The Story Behind The Blonde Cowgirl

If you have a dream, go for it. That’s what I did.

For the longest time I wanted to create a clothing brand. My brain has always been full of ideas that would look so cool on t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts. I never did anything with my ideas, because I was fearful that no one would appreciate them as much as I did. I struggled with finding the right style to begin selling. Jeep apparel? Dog apparel? Southern apparel? What would sell best? I never knew. I did know all of those things would most likely sell very well within their niche. However, I knew that they didn’t really suit me or suit what kind of brand I wanted to start.

I knew that whatever kind of brand I wanted to start, I wanted to sell mostly graphic tees or logo tees. Growing up, those have always been my favorite kind of shirts to wear. You can dress them up or dress them down. So versatile. Actually, 90% of my closet is graphic tees or logo tees from various brands and businesses. I always loved brands like Simply Southern, Southern Fried Cotton, Southern Marsh, etc… They produced simple logo tees with designs on the back. People LOVE them. Chances are, if you see one of their shirts, you can tell it’s theirs without looking at the tag. And THAT’S what I wanted.

But, did I want to market to the same “preppy southern” niche that those brands market to? No. That isn’t really my style and that wasn’t where I wanted to go with my brand. Plus, there would be too much competition in that niche.

Western fashion has always been in my interests. Whether it’s bootcut jeans, a t-shirt, and cowboy boots; or flares with a fancy shirt and heeled booties. I did not wear much “western fashion” up until 2019 or 2020. The reason being, I’m not from a heavy western-styled area. I’m not sure what else to call it. Sure, there were people who walked around in jeans and cowboy boots, but was it western fashion? No. Nothing like the western states. I was also never one to stand out from the rest.

So, the thought crossed my mind: “start a western BOUTIQUE”. Yes! I loved that idea. BUT, there are so many western boutiques. There would be a ton of competition. How would I make my boutique stand out from the rest? Would the stuff even sell in my area? My area didn’t really offer the niche I was going for. I didn’t think it was worth it. I told myself it would never go anywhere just because it’s not really a big thing around here. My plan would have been to promote it on my Instagram, but I definitely didn’t have the type of audience I needed to do so. The idea was then put on the back burner.

Okay, what about a brand that was like Simply Southern and Southern Marsh, but make it western? Good idea! I came up with a name for that brand and a logo. I quickly talked myself out of it because I didn’t think I was able to reach the audience I needed and I didn’t think the products would sell.

I’m not sure what sparked in my mind or when, but I’m so thankful it did. Why not create an online store where I can sell MY brand with designs I create? And that’s exactly what I did. That day I began working on a website, made a logo, and ordered packaging materials and products. I made some designs I had thought of come to life. That was the creation of The Blonde Cowgirl.

Now, the goal was to market to men and women. How could I do that with a name like The Blonde Cowgirl? That name would probably turn away most of the men audience. I mean, what guy wants to order a shirt from a brand called The Blonde Cowgirl?

Remember how I said I came up with a name and logo for the “western” Simply Southern brand? That’s what I used. American Cowboy Apparel is what I began using to market to men (yes, women can wear it too). American Cowboy Apparel is definitely more appealing to men.

The problem of, “how am I going to distinguish the two”, arose. There’s no simple way for me to put this (because I tend to ramble) but here’s my shortest way of putting it:

The Blonde Cowgirl is an online store that collectively houses Original Blonde Cowgirl designs AND American Cowboy Apparel designs. It’s a lot easier to sell everything in one online store.

Original Blonde Cowgirl designs are marketed to the women. That doesn’t mean men can’t wear them. They are just the more “girly” designs.

American Cowboy Apparel designs are marketed to men (and women). They are the more versatile western designs.

That’s how the creation of my brand(s) came about. I finally took the jump and did it. The support has been astonishing! We grew from 285 followers to around 800 in a matter of 14 hours, thanks to the “power of the tok” (as Claire would say). That same day/night we received orders in TWELVE different states. That made everything I had put into this business worthwhile and I’m so glad I took a leap of faith and did what I always wanted to do!