30th Anniversary
Cody
Fall 2020
Cover: North Platte Vest, Ramos Peralta Top, Taos Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry This Spread, on Left: Cheetah Chic Jacket, Denim Workshirt, Cody Hat, Skat Kat Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry This Spread, on Right: North Platte Vest, Ramos Peralta Top, Watanya Cicilla Skirt, Taos Hat, Quintana Roo Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
Plaza Charro Jacket, Riata Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
Welcome to the Wild West There is an element of romance to the American West that is intangible and undeniable. We know it. You know it. Hollywood knows it; Dances with Wolves, Lonesome Dove, Tombstone. The Wild West was a romantic era in American history. It was grit and glamour, it was shootouts and saloons, it was danger and drama and delight. It was a time of virtues and vices, of defending honor and defining a nation, of indulging in entertainment. And it stole our hearts long ago. In honor of our 30th anniversary, every collection in ‘I Go Back’ is a piece of our past in some way. Unlike Matagorda, which encapsulates an entire upbringing, Cody reflects on a singular weekend; a spur of the moment, drive-through-the-night road trip to Wyoming, our up close and personal brush with the Wild West. “I fell in love with Bill Cody on that trip,” said Cheryl McMullen, designer for Double D Ranch. “Didn’t everyone? That’s who he was. He romanced the West. The entire country, really. I remember stopping in my tracks when I saw his show jacket; it was beaded deer suede with fringe and was trimmed in silk. It was stunning to me in 1993, imagine how alluring it must’ve been in the 1800s. And his thigh-high boots. He had style beyond the times, and he had charisma. He was a showman, through and through, and that’s how the West was really won. Would there have even been a Wild West era without Buffalo Bill? Would we still be talking about it? Would Hollywood even be making western movies?” Being immersed in that atmosphere, surrounded by those images and artifacts, had an effect that has resounded for nearly three decades for Double D Ranch. It was tangible history from a period that seemed larger than life, and from that moment on, the Wild West had our hearts.
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Wild West Show Top, The Showman Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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This Page: The Cattleman Boot Opposite Page: Cheetah Chic Jacket, Denim Workshirt, Cody Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
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The Showman Jacket, Giuseppina Top, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
The Showman Jacket, Giuseppina Top, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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This Page: Sitting Bull & The Indian War Tee, Watanya Cicilla Skirt, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt Opposite Page: Sitting Bull & The Indian War Tee, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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Vintage Double D Ranch Bolos
Frederici Blouse, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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“It was because of my great interest in the West, and my belief that its development would be assisted by the interest I could awaken in others, that I decided to bring the West to the East through the medium of the Wild West Show.� - Buffalo Bill
North Platte Jacket, Trapper Hat
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North Platte Jegging Giuseppina Top Double D Ranch Jewelry
North Platte Jacket, Giuseppina Top, North Platte Jegging, Trapper Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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Quintana Roo Boot
Giuseppina Top, Cody Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
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On Left: Wesley Showma Shirt, Watanya Cicilla Skirt, The Showman Hat, Dream Weaver Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt On Right: The Nash Flash Top, The Cattleman Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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Wesley Showman Shirt, Watanya Cicilla Skirt, The Showman Hat, Dream Weaver Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
Wesley Showman Shirt, The Showman Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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Both Pages: The Nash Flash Top, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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Both Pages: The Wrong Side of Memphis Jacket, The Great Exhibition Tee, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
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The Wild West’s Best In terms of entertainment, production, and overall execution, the Wild West shows of the late 19th century were spectacular. And nobody did it better than William “Buffalo Bill” Cody. The 1880s were the golden age of outdoor entertainment, a pastime that went on to thrive for another thirty years, led by these famed productions that Buffalo Bill perfected. He opened his first show on May 19, 1883, in Omaha, Nebraska; “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show: Rocky Mountain & Prairie Exhibition”. The performances featured awe-inspiring skill acts like sharpshooting, roping, and riding, but not as standalone trick sets; they were written into narratives of survival on the western frontier, animatedly orated, and scored with mood music by what became known as the “Cowboy Band”. To classify these Wild West shows as spectaculars would not be an understatement. According to Paul Fees, former curator of the Buffalo Bill Museum, by the late 1890s, the production involved as many as 500 members, who were fed three hot meals a day cooked on 20-foot ranges; they generated their own electricity and staffed their own fire department, and expenses could run as high as $4,000 per day. In 1899, after teaming up with James A. Bailey (of Barnum & Bailey) and taking to traveling by train, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show covered an astounding 11,000 miles in 200 days, giving 341 performances in 132 cities. But all eras end. Thirty years after its debut, Buffalo Bill’s production went bankrupt in 1913, sadly marking the beginning of the end for that age of entertainment. Credit to www.centerofthewest.org, where we gleaned a wealth of information.
Dime Novels Jacket, Cody Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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This Page: Dime Novels Jacket, Cody Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry Opposite Page: Dime Novels Jacket and Pant, Cody Hat, Quintana Roo Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry
This Page: Mountain Chant Duster, Lawman Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry Opposite Page: Mountain Chant Duster, Lawman Hat, Long Tall Sally Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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Both Pages: Paseo del Pueblo Jacket, Denim Workshirt, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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“I figure if a girl wants to be a legend, she should go ahead and be one.” - Calamity Jane
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Plaza Charro Jacket, Riata Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
On Left: Blackhills Top and Skirt, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt On Right: Cowboy Show Top, Cody Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
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Both Pages: Cowboy Show Top, Cody Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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Both Pages: Blackhills Top and Skirt, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
This Page: Frederici Blouse, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt Opposite Page: North Platte Jacket, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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Tobacco Salesmen American folk art is a strong source of inspiration for Double D Ranch. And it has been since the beginning. When we started designing for the 30th anniversary collection, there was a lot of conversation and deliberation about whether we should bring back some pieces from the past three decades and create somewhat of a “best of” compilation of all-time favorites. We ultimately decided against that direction with the collection, but rather to include updated, modern nods to some of our signature silhouettes and prints. The Tobacco Salesman is one of those prints. The imagery on this print is reminiscent of the antique carved wooden statues that stood outside cigar shops, dating back as far as the 17th century, to indicate that tobacco was sold inside. Back when much of the population was illiterate, certain types of businesses used universally recognized figures or structures to indicate what sort of goods or services they provided. (Think, red-white-and-blue poles outside the barber shop.) The American Indian became associated with tobacco because they introduced it to the Europeans, and thus these figures were created in their likeness and became sidewalk advertisements for the product. Our first iteration of the image was early on in Double D Ranch history, appearing in the fall 1992 collection. It had a nostalgic tie for us because it was around this time that we had been in business a couple of years and started to realize, “Hey, we may actually have a future in this industry…” So, when it came time to reimagine significant pieces for our 30th anniversary, the Tobacco Salesman was on that list.
Watanya Cicilla Jacket, Tobacco Salesman Skirt, Denim Workshirt, Old Pawn Hat, Quintana Roo Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
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Watanya Cicilla Jacket, Denim Workshirt, Tobacco Salesman Skirt, Old Pawn Hat, Quintana Roo Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
Watanya Cicilla Jacket, Denim Workshirt, Old Pawn Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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This Page: Saddle Pack Bag Opposite Page: Tobacco Salesman Top, Wild West Pant, Cody Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry
Tobacco Salesman Dress, Long Tall Sally Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry
Frontier Trapper Hat, The Cattleman Boot
“Would there have even been a Wild West era without Buffalo Bill Cody? Would we still be talking about it? Would Hollywood even be making western movies?” - Cheryl McMullen
Tennessee Walker Hat, Plaza Charro Jacket, Riata Hat, Lawman Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, The Showman Hat Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
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Women of the Wild West The conditions were decent, the wages were good, and above all, women were center stage. In terms of equality, Wild West shows were lightyears ahead of their time. For starters, the women were paid the same as the men, which still isn’t even the norm these days. Additionally, while there weren’t as many spots for them on the cast, women had the opportunity to perform as top-billed leading ladies and characters who were every bit as skilled, memorable, and important to the show as the males. Centuries later, you still hear stories of Annie Oakley’s sharpshooting or Calamity Jane and her daredevil ways, right alongside the tales of Buffalo Bill Cody. And even some of those whose legacies didn’t live on quite as strongly, had their moment in the Wild West spotlight. Like Lillian Smith, who first toured with Buffalo Bill as a teen before reinventing herself as Princess Wenona; Lucille Mulhall, who was a skilled roper and eventually declared a Rough Rider in her father’s show; or Tad Lucas who was known to ride a bucking bronco into the arena. They stopped riding side-saddle, they wore what they wanted, and they just became viewed as regular ol’ rancheras. There was a sense of equality available to women in the Wild West show industry that just didn’t exist anywhere else in the late 19th century. There’s something to be said for that. And there’s something to be said for the women who saw a sharpshooter or a trick roper and said, “Well, hell, I can do that!” and had the skills and moxie to show-up a man center stage in an era when they couldn’t even vote.
On Left: Good Robe Jacket, Giuseppina Top, The Showman Hat, Quintana Roo Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt On Right: Pawnee B Top, Lawman Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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Both Pages: Pawnee B Top, Lawman Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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Good Robe Jacket, Giuseppina Top, The Showman Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
This Page: Yesterday Cowboy Shirt, Long Tall Sally Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt Opposite Page: Yesterday Cowboy Shirt, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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This Page: Vintage Double D Ranch Bolo Opposite Page: Hondo Vest, Denim Workshirt, The Cattleman Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry
“A crowned queen was never treated with more reverence than I was by those wholesouled western boys… And for seventeen long years, I was just their little sister, sharing both their news of joy and sorrow from home.” - Annie Oakley
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Plaza Charro Jacket, Riata Hat, Watanya Jacket, Runaway Train Tee, DoubleCicilla D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Vintage Double D Ranch Belt Double D Ranch Belt
This Page: Ketch a Wildflower Top, Double D Ranch Jewelry Opposite Page: Ketch a Wildflower Top, Quintana Roo Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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Denim Workshirt and Broom Skirt, The Cattleman Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
“I ain’t afraid to love a man. I ain’t afraid to shoot him either.” - Annie Oakley
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Denim Workshirt and Broom Skirt, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
Denim Broom Skirt, The Cattleman Boot
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Old West Show & Auction All it took was seeing one ad for the Cody Old West Show & Auction, and we had that Suburban loaded six deep and the wheels pointed toward Wyoming. “Anyone who knows me, knows I am an avid collector,” said Cheryl. “Especially of textiles and all things western. So, this event up in Cody had my heart racing; it had the potential to be the motherload of western collectibles. I knew I had to go. I just can’t believe I convinced Mom and Audrey to go with me – and bring the boys!” The auction turned out to be everything it promised to be and more. There was item after item up for bid from what is arguably the most romantic period in American history, the Wild West, each more impressive than the last. We spent the day walking among articles of tangible history, awed and inspired. This was 27 years ago and it made such an impression, we remember it like it was yesterday. (Incidentally, we also made an impression – with three plastic-pistol-packin’ little cowboys having a gun fight in the auction house aisles.) “I ended up with winning bids on several lots that I convinced Mother we needed for inspiration,” Cheryl laughed. “But what really stands out are the three bids I didn’t win: a bearskin rug that I wanted for the showroom, a great pair of woolies with a wonderful tooled leather belt, and most regrettably, a pair of Annie Oakley’s gauntlets that were embroidered with her monogram. Actually, funny story, I ended up haggling with the winning bidder of the rug on the curb outside, and that bearskin beauty came home with us. So, I guess just the two.” Between the auction, the Whitney Gallery of Western Art, and the Buffalo Bill Museum, the inspiration was overflowing, and here we are, all these years later, still dedicating entire collections to that wild-haired Wild West road trip.
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Pahaska Vest, Frederici Blouse, Watanya Cicilla Skirt, Dream Weaver Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
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Pahaska Vest, Frederici Blouse, Watanya Cicilla Skirt, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
Both Pages: Tobacco Salesman Tee, Cody Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
“There is an element of romance to the American West that is intangible and undeniable.” - Cheryl McMullen
Plaza Charro Jacket, Riata Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
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The Scout Turns 30 Along with our three decades in business, we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of one of Double D Ranch’s most iconic pieces of all time. While our story really begins with those original blanket coats we were hand-stitching on an airplane at the last minute, the Scout jacket feels like the main character. It’s hard to explain, but it kind of solidified our identity in a way; it defined our aesthetic and defined Double D Ranch as a brand that strives to stand out. It’s the jacket that made the world take notice. And so, it’s had a recurring role over the years. “We had no idea at the time there would be more than one,” said Cheryl McMullen. “We didn’t know we would be bringing it back, year after year. It was when we designed the versions that followed that we started naming them more specifically, like the Canadian Scout, and the Calamity Scout, and this year’s Alamo Scout. But back then, it was just ‘the Scout’.” Over the years, we’ve recreated it time and again. It’s always stayed true to its military aesthetic. A structured cut -- sometimes cropped square to the waist, sometimes tapered to the hip. Sometimes a short stand-up collar, sometimes no collar at all. But the Scout jacket has always maintained a full button placket and a soldier’s shoulder with fringe, and some years, a beaded version of the military epaulet. It’s classic, it’s a collector, and it’s the leading lady of the DDR story. Cheers to you, Scout, and happy birthday!
Where Buffalo Roam Jacket, Denim Workshirt, Lawman Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
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Grady Rodeo Workshirt, Frontier Trapper Hat Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
Grady Rodeo Workshirt Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Belt
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Whitney Jacket, The Great Exhibition Tee, Wild West Pant, Taos Hat, Quintana Roo Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
The Great Exhibition Tee, Wild West Pant, Taos Hat, Quintana Roo Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
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Bighorn Basin Top, The Showman Hat, Quintana Roo Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry
Wild West Pant, Quintana Roo Boot
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Both Pages: Blackhills Top, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Good Robe Throw
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“Aim at a high mark and you’ll hit it. No, not the first time, nor the second time. Maybe not the third. But keep on aiming and keep on shooting, for only practice will make you perfect.” - Annie Oakley
The Showman Jacket, Tobacco Salesman Tee, Nilla Scarf, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
This Page: Vintage Double D Ranch Bag Opposite Page: Giuseppina Top, Old Pawn Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
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This Page: The Plainsmen Jacket, Denim Workshirt, Double D Ranch Jewelry Opposite Page: The Plainsmen Jacket, Denim Workshirt, Tobacco Salesman Scarf, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
Chief Many Horns Top, Long Tall Sally Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Good Robe Throw
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This Page: Buffalo Run Sweater, Denim Workshirt, The Showman Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt Opposite Page: Dream Weaver Boot, The Showman Hat
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Vintage Ketohs
Rainbird Horizon Top, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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The Life & Legacy of William Cody Buffalo Bill Cody had a storied life long before he dazzled audiences for a living. Born William Cody in 1846 in a midwestern territory that is now present-day Iowa, this historic character got an early start to his colorful – and often questioned – series of careers and life events. Following his father’s death in 1857, Cody took his first job at age 11 as a messenger for a freight carrier, riding horseback alongside a wagon train relaying messages between the wagons. He then went on to hold an array of other jobs, such as a stagecoach driver, hotel manager, and a rider in the Pony Express. Or so he claimed. Little evidence has been found of Cody actually serving in some of these roles, and it’s suspected they may have been fabricated for the sake of publicity, or at the very least, embellished. (He was a showman, after all.) There is evidence, however, of his military service. As soon as he was able, at the age of 17, Cody enlisted to fight with the Union Army in the Civil War, and then returned to service in 1868, his exceptional performance earning him the appointment Chief of Scouts to two different regiments. It was in this post that he organized the 1872 buffalo hunt for Russia’s Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich that inspired Double D Ranch’s 2009 fall collection. Between his stints of service is when Cody earned his famed nickname, “Buffalo Bill”. He was contracted by the Kansas Pacific Railroad to hunt and provide buffalo to keep the workers fed and is said to have killed more than 4,000 in a year and a half span. He carried the nickname throughout his life and into his foray in showbusiness, eventually producing the traveling spectacular, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, which cemented his legacy as a showman and an icon for an entire era. It’s been said that when Buffalo Bill Cody died in 1917, the Wild West died with him.
The Great Exhibition Tee, Wild West Pant, Taos Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
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Wild Bill’s Jacket, Giuseppina Top, Tobacco Salesman Scarf, Lawman Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
This Page: Wild Bill’s Jacket, Lawman Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry Opposite Page: Wild Bill’s Jacket, Giuseppina Top, Tobacco Salesman Scarf, Lawman Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry
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Both Pages: Blackhills Jacket, Denim Workshirt, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
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“Out where the handclasp’s a little stronger, Out where the smile dwells a little longer, That’s where the West begins.” - Arthur Chapman, Out Where the West Begins, 1917
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On Left: Wild Bill’s Jacket, Giuseppina Top, Tobacco Salesman Scarf, Old Pawn Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt Plaza Charro Jacket, Riata Hat, On Right: The Great Exhibition Tee, Denim Workshirt, Wild West Pant, Trapper Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt Vintage Double D Ranch Belt
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Denim Workshirt, Wild West Pant, Trapper Hat, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Good Robe Throw Shot on location in and around the Buggy Barn Museum, Blanco , Texas