetson hat and call it a day. You can wear cowboy hats with denim (jeans or a skirt), a suit that features a western shirt, or a sundress.
Wei’s has not only the ‘formal’ cowboy hats from Stetson, Serratelli and Resistol, but also Stetson’s winter versions of crushable wool hats for a more casual look, and casual hat styles from Akubra, Outback Trading that bring an ‘adventure’ twist to hat styles.
Americana Caps
Like a cowboy hat, a western wear branded cap or toque is a simple way to add Americana to your outfit.
From the ball diamond to the tractor seat, and country music stars like Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton and many more, ball caps are part of the American look. Wei’s has dozens of styles from Carhartt, Kimes Ranch, Hooey, Wrangler, Cowboy Sh*t and many more. Wei’s stocks curved brims, hybrid and flat brims.
Americana Belts
Belts: What’s a cowboy or cowgirl without their signature belt? Whether it’s an oversized or a rodeo-inspired belt, you can add western flare to your denim simply by throwing on a belt.
Real quality belts, by Hooey, Justin, and Tony Lama can be as fancy as you want, with different colours of leather, metal, different inlays and embossing.
Wei’s also carries uncomplicated styles made from one single piece of leather, sourced by Wei’s to provide you with many years of service. Did we mention we have more than 1,000 men’s belts in stock?
Americana Boots
There’s probably nothing more Americana than a pair of cowboy boots to keep your feet on the ground. Wei’s has more than 100 styles of cowboy boots, cowgirl boots and kids western boots. Some of these are still made in Canada by Boulet and Canada West and they provide great value in styles for walking, roping or rodeo spurs or intricate or plain styles.
- Celebrities everywhere are embracing the cowboy boot. The best way to wear classic boots like Red Wing or Canada West Boots casually is to pair them with a dress or by reviving the classic, loose-fitting bootcut Levi jeans.
- Other western boots are packed with technology such as Ariat boots which have done a great job of innovating to provide more comfort.
- And if it’s something different you want, check out our extensive selection of exotic leathers such as caiman, crocodile, lizard, stingray, shark, and more by expert Americana brands like Olathe, Hondo and Lucchese, or newcomers like Black Jack.
Work boots have been claimed by urban styles during the 1980s, propelling a brand like Timberland to stardom. This urban style is also masculine, and uncomplicated, and fits Americana.
Americana Shirts and Jackets
Western shirts: Plaid, denim, or western shirts are staples of western wear and are easy to build outfits out of. Wear them casually with a pair of jeans and sneakers or dress them up with a skirt for women, or tucked into dark-wash jeans, a belt, and boots for men.
- Plain colour shirts are uncomplicated, but also bold. Perfect for Americana.
- Plaid shirts pay homage to real work, manual labour and “Urban Lumberjack” style.
- Styles with a vintage feel, like jean jackets–but there’s a place for modern technology making clothing more comfortable
- Outerwear: You don’t need to be a Dutton to wear a Carhartt jacket. One of the hottest trends is wearing an Americana jacket with denim and sneakers. Wei’s also stocks Schaefer Outfitter, producing excellent quality Americana styles.
The Schaefer 215 jacket is on-trend and long-lasting.
- Our ladies’ Rock & Roll fringe jacket or Ariat shirt jacket in a southwest pattern are other stylish alternatives to neutral-coloured Carhartt’s.
Wei’s Americana Selection
Wei’s is your one-stop shop for all things western wear and work wear, and guess what? Western and work wear are Americana!
Wei’s has the brands to get yourself a great shirt: Wrangler, Ariat, Cinch shirts in solid colours, Outback, and many more.
With more than 20 brands of work boots in stock, you’ll find the look you want, and you don’t necessarily have to get a steel toe if you don’t need one. 
JB Goodhue’s Farmer boot is classic Americana
If you’re not sure which Americana pieces to add to your wardrobe, visit us in store or browse our curated western wear collections that feature the trendiest and highest quality Americana clothing, shoes, and accessories. Or, you can search our website and include the terms you need to narrow down your preferences.