Bespoke western shirt?

[dieworkwear]

The Santa Fe flea is tiny especially compared to Alameda. Its focus is much more Southwest, Spanish Colonial and Native American as you might expect. It's at its peak in the summer when collectors, dealers and pickers come to town from all over the world to buy, sell & trade at the major Western and Native American arts and antiques shows held in Santa Fe and ABQ. (one is coming up this next weekend, the Cody Old West Show). Most collectors/dealers stockpile their really good stuff for these shows where they can get higher prices than the flea markets. But the Santa Fe flea also has many very knowledgable sellers (and characters) who have been doing it for decades and are happy to chat and educate you. One seller, yesterday, was a retired professor of Native American history and has written multiple books on NA jewelry. He is happy to chat for as long as you want. Everyone has their "That time I sold___ to Ralph Lauren" or "When I was staying at the RRL Ranch..."

What is really fun is when a good picker will come to town for the flea market. They will contact local dealers and say "I have a lot of (jewelry or rugs) and no sales until 8AM, first come first served". There will be a dozen+ dealers picking over things and all of the good stuff will be gone in 10-15 minutes. A true feeding frenzy. But you better know your stuff if you want a good deal.

That sounds awesome. I figured it would have a better selection of Southwestern and Native American items.

 

[Gus]

I like the second ones the best and could theoretically possibly see myself ironically unironically (or perhaps unironically ironically) wearing them in the SW.

But I also wonder: because there is obvious iconography for a culture I have no connection to, would that be a faux pas?

Native American weavings and jewelry might have vanished in the early 1900's had the railroad not come through the Southwest bringing tourists who became enamored by these unique crafts and the romance of the Southwest creating demand for them. The majority of the jewelry and rugs you see were made by Native American craftspeople for these tourists. So, if they made it for you, why not wear it if you like it?

One of the leading galleries in the world for NA arts invites me to their receptions. You ought to see the massive bolo ties that some of the older collectors wear (guys in their 70's+). The majority of middle age and younger guys tend to forgo bolos and wear pieces that are simple (silver cuffs, simple Naja necklaces, etc). I also see large bolos on the middle age and older Native American guys if there is a major event or a festival... the flashy stuff really comes out for show. It's fun. So much of the fancier things were made to be worn for special events. This has been true for over 100 years. You wouldn't wear a tuxedo to shop for groceries so along the same lines perhaps you save that hefty bolo for a special event.

 

[romafan]

Gus - we would visit Santa Fe fairly often back before kids came along (and continued while they were still young enough to be into cowboys and doing stuff w/ us) and would go to this nice shop, Nathalie's, at the top of Canyon Road run by a pretty French (?) woman who had 'gone native' - still around?

 

[Gus]

Gus - we would visit Santa Fe fairly often back before kids came along (and continued while they were still young enough to be into cowboys and doing stuff w/ us) and would go to this nice shop Nathalie's at the top of Canyon Road run by a pretty French (?) woman who had 'gone native' - still around?

Yes, still here and still a fixture on Canyon Road for its mix of home decor, vintage boots, belts, jewelry, and apparel. As you know, you get a full "Southwest" feel when you walk in the shop. It's very well done. The last time I was in they had framed original photos of and by Dennis Hopper during his time in Taos.

 

[Numbernine]

First time I went to Santa Fe was passing through on a road trip with my family from Louisiana were we lived to Washington State to visit my grandparents. I was a huge cowboy fan and had this grand illusion of what it would be. Now I was about 8 yo at the time so that would have been 1953-54. To say the least I was sorely disappointed. Jackson Hole on the other hand with all those antlers piled up in the middle of town delivered. Never saw a real live jackalope though but my dad swore he was attacked by one once while camping

 

[HORNS]

Gus, have you ever eaten at the Pink Adobe? My family used to eat there every summer.

 

[Gus]

Gus, have you ever eaten at the Pink Adobe? My family used to eat there every summer.

I have not. It's still on my list of TTD.

A friend came here 30 years ago and set up a boot store. She said that all of the single retailers in Santa Fe would hang out at the Pink Adobe bar. It was the local retail scene back in the day.

 

[romafan]

Pink Adobe Bar! Yes, SF fixture for many years - great, good & meeh meals there but always great vibe. Ooow - Cafe Pasqual, the Shed, Tia Sophia's, Tiny's(?), Geronimo, Bobcat Bite!

 

[double00]

Native American weavings and jewelry might have vanished in the early 1900's had the railroad not come through the Southwest bringing tourists who became enamored by these unique crafts and the romance of the Southwest creating demand for them. The majority of the jewelry and rugs you see were made by Native American craftspeople for these tourists. So, if they made it for you, why not wear it if you like it?

One of the leading galleries in the world for NA arts invites me to their receptions. You ought to see the massive bolo ties that some of the older collectors wear (guys in their 70's+). The majority of middle age and younger guys tend to forgo bolos and wear pieces that are simple (silver cuffs, simple Naja necklaces, etc). I also see large bolos on the middle age and older Native American guys if there is a major event or a festival... the flashy stuff really comes out for show. It's fun. So much of the fancier things were made to be worn for special events. This has been true for over 100 years. You wouldn't wear a tuxedo to shop for groceries so along the same lines perhaps you save that hefty bolo for a special event.

yet unclear to me whether the indigenous folk of the southwest knew weaving prior to spanish contact, they certainly had textile traditions that included interlinked fabrics (a sort of a plied weft-less fabric akin to knitting, *sprang* is a grievous misnomer imho).

in any case the tourist wares of the westward era are interesting and good. here's a cochiti pot i'd thrifted, it's earthenware and not functional but the motifs are righteous (clouds, rain)

 

[Jr Mouse]

Native American weavings and jewelry might have vanished in the early 1900's had the railroad not come through the Southwest bringing tourists who became enamored by these unique crafts and the romance of the Southwest creating demand for them. The majority of the jewelry and rugs you see were made by Native American craftspeople for these tourists. So, if they made it for you, why not wear it if you like it?

One of the leading galleries in the world for NA arts invites me to their receptions. You ought to see the massive bolo ties that some of the older collectors wear (guys in their 70's+). The majority of middle age and younger guys tend to forgo bolos and wear pieces that are simple (silver cuffs, simple Naja necklaces, etc). I also see large bolos on the middle age and older Native American guys if there is a major event or a festival... the flashy stuff really comes out for show. It's fun. So much of the fancier things were made to be worn for special events. This has been true for over 100 years. You wouldn't wear a tuxedo to shop for groceries so along the same lines perhaps you save that hefty bolo for a special event.

Gus comes in for the win.

 

[romafan]

I'll tell you, it's hard to spend time in SF and (if you are at all inclined) not go full on

 

[Gus]

here's a cochiti pot i'd thrifted, it's earthenware and not functional but the motifs are righteous (clouds, rain)

View attachment 1627811

Here is a pictoral weaving that we have in one of our guest bedrooms. The graphic above the teepee is similar to the image on your pot (rain and thunder). Living in a desert, symbols of rain were considered positive.

 

[romafan]

** edited for grammar

 

[RJman]

Never saw a real live jackalope though but my dad swore he was attacked by one once while camping

I believe in them. My mother in law has a trophy head of one on her wall.

 

[romafan]

Definitely! As RJ said, you see the mounts everywhere - they're as common as snipes...