Welcome to the wild, wild west.

Farmers, cowboys, and Native Americans were the inspiration for many fabulous ensembles and even entire collections this season. Dozens of designers took the themes of the west to the runway this week, so I’d like to take a look at their different interpretations of the west.

The Cowboys
Some designers emphasized cowboy-style shirts, buttoned up to the neck, as an homage to the west.

Posen went simple, elegant, and trendy with his satin urban cowgirl (and her particularly adorable shoes).

Herchcovitch went more exaggerated and less wearable than Posen, but did a nice contrast of the hard studs with that beautiful purple print to nail the gritty-meets-pretty, cowgirl style.

The Period Pieces
Other designers weren’t afraid to go costumey, and dressed their models in full-on prairie girl and Native American garments.

Theallet’s model is straight off of the Oregon Trail, just with more cleavage and less petticoats. Well done.

I could do without the colored strings tied around her waist, but I love Rast’s indigenous feel, the beaded accessories, and their contrast to the combat-meets-couture boots.

Native Meets Modern

A few designers threw in just a little element of Native American style into an otherwise modern look.

I doubt this lady had a curling iron and slim-fitting corduroys on the reservation in the 19th century, but the beaded top is simply beautiful.

This was certainly the most surprising and innovative use of the west; Rodarte went daring with a bright, traditionally western print in an otherwise soft and modern outfit.

A Class of Her Own

But nobody, and I mean nobody, did the west the way my girl Betsey did.

She’s got Betsey’s interpretation of a cowboy hat, a gangster’s mask, a sherrif’s badge, and a toy gun. Leave it to Betsey to throw all those contradictions together and call it an outfit.