Whenever you talk to people who love traveling, they whip out their phones, begin to bombard you with photos of their getaway spot/hidden gems and all the fun activities they’ve got lined up.
We all know that your vacation wardrobe can either make or break your holiday, but have you ever noticed that it’s the one thing travelers rarely bring up? Aside from travel ootds making for aesthetic Instagram photos, the perfect wardrobe is sure to get you saddled up for one heck of a trip.
When it comes to cowboy-cations, there’s more to it than just going anywhere with horses, It’s about getting your hands dirty & embracing the independent spirit of the lone ranger. On top of that, what’s a cowboy or cowgirl without the right giddy-up?
Here’s a guide on how a well-curated “cowboy core” wardrobe paired with saloon aesthetic hidden gems can differentiate your next cowboy-cation , from a standard rural vacation into a deluxe ranch staycation.
It all starts with what you carry, as the old cowboy saying goes, Go big or go home, well something like that I read somewhere on a coaster, or maybe I heard on an episode of Dallas . Either way one has to ask themselves, what is my inspiration and what does the place lend itself to?
So, What kind of cowboy or cowgirl /girl are you? Here’s a quick breakdown of two iconic examples.
The Lone Ranger
Now before you throw tomatoes at me cause they saw Lone Ranger and immediately thought of Armie Hammer, trust me this isn’t that kind of article, In this context we are going to focus on The classic Lone Ranger, I’m talking Clayton Moore’s wondering Lone Ranger out in the terrain looking to be left along and instead be one with nature.
When I imagine The Lone Ranger, I think of someone who oozes a sense of calm and assertive energy where one is fine to go on a vacation by themselves. This made me think of places such as Voi & Turkana.
I know peculiar choices, but with Turkana, I thought of the sandy terrain that allows one to really connect with nature and not have to worry about the hustle and bustle of the big city. If the classic character is any example, this kind of vacation is about denim combos, a sturdy hat and boots that allow you to move freely and don’t feel too heavy. Comfort and practicality is the key here, so leave your beach shorts and sandals at home cause this is not the vibe you are going for. A great example would be the new & popular but increasingly private A frame or triangle houses, perfect for one looking to be one with nature; they are located around places like Karen and also on serene tea farms.
The Outlaw
If blondes really do have more fun then the Outlaw is the ultimate blonde. If you’re like me, my favorite part of a spaghetti western or cowboy movie is when the Outlaw lives up to their name, whether it’s Ed Harris as the chilling Man in Black in HBO’s Westworld or Idris Elba as Rufus Black. The Outlaw carries with them a sense of agency but never a sense of emergency, there’s something about them that just screams, ”I’m in control now”.
When going on vacation as The Outlaw, your wardrobe needs to match your vibe, it needs to seem and feel effortless while still feeling well thought out. A lot of safari locations and glamping locations now offer horse riding services, an outlaw is the person who walks through the hotel lobby and everyone ceases their day to just soak in the Outlaw’s energy, a great guide to the outlaw other than the aforementioned ones are Jamie Foxx as Django, Thandiwe Newton as Maeve.
For Ultimate Outlaw, I would suggest places such as the DikDik Creek in Ongata Rongai or Fred’s Ranch in Kajiado. Places where you are out of the main city but close enough to be back home in under an hour, more importantly places that allow you to release your inner outlaw or as the kids say fly your freak flag high and undisturbed.
I hope that in between my random frequencies two things show, one that you definitely know the name but have never watched to references to locations you’ve only seen in memes, two that the article resonates with you. Whether you are the Outlaw or The Lone Ranger, you are ready to yeehaw, strap on them boots and turn your next baecation into a cowboycation. Reader’s discretion, if you get dumped because you went for a cowboycation instead of a beach vacation, I am not liable and please don’t look for me on social media, unless its tinder which I guess is fair game.
