Tune in for a new show exploring cowboy fashion

by Mesgana Waiss, Mirror Indy
April 1, 2026

There are distinctive elements of the rugged American cowboy look: Wrangler denim jeans, hats or straight hats, fringe jackets and durable leather boots.

There is no denying what appears to be the beginnings of the western style seen in small fashion trends like “cowboycore.” Some say this is due to Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” era, the decline of democracy in America and country singers continuing to climb the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

A new exhibit at the Eiteljorg Museum, “Cowboy Couture: The Fashion of Jerry Lee Atwood,” explores this iconography. At the media preview night, Atwood was absent.

The exhibition, which closes Aug. 2, focuses on Atwood’s designs and their connection to American Western culture and early country music.

His designs are unique and recognizable. They recall the bright colors, sophisticated stitching and intricate chain-stitch design sported by country music stars of the 1960s and ’70s.

In 2013, Atwood founded Union Western Clothing Company. The self-taught, Indianapolis-based fashion designer works out of her studio on the north side.

The biggest stars wear his suits, including Post Malone and Lil Nas X. He makes suits for any occasion: weddings, music videos and parties and even for a neurologist in honor of his patients fighting ALS. She accessorizes textile designs with an antique 1950s Singer sewing machine on display in the gallery.

The exhibit has been several years in the making, according to Bryn Foreman, assistant curator of western art, history and culture. They said it was Elias Garza Garcia’s idea first. Foreman has been working to officially put together the show since they hired in August 2025.

What’s behind American Cowboy?

When you first enter the exhibit, you will be able to explore the history of western clothing.

Foreman said they had to whittle down the extensive investigation into an accurate timeline. The timeline provides a brief overview of the influences of indigenous mountain men, Spanish vaqueros, and Mexican charros on American cattle culture.

“Most of the cowboys were people of color, it was a difficult and dangerous job. Now, it was the type of Hollywood that started to create this legend of Roy Rogers cowboy, a white movie star,” Foreman said.

The exhibition “The Fashion of Jerry Lee Atwood” will be displayed at the Eiteljorg Museum until Aug. 2, 2026. The show, shown during a March 27 preview, features elaborate Western costumes and explores the influence of classic Western clothing on American pop culture. Credit: Stephanie Amador for Mirror Indy

In the music video for Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” she rides a horse through Compton and storms into the white “Old Town Hall” event — wearing one of Atwood’s designs. This symbolizes the discomfort that comes with discussing tribal and cowboy culture.

Foreman said Lil Nas X was “jokingly bringing attention to that history.”

The fashion show keeps it simple and leaves the etymology behind. However, historians debate the origin of the word “cowboy”. Some say it is derived from the Spanish word “vaqueros” which means cow hand or cowherd in English. Some say it was created to denigrate the cattle of black people who were formerly slaves and a symbol used to distinguish them from white cattle.

The timeline refers to the role of cotton production and 20th century western European tailors such as Nudie Cohn, Nathan Turk and Bernard “Rodeo Ben” Lichtenstein – who inspired Atwood’s clothes.

Foreman said they acquired the historic western clothing for the exhibit from Atwood and her business partner Joe David Walters and The Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles.

There’s more to a “Cowboy Couture” show than suits. You’ll find a dress, a onesie and an embroidered face mask made by Atwood during the COVID-19 pandemic.

You can also try your hand at fashion design by creating a fashion idea board, making paper dolls and drawing your own western couture dress.

A modern table and fashion concept board invites visitors to draw while exploring “The Fashion of Jerry Lee Atwood,” on display at the Eiteljorg Museum through Aug. 2, 2026.

Foreman said they’re not sure if Post Malone will stop by to see the show while he’s in town this weekend to headline the March Madness Music Festival.

They said: “We emailed his stylist, Catherine Hahn. Anyone who likes Post Malone’s clothes should come here to see the rest.

article first appeared in Mirror Indy published here is also reprinted under “Mirror Indy” href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.