Photography by Jay Chrohm. Photo assistant, Tasha Marie

This Content Creator’s Closet Oozes Western Charm

For Andie J, dressing like a cowgirl isn't just a hobby — it's a way of life.

Date October 23, 2023

Andie J is a cowgirl at her core — minus the riding horses part. “I like petting and looking at them, but I’ve never loved riding,” she confesses somewhat sheepishly. Instead, the content creator (@andoej) prefers to pay homage to horses through her clothing: a collection of 70+ Western-inspired pieces that would make Dale Evans herself jealous. “Cowgirl is an attitude, really,” she says, quoting the star of 1940s Western musicals. “The cowgirl faces life head-on, lives by her own lights and makes no excuses.” And neither does Andie.

Born and raised in Calgary, she was always interested in fashion but didn’t realize it was a viable career until a couple of years into her PR degree at Mount Royal University. After a brief stint in Toronto as an intern at Joe Fresh, she returned home and joined TikTok on a whim. A year later, she started a video series about what she would wear to the front row of certain fashion shows, and she went viral. She decided to pursue TikTok full-time (while designing websites on the side) and now calls it her “accidental dream career.” “There aren’t a lot of jobs where your number one goal is to connect with people,” she explains. “I just love having that driving force every day.”

@andoej

the movie obsession except make it me in a western store lmao 🤠🐄 #cowboyboots #cowboybootcollection #cowboybootsoutfit #girlmath

♬ original sound – Walking L

Andie says she owes her style to her mother — the duo used to have 12-hour shopping marathons at thrift stores — but jokingly blames her father for her initial resistance to Westernwear. “I used to hate it when my dad would dress up in his cowboy boots, hat and shirt,” she laughs. “It wasn’t until I was in my late teens that I realized it was actually cool.”

Nearly a decade later, she now refers to her closet as “The Country Music Hall of Fame” because she has amassed so many Wild West wares, including 43 pairs of cowboy boots. “I’m urban, city, Hollywood, cowgirl,” Andie says, describing her style. “I’ve always been really into music, so I’ve definitely been influenced by Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, Cher and Harry Styles.”

As you can imagine, minimalism is not in Andie’s vocabulary. Colour, sequins, glitter and fringe abound as shiny lime-green boots mix with ornate leather jackets. Belts are big, and their buckles are even bigger. And cow print is considered a neutral. “It’s kind of like when you put on a matching pantsuit,” Andie reveals. “I get the same energy wearing a cowgirl outfit. I feel confident and strong.”

@andoej

my anxiety is high but i made it !!!! driving sucks!!!!! 🤠🤠 #stampede2023 #stampedefitcheck #stampedefashion

♬ original sound – Andie

Part of that confidence for Andie can also be attributed to Westernwear’s massive makeover in recent years. What was once an emblem of lone rangers and toxic masculinity has transformed into a flamboyant fashion that had a starring role in the Barbie movie. “The juxtaposition is very powerful to me,” shares Andie. “Westernwear was developed to be functional. It wasn’t seen as feminine until some really iconic women, like Dolly Parton, stepped in and added glitter to chaps.”

But, ultimately, the connection to her home keeps Andie coming back for more. “Growing up, a lot of people try to leave Calgary, including myself,” she begins. “But in the past four or five years, there’s been a real thrifting surge. It’s a very interesting scene, so wearing my pieces makes me feel proud of where I’m from.” Home on the range, indeed.

Photography by Jay Chrohm. Photo assistant, Tasha Marie

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Shopping cart

Andie found this vest at one of her favourite thrifting spots in Calgary, Kept Clothing Collective. But she’s also been known to source a lot of items from eBay — “There are a lot of Texans on there!” — and consignment stores in Arizona.

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Feeling (not so) blue

“I saw it across the room in a vintage store in Calgary, and I felt a zing,” Andie says of this teal fringe jacket. “I’ve worn many Western pieces in my life, but I have never felt as confident as I do in this — it’s my superhero suit.”

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Hat trick

Despite having 20 or so cowboy hats, the collector admits she doesn’t wear them out that often. Why? “I’m scared of getting forehead acne,” she laughs. Instead, she has her sights set on home decor. “I want to have a wall of hats someday!”

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Designer deal

Andie is a bargain hunter through and through. One of her favourite finds is this pair of pinkish boots from the now-defunct label Calvin Klein 205W39NYC by Raf Simons (the current creative director of Prada). She got them from a consignment store in Arizona for $110.

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On the fringe

You never forget your first fringe. For the collector, it was this tan jacket that she found on a family trip to Arizona in 2016. “I was 18 when I bought it and was too scared to wear it,” shares Andie. “Then I wore it in a TikTok video and got so many comments that I was like, ‘OK, it’s cool.’”

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Chap happy

Andie originally bought these red chaps from Poshmark to wear to her first ever Coachella, but when she arrived in California, the weather had other plans (read “heat wave”). So she saved her sweat glands and wore the pants to the Calgary Stampede that summer.

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All tied up

Andie describes bolo ties as a “cake topper” of sorts as they can instantly and effortlessly add a touch of Western whimsy to any outfit. “I only have six now, but I want 300,” she laughs. “There are so many weird ones, and I think they’re hilarious.”

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In her shoes

Andie’s first pair of cowboy boots were technically her mom’s. “I would steal them and wear them all the time when I was a teen,” the collector shares. It wasn’t until she turned 18 that she purchased her own.

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Boot craze

Much to Andie’s disappointment, she doesn’t have many pairs of vintage cowboy boots. (She blames her size 10 feet.) So, to get her footwear fix, she shops at places like Jeffrey Campbell, Alberta Boot and Boot Barn and has now amassed over 40 pairs in a kaleidoscope of colours.

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Have a cow

Believe it or not, this matching Topshop set spent years hiding in Andie’s closet. “I never wore it,” the collector confesses. “And then I rediscovered it and was like: ‘I’m such an idiot! It’s the most iconic outfit ever!’”

This article first appeared in FASHION’s November 2023 issue. Find out more here.