Four ways to explore
Follow the clothes
into history.
The stories collected here connect clothes with the people who commissioned, made, sold and wore them. These routes begin with the evidence already in the archive and open into the wider history as the collection grows.
Ranch & range ↗
Follow the clothing advertised for riders and ranch customers, and the routes that carried it into everyday wardrobes.
02Rodeo & parade ↗
Explore Fay Ward’s rodeo life, Rodeo Ben’s trade, and the clothes offered to performers in the arena.
03Screen & stage ↗
See how performers and workshops made songs, personalities and whole bands visible in cloth.
04Needle & thread ↗
Look closely at labels, embroidery and the people whose skilled work gave a garment its character.
05Shops & trade ↗
Trace manufacturers, retailers and dance halls as Western shirts moved beyond the tailor’s counter.