Moving into a ranch home seems a little intimidating when you’ve lived in the city all your life. When you haven’t been to a farm, you may think everything you’d see in the place is nothing but cattle, horses, and endless grasslands. As such, your urbanite fashion sense has no place in it. If you’re used to high heels and dresses, you may have to let them go and settle for work boots and tunics instead.
But living on a ranch shouldn’t dwindle your fashion sense one bit. Sure, you may need a change of wardrobe, but it doesn’t have to cost you your stylishness. In fact, once you get the hang of ranch life, you’d start to appreciate cowgirl fashion. It’s comfortable, and suitable for city travels, too.
Before launching into the style pointers for ranch-living, though, let’s delve into the practical bits first. When you have no idea what to expect in ranch life, your first few days may feel overwhelming. So here’s a short walkthrough on the things you need to know about a ranch home:
- You’d likely live in a single-story, low-profile home.
In the city, chances are you’re living in a multi-story, single-family home, or in a condo. But in the ranch, single-story farmhouses are the norm. That’s because ranch homes are designed to be aging-proof. Without stairs, senior adults would not risk their safety going into the different rooms. For that reason, the elderly or those with long-term disabilities have higher chances of staying independent when they live in a ranch home.
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You’d live with farm animals.
If you’re moving to a ranch owned by your family or relatives, there may already be farm animals waiting for you. But if you’re buying land, you need to know where you’ll purchase livestock, and how many animals your land can support. Be careful with the latter, because some sellers exaggerate a property’s livestock capacity.
To get correct information about farms and farm animals, consult with your chosen area’s Natural Resources Conservation Service office. Knowing your ranch’s soil type, precipitation, vegetation, and forage condition, a professional can accurately predict its production potential.
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You need farming equipment.
Of course, the ranch life isn’t complete without farming equipment. And you also need to know how to use them. You’d need high-quality headstalls for your horses, a tractor, a trailer, an ATV, and more.
Living in a Ranch In Style
Now that we’ve laid the most practical bits about ranch-living, let’s delve into the exciting part: dressing with taste.
To get an idea of what kind of clothes you need to wear, imagine that you’re visiting a Texas ranch. You need a sturdy pair of cowboy boots, preferably with 1- or 2-inch heels to keep you from sliding through a horse’s stirrup. If cowboy boots aren’t your style, you can wear more appealing boots, as long as it has smooth soles and low heels. Choose a tall shaft as well for extra protection.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to look like you’re cosplaying a cowboy character. You can definitely make your attire casual and simple, as long as wear the right gear. But if you’re not horseback riding or tending to your farm, then you can don denim shorts, a cotton T-shirt, or even a dress. In fact, a summer dress and a pair of boots would make a perfect combo.
But if you want to show off your new cowboy or cowgirl life, consider wearing a western shirt. A western shirt is characterized by an embroidered design on the upper front and back. It’s typically paired with boot-cut jeans, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat. You can also layer the shirt with a western jacket if the weather’s freezing.
Stock up on the key accessories of the western style as well. It includes a tooled leather belt with a statement buckle, a neckerchief, and a bandanna. Take a stroll or work around your ranch wearing those, and you’d really feel like ranch life has been waiting for you all along.
Don’t feel pressured to adopt western fashion, though. You can still whatever you like, as long as it won’t interfere with your farming duties. You don’t want to wear high heels while horseback riding, or wear yoga pants on a cornfield.
Even if you’re sporting practical ranch wear, your clothing ensemble would still make a perfect OOTD Instagram post. So don’t be daunted by the ranch’s dress codes. You will surely pull if off, and love it so much that you’d keep wearing it even in the city.
