Cowgirl country style is in. How does that look in New Zealand?

When Zoë Cowling, 25, gets a pair of jeans, she heads to the men’s section.

The farmhand who works on two sheep stations in Canterbury always buys men’s Wrangler jeans because the denim is sturdy and tough. They can take a beating when she is in the saddle on her horse.

“It’s weird that only the men's Wranglers are good. They are thick denim and all the women’s pairs are thinner denim.

“What I do is get men’s Wranglers and have them altered so they fit a bit better.”

It’s an example of what Cowling - and other Kiwi cowgirls - likes to wear: clothing made from natural fibres that are tough, practical and, when required, can look good.

With country music going mainstream - artists Beyonce, Post Malone and Lana Del Rey have recently released country albums - cowgirl fashion is also popping up in urban centres. Just take a look at American model Bella Hadid’s Instagram account for aspirational cowgirl chic. The known horsewoman has gone full country since she started dating horse trainer Adan Banuelos last year.

American country fashion is known for its big hats, big belt buckles and big boots with flashy rhinestones. The style of country Australia is more subdued with the earthy, outback tones of the oilskin coats of DrizaBone, RM Williams boots and hats from Akubra. Rural New Zealand also has its own style and an increasing list of Kiwi brands that are scratching a growing itch.

Penny Williams is the founder of one of those brands. She started H & S Heritage in 2017 when she began making durable farm clothes for kids in the dining room of her Canterbury farmhouse. The brand is now known for quality tailored work and dress shirts for women, men and kids.

“New Zealand’s country style I think shares a focus on practicality, durability, and natural fabrics with Australia and the US, but the differences come down to climate and style influences,” Williams wrote in an email to RNZ.

“In New Zealand, layering is essential for the changing weather, with merino wool a staple and a growing resurgence in strong wool for outer layers.”

Swanndri has been in the business of wool clothing since 1913 when the company came out with its iconic bush shirt, a heavy wool pullover coat with a lace-up front. The other look the country and outdoor brand is known for is a red or blue and black check pattern.

Jenny Drinkwater, Swanndri’s head of marketing, associates cowboy and cowgirl fashion with America and hot weather.

“We don’t have that luxury and that is where Swanndri comes in. We are best known for keeping people warm.”

The brand has expanded in its century-plus existence to a full wardrobe of clothing including t-shirts and pants for men, women, kids and jackets for pets.

“I don’t think there are a lot of high country stations that don’t have a Swanndri hanging on the peg at the back door.”

The cooler climate in New Zealand compared to the Australian outback and some parts of county USA means Casey Evans has a lot of jackets.

“If anyone knows me, I have like 50 jackets,” said the horse riding coach and country music singer and songwriter. At least four of those jackets have leather fringes on the arms.

“What I’ve noticed is that five years ago it wasn’t as easy to get your Western clothing.

“What I’m finding now is that it is so much more accessible.”

Cowling's workwear consists of Canterbury shorts, a button-up shirt, Zamberlan boots with ankle gaiters and her ornate gold dog whistle necklace from New Zealand brand Whistle & Pop (yes, the pendant works as a dog whistle).

However, when out on the town at the pub, concerts or festivals, she has noticed New Zealand country’s slow embrace of some of the more flamboyant aspects of Western style. An outfit might have rhinestones or leather fringes, but not both. In the US, it's not uncommon for one outfit to have it all - boots, hat, belt buckle, rhinestones, fringes and frills.

“It is almost like the practical version of the American style. You can still ride a horse in what we would wear out at night but you probably wouldn’t do that in the America stuff.”

Boots are, of course, a big deal in rural New Zealand, both for work and fashion. Anna Tukuitoga, a country music singer-songwriter, loves her Ariat cowboy boots. She grew up competing in country music competitions where she had to wear a big hat, frilly checkered dress and cowboy boots.

Now, as she focuses more on bluegrass music “which is basically country,” she often pairs a Polynesian-style large floral print dress with her boots.

“I just started to bring out my culture a little bit more with the music that I was singing.”

Australian brand RM Williams is another popular boot for New Zealanders.

One thing that Kristy McGregor, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Shepherdess magazine, has noticed in rural New Zealand is the boots lined up outside the post office, grocery store or pub (it’s etiquette to remove dirty work boots before entering a store).

“In New Zealand to me, that's the gumboots at the door whereas say in Western Queensland, it would be the cowboy boots.”