Reagan Ray

The inside labels of western wear usually feature two of my favorite design elements: rope type and cowboys. Whether it's a cowboy spelling out the company name with his lasso or riding a bucking bronc, you definitely start to pick up on the old trends when you see them all together. The small space of the label also lends itself to creative and interesting type lockups using a limited color palette (almost always 1 or 2 colors).

Western wear became extremely popular in the 1940s and 50s as it made it's way onto the big screen in Hollywood. Celebrities such as John Wayne, Roy Rogers, and Gene Autry became cultural icons, and everyone wanted to dress like them. Hence the fact that so many of the brands listed below were located in the Los Angeles area. Sadly, most of these brands are long out-of-business and can only be found in vintage stores or on eBay.