Let’s set the scene: A dusty sunset, a rocky vista in the distance, and one of the best Western shirts on your back that's broken in and comfy. Western shirts are an all-American garment with rugged roots and heritage aplenty. These shirts first appeared, of course, out West around the same time as another staple of American heritage menswear, the five-pocket jean (and like jeans, Western shirts were made with cotton denim).
These strong and stylish button-downs were prized by miners and ranchers for their ability to withstand dust and debris. They also came with a few other hallmark features, like easy-access snap buttons, often made from horn (nowadays, they’re made from horn, metal, and other materials). V-shaped flap snap pockets provided helpful utility, while the upper back of the shirt featured a yoke design for added durability. The yoke is a stitched shoulder panel, and the name comes from, yes, the yokes worn by oxen pulling wagons.
How to Style a Western Shirt
The best Western shirts are casually rugged and come in a variety of washes, from dark indigo to light blue, so think of them like any other shirt you’d wear casually with a contrasting pair of jeans. For example, you could pair a light blue cotton denim Western shirt with black jeans. You could also style it untucked with classic tan chinos for a high-low style mix.
Avoid wearing denim Western shirts in formal situations; it’s best as a weekend warrior you can wear unbuttoned over a classic tee, with sleeves rolled up. Some Western shirts lean dressier and even come with embroidered designs, but these days, the most common versions are made from simple, hard-wearing denim.
Now that you’re primed with the history of Western shirts and a few helpful style tips, its time to put some in your closet. These are the best Western shirts to wear right now.
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The Best Western Shirts of 2023
Wrangler Cowboy Cut Work Western Rigid Denim Shirt
Wrangler’s shirts are no joke: They’re designed to be worn in real-world work situations and built to stand the test of time. This tough denim shirt will break in and age nicely the more you wear it, just like a pair of quality selvage jeans.
[From $30 (was $40); amazon.com]
Tecovas Vintage Weight Sawtooth Cotton Pearl Snap Shirt
Although the brand isn’t quite a decade old, Tecovas has made a nice name for itself by producing expertly crafted Western boots—and now Western shirts, too. Options like floral print are a nice style move and a break from the solid colorways seen from most other brands’ offerings.
[$98; tecovas.com]
Levi’s Barstow Western Denim Shirt
Levi’s helped bring denim jeans and the denim shirt to the masses by way of Western workwear, and legacy continues today: This shirt proves the brand’s timeless style hasn’t gone out of fashion. It’s available in a range of shades, but the dark, overdyed blue colorway contrasts nicely with Levi’s classic stitching.
[$56 (was $80); levi.com]
Flint and Tinder Japanese Wabash Bone Button Western
Flint and Tinder, best known for its rugged waxed trucker jackets, gets equally rugged with this tough Western shirt. It's made in the US with Japanese denim sourced from Kuroki Mills, one of the top mills in Japan touted for sustainability. The small details, like burned bone buttons, give this shirt a unique look.
[$131 (was $188); huckberry.com]
Taylor Stitch Western Shirt in Washed Denim
Taylor Stitch was founded on perfecting the Oxford shirt, but the brand has since expanded into tougher shirting options, like this soft-washed yet durable denim shirt. All of the expected Western details are done right, and thicker selvage denim makes this a great pick for everyday wear (it’ll stand up to repeated use) and layering.
[$125; taylorstitch.com]
Wythe Moleskin Pearl Snap Shirt
Wythe is inspired by classic Americana, and the brand’s specialty is arguably their Western shirts, which are made in stylish earthy shades and premium fabrics. This pearl snap shirt swaps denim for moleskin, a cotton fabric with a suede-like texture. The pearl snaps and sawtooth pocket give the shirt a heritage look.
[$188; huckberry.com]
Faherty Doug Good Feather Canyon Overshirt
Faherty makes beachy clothes that look great far from the shore, including this Southwestern overshirt that proves that not every Western shirt has to be made from denim. It features a design by artist Doug Good Feather from the Standing Rock Lakota. The laidback brushed cotton makes it a comfortable layer to throw on over a slim T-shirt.
[$178; nordstrom.com]
RRL Denim Buffalo Western Workshirt
Distressed denim is hard to get right because it often looks inauthentic. But you can count on Ralph Lauren and his Americana-focused sub-label RRL to get the details right. The shirt has whiskering along the sleeves and natural-looking fades along the hip and shoulders. It looks just as stylish in Big Sky Country as it does in your fluorescent-lit office.
[$275; huckberry.com]
Howler Brothers Crosscut Deluxe Western Snapshirt
Howler Brothers makes great Western shirts for guys who love the classic country aesthetic but can’t quite pull off the full Glen Campbell “Rhinestone Cowboy” look. Made from a cotton/polyester blend, the classic Western shirt design features subtle Western-inspired embroidery like poppies and snakes.
[$109; huckberry.com]
Red Kap Men's Deluxe Denim Shirt
Red Kap is a workwear brand that dates back to the 1920s; it hasn’t enjoyed the same level of appreciation as Dickies or Carhartt among the fashion-forward crowd, but that means that the prices have stayed low. This heavyweight, 100% cotton denim work shirt is less than $40. The hybrid Western/work shirt features pearl snap buttons and squared-off workwear pockets. It’s cut generously, so you may want to size down.
[$35; amazon.com]
Gap Chambray Shirt
A chambray work shirt is a great alternative to the classic pearl-snap Western shirt. Chambray is similar to denim but is an open weave, rather than a twill, making it lighter, softer, and more breathable, but the roomy button-front pockets give the shirt a tougher, rugged look. Gap’s take is one of the more affordable Western shirts available. It’s made from 100% cotton and is available in regular and tall sizes.
[$34 (was $70); gap.com]
Lucky Brand Corduroy Western Shirt
Lucky Brand offers a bolder take on the Western shirt. It features classic details like pearl snaps, a pointed yoke, and pocket flaps, but traditional denim is traded for a fine wale corduroy. The shirt also has a detailed floral and paisley print, but the corduroy fabric and western styling keep it from feeling like one of those hideous “going out shirts” from the early aughts.
[$59 (was $99); luckybrand.com]
Todd Snyder Cotton Twill Western Shirt
A white Western snap shirt is a great alternative to a dressier oxford shirt. This take from Todd Snyder is made from cotton twill and features traditional snap buttons, including three on the cuff. The versatile shirt works with jeans and chinos, but would even look great with a suit.
[$99 (was $188); toddsnyder.com]
Lee 101 Western Shirt
A sawtooth pocket shirt in rigid indigo denim is about as Western as it gets. This take comes from Lee, a legendary denim brand founded in the late 1800s. The dark blue shirt features contrasting yellow stitching, snap buttons, and pointed yokes on the chest and back. This shirt is part of Lee’s 101 collection, its premium label inspired by the brand’s most timeless styles.
[$140; lee.com]
J.Crew Midweight Denim Western Shirt
J.Crew’s midweight denim Western shirt is a modern take on the traditional Western style. The shirt is finished in a washed black color, rather than blue, giving it an urban sensibility. It’ll look classic with jet-black jeans, or bold with a pair of off-white denim.
[$50 ($98); jcrew.com]
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