Rodeo 2025: Romance & Rustlers by doubledranch

Rodeo 2025: Romance and Rustlers

Gal Brushpopper Vest, Bryce Henley Top, Gal Brushpopper Pant, Rodeo Sweetheart Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessories

Romance & Rustlers

What is ‘Western’, really? What does it mean? What does it look like? Probably a million different things to a million different people.

Perhaps it’s a wide-open ranch in the Colorado mountains. Perhaps it’s eight seconds on the back of a bull on a Friday night in Fort Worth. Maybe it’s a Roy Rogers film splashed on the silver screen in black and white.

“For me, it’s a lot of things,” said Creative Director Cheryl McMullen. “But the immediate image conjured when I think of ‘real deal Western’ is the colorful cowboy art of the legendary A.R. Mitchell. It’s hard to recall whether it was a page of a calendar hanging in my grandmother’s kitchen or the cover of a pulp novel that sat on a side table, but somehow, an illustration of A.R. Mitchell’s made its way into my little childhood mind, and it never left. I now know that image to be titled ‘Lots of Spunk,’ which endeared it to me even more, and it became the cornerstone of this collection.”

The 2025 Rodeo Collection, Romance & Rustlers, captures the aesthetic of retro Western in ruby reds and minty greens, in hair-on hides and overstated embellishments, in pulp illustration-inspired graphic tees, and conversational print adaptations of A.R. Mitchell’s artwork.

Gunsmoke Trail Jacket, Bryce Henley Top, Mitchell’s Gallery Skirt, Longhorn Pee Wee Boot, Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Mummy’s Bundle by Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Double D Ranch Belt

Mitchell’s Gallery Skirt, Longhorn Pee Wee Boot

Love Rides the Trail Tee, Girl of the Rodeo Top, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessories

Girl of the Rodeo Top, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessories

Vintage Double D Ranch Belt

Love Rides the Trail Tee, Sonora Collar, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessories

Spur to Valor Dress, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Accessory

Daughter of the Moon Top, Daughter of the Moon Pant, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Vintage Double D Ranch Belt

The King of Pulp

Whether you realize it or not, you’d likely recognize the work of A.R. Mitchell. He was a prolific painter who indelibly influenced the imagery associated with the American West.

Arthur Roy Mitchell (1889-1977) was born and raised near Trinidad, Colorado, growing up on the tail end of the era that would be considered the Wild West. He walked the walk of being a ranch hand and ‘real’ cowboy before he brought it to life in the vibrant, vivid paintings that would grace the covers of more than 160 pulp novels between 1920 and 1940, at times appearing on half a dozen titles on a single newsstand at once. He was revered for capturing the authentic essence of the lifestyle, as he was painting what he knew, even his girlfriends. Unconventionally, A.R. had little interest in selling his paintings, so his collection remained primarily intact and now resides in his namesake museum in his hometown.

Touring the A.R. Mitchell Museum was remarkable in all the ways you’d imagine – awe at the sheer scope of his work and recognizing works we didn’t even realize were his. It’s rare to get to peer (posthumously) at the process of an artist, but A.R. seemingly kept every sketch, doodle, and drawing; in some instances, you can view what the curators call a trifecta, the complete collection of reference photo, concept sketch, and finished work.

Romance and Rustlers Poncho,

McCoy Top, Mummy’s Bundle by Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Vintage Double D Ranch Belt

Done and Dusted Jacket, Done and Dusted Skirt, Longhorn Pee Wee Boot, Mummy’s Bundle by Double D Ranch, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

“My cover paintings had but a few inches of space and seconds to talk the potential reader into spending his nickels. A good cover, whether on a pulp or a slick, had to talk.”

- A.R. Mitchell

Longhorn Pee Wee Boot

The Real Cowboy Top, Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Accessories

The Real Cowboy Top, Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessories

Cowboy Canyon Jacket, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Accessories

Cowboy Canyon Jacket

Cowboy Canyon Jacket. Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Accessories

Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

A Book By Its Cover

There’s the old adage that we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. (And yes, we understand the sentiment and believe in getting to know people.) But then, isn’t that why we illustrate them?

The artist A.R. Mitchell, who inspired much of this collection, said, “My cover paintings had but a few inches of space and seconds to talk the potential reader into spending his nickels. A good cover, whether on a pulp or a slick, had to talk.”

We feel the same way about fashion, about apparel and accessories. Should you be deemed a good or bad person based on your outfit? Of course not. But can you glean that someone has Western roots, an eye for accessorizing, and a flair for making an entrance? Absolutely. It’s why we love a bold jacket, a statement boot, or – at the moment – a cool conversational print.

The namesake pieces of the Romance & Rustlers collection feature a custom adaptation of A.R. Mitchell’s illustrations, which are storytelling scenes on their own but also have a second layer of storytelling in how these images crept into our consciousness as children and helped craft our concept of cowboys. These pieces say something about the artist, something about the designer, and something about the DDR-loving gal that dons them. It’s pretty poetic.

We believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt, but we also embrace the idea of being intentional when choosing your ‘book cover’ –after all, your style tells a story.

Romance and Rustlers Dress, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Accessory

Romance and Rustlers Dress, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch

Romance and Rustlers Dress, Long Tall Sally Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Accessory

Spring Greens

Say hello to the minty-fresh shade that’s ushering in the new season.

It’s a retro revival of the hue that was heavily present throughout the 1940s, the era this collection is loosely channeling. It welcomes an element of fun into fashion as we transition away from warm winter whites into the playful palette of spring. It has a liveliness to it, almost a happiness about it. It feels both nostalgic and fresh, youthful even. And perhaps the best part is that it’s a soft enough shade that you can rock it with the ruby reds of Romance & Rustlers without coming across as Christmasy!

Sonora Vest, Sonora Short, Long Tall Sally Boot, Mummy’s Bundle by Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Sonora Short, Long Tall Sally Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry

Sonora Vest, Sonora Short, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt

Vintage Double D Ranch Belt

Western Stories Tee, Sonora Short, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Hide and Chic

We are all in on animal print. We spent the winter parading around in python bikers and cheetah dusters, but as we steer our style towards spring, it’s all about that hair-on-hide.

Animal print is everywhere at the moment, and you’d be hard-pressed to argue its universal appeal, from loungewear to luxury. While your first association with animal print may be on the exotic side (think jungle cats), there’s a whole other side that’s a little more suited to our style, particularly this Romance & Rustlers rodeo collection: cowhide.

HERE’S WHY WE LOVE IT:

It’s inherently Western. Without cows, there’s no such thing as cowgirls, right? It can work anywhere from uptown brunch to downtown date night, but it’s rodeo-ready right out of the gate.

It’s instantly elevated by texture. The hair-on changes the game in terms of overall aesthetic, from kitschy to couture, and it lends itself to highend embellishments like contrast piping, studding, or suede fringe.

It serves as a neutral. Even though it has headturning qualities, when it comes to wearing and pairing it, it’s nearly as versatile as a black basic or a blue jean. Rock it with red, trim it with green, style it with chambray – it all works!

Rancher’s Quest Jacket, Rancher’s Quest Skirt, Long Tall Sally Boot, Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry

Rancher’s Quest Skirt, Double D Ranch Jewelry

Rancher’s Quest Jacket, Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry

Done and Dusted Jacket, McCoy Top, Done and Dusted Skirt, Mummy’s Bundle by Double D Ranch, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Done and Dusted Jacket, McCoy Top, Mummy’s Bundle by Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Accessory

Vintage Double D Ranch Belt

“I feel that to be a complete and truly civilized man, one has to be reasonably well read, somewhat learned, cultivated, and one who loves beauty nearly as much as he loves independent thought.”

- A.R. Mitchell

More is More

The inimitable and iconic Iris Apfel once said, “More is more, and less is a bore.” And, well, we agree.

Anyone familiar with Double D Ranch knows that mindset has long aligned with our aesthetic, but perhaps more than ever, that’s the energy we’re bringing into 2025. This season, it’s ALL about embellishments and accessories. We’re letting studwork tell a story. We’re doubling up on custom conchos. We’re belting dang near everything, and we’re cinching a scarf or bandana on every naked neck we see. (That’s a bit of an exaggeration, obviously, but just barely.) We are doubling down on the details – we put fringe on shorts, appliqued our jean jacket, and even affixed tiny turquoise dots to dramatic button-down collars and rickrack on a sweatshirt. Every little thing is designed to give it that element of #extra.

Life is short, load up!

Wilderado Jacket, Wilderado Pant, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessories

Wilderado Jacket, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Accessories

Wilderado Jacket, Wilderado Pant, Rodeo Sweetheart Boot, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

“Each painter must look at all times out of his own eyes and not through the eyes of his brother. In fact, in the modern scheme of things, the artist is the last rank individualist to survive.”

- A.R. Mitchell

Daughter of the Moon Top, Daughter of the Moon Pant, Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Western Pulp Top, Girl of the Rodeo Scarf, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Accessory

Western Pulp Top, Wilderado Pant, Girl of the Rodeo Scarf, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Romance and Rustlers Top, Romance and Rustlers Skirt, Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Romance and Rustlers Top, Romance and Rustlers Skirt, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Belt

Texas Jack Boot

Take the Reins Tee, Cattleman Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Accessory

Romance and Rustlers Top, Sonora Short, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt

Romance and Rustlers Top, Sonora Short, Texas Jack Boot, Mummy’s Bundle by Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Accessory

Spur to Valor Dress, Far Away Kid Blouse, Truly Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Rangeland Rosie Bag, Double D Ranch Accessory

The Return of Retro Red

This whole collection is serving mid-century movie star cowgirl vibes and few things are more reminiscent of that Hollywood Western coquette era than a rich ruby red.

The bold hue is bursting onto the scene all across the industry in a dramatic, demand-to-be-seen fashion. You’ll see it throughout spring, well into summer, and beyond. The shade falls right in the center of the spectrum, not too orange-y and not too blue, in what we’d deem about as classic a red as you can picture. We’re loving it in Romance & Rustlers because, well, romance, and also that it works so surprisingly well with the collection’s complementary minty green. It’s strong as a statement color but also works as pops of poison in accents and embellishments. From suede skirts to velvet blouses to luxurious leather shorts, we’re ready to paint the town red!

Done and Dusted Jacket, Ethel Top, Done and Dusted Skirt, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Ethel Top, Rodeo Sweetheart Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry

Ethel Top, Done and Dusted Skirt, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessories

Mitchell’s Muses

A.R. Mitchell never married; it’s been postulated that his work was his one true love. But that’s not to say he knew nothing of romance. On the contrary, you can loosely follow the chronology of the few significant loves in his life through their likenesses appearing in eras of his art. For instance, “Girl of the Rodeo,” one of the pieces we incorporated into this collection, features one of his old flames. Heartbreak or not, how remarkable it must have been to be immortalized in the artwork of A.R. Mitchell.

Rodeo Sweetheart Jacket, Daughter of the Moon Pant, Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Accessory

Rodeo Sweetheart Jacket, Daughter of the Moon Pant, Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Tracing Trinidad Jacket, Rodeo Sweetheart Tee, Tracing Trinidad Pant, Rodeo Sweetheart Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Accessory

Rodeo Sweetheart Top, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt

Tracing Trinidad Jacket, Rodeo Sweetheart Tee, Tracing Trinidad Pant, Rodeo Sweetheart Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Accessory

Sonora Vest, Sonora Short, Girl of the Rodeo Scarf, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt

Sonora Vest, Sonora Short, Rodeo Sweetheart Boot, Girl of the Rodeo Scarf, Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

It’s the Tot That Counts

Artist A.R. Mitchell established himself as a profoundly popular and prolific creator in Western art and illustration for decades in the early-to-mid 20th Century. Our ability to still study his craft and celebrate his work nearly fifty years posthumously is due, in large part, to the generosity and vision of his little sister, Tot.

Ethel “Tot” Mitchell Erickson is primarily responsible for the founding of the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art. After his passing in 1977, she found herself in possession of an expansive archive of A.R.’s artwork and relics of his creative process, as well as a collection of interesting artifacts and paintings by his peers, most notably Harvey Dunn and Harold Von Schmidt. Naturally, being an important icon of the American West, there was great interest from notable museums and prestigious galleries around the country looking to acquire A.R.’s collection. While she entertained the offers, in the end, Tot felt compelled to keep his collection complete and close to home, and thus, she endeavored to establish her own museum in his honor near where they grew up in Trinidad, Colorado. It opened its doors in 1981 and moved to its permanent home, a historic site built in 1906 that formerly housed Jamieson Dry Goods Store, in 1991.

And unsurprisingly, it turns out Tot’s instincts were right. According to the museum’s website, “As a ‘native son,’ Arthur Roy Mitchell, and the museum named after him, are fiercely protected and honored by the Trinidad community.”

Daughter of the Moon Top, Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Accessory

Daughter of the Moon Top, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt

Rodeo Sweetheart Boot

Rangeland Rosie Top, Rodeo Sweetheart Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessories

Horse Talk Boot

Pueblo Perdido Jacket, Horse Talk Boot, Mummy’s Bundle by Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Double D Ranch Feed Bag

Plaza Vibes Sweatshirt, Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessories

Western Tee, Sonora Short, Long Tall Sally Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Accessories

Wilding Hearts Blouse, Wilding Hearts Skirt, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt

Wilding Hearts Blouse, Wilding Hearts Skirt, Rodeo Sweetheart Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessories

Party on the Plaza Top, Party on the Plaza Skirt, Rodeo Sweetheart Boot, Oscar Betz for Double D Ranch, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessories

Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt

Odie Western Blouse, Sonora Collar, Pueblo Perdido Skirt, Horse Talk Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Statements and Signatures

All signatures are statement pieces, but not all statement pieces are signatures. A statement is great. A signature is special.

A statement jacket does just that – it makes a statement. It’s one that makes people take notice. It catches their eye, turns their head, makes an impression. A stranger might even comment, compliment, or ask you where you got it. Do not misunderstand us; a statement jacket is a very good thing. Our brand was essentially built on them – DDR’s style story started with a single blanket coat that captured people’s attention –and we truly believe they’re a game-changing weapon in the arsenal of your wardrobe. But if a statement jacket is a weapon, a signature jacket is a superpower.

A signature jacket is yours in a way that it is no one else’s. Not in the sense that you’re the only person who owns it, but in the sense you own it like no one else does. You almost identify with it, and people associate it with you. Your signature jacket is the one you could leave at a party – or somewhere like church, even – and it would make its way back to you because everyone knows it’s yours.

Here’s the thing, though: you can’t force it. It’s kind of like a nickname; it has to happen organically. And it will. Sometimes, you find your signature piece; sometimes, it finds you.

Rangeland Rosie Jacket, Pueblo Perdido Dress, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Rangeland Rosie Jacket, Pueblo Perdido Skirt, Horse Talk Boot, Rangeland Rosie Bag, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

Pueblo Perdido Dress, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Double D Ranch Accessory

Tame the Heart Jacket, Party on the Plaza Skirt, Rodeo Sweetheart Boot, Double D Ranch Jewelry, Vintage Double D Ranch Belt, Double D Ranch Accessory

“Again we insist, that the very essence and morrow of art is personality. Any surrender of personality, therefore, can only lead to one goal – the abyss of artistic worthlessness.”