Fashion is deeply cyclical, and every few seasons the Western trend pops up again (and again and again). Just when you think we’ve grown tired of cowboy boots and denim on denim, Louis Vuitton revives the look for the fall 2024 menswear collection, sending fringe jackets and turquoise details down the runway, and stars like Beyoncé and Lana Del Rey enter their country-music eras, brimmed hats and all. Rodeo-inspired fashion will, frankly, never tire; it only evolves. And at the core of the movement is an accessory that I feel is often deeply overlooked: the forever-cool bolo tie.
Slipped underneath the collar of a shirt, the bolo is the stuffy necktie’s much cooler cousin. And adding to that allure is the accessory’s Native American roots. The bolo tie can be traced back to the 1930s, when Zuni, Hopi, and Navajo men often wore bandanas around their necks, sometimes held together by a string, popularizing the look. From there, Native artisans began adding decorative elements like silver and precious stones onto braided-leather cords, leading to the ornate designs that we now know as bolo ties.
Today, the bolo tie is often lumped into the country-western aesthetic. Though it hardly gets the recognition that cowboy boots and bandanas do, it should: I’ve always seen bolos as a universal accessory that can elevate any look, not just Western outfits. Recently, I stumbled upon images of prolific bolo-wearer Patrick Swayze. I thought the way he paired a silver-and-black bolo with a classic leather jacket and silky shirt was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. It made his whole ’fit look dressy yet badass. On the Vuitton runway, bolos were even paired with tailored suits, proving they can be professional-looking too.
As the Western trend regains momentum within fashion, I’ve started to revisit my relationship with the accessory. Currently, I’m particularly drawn to how Indigenous artists are reclaiming the bolo tie and making it even more special. Scouring Instagram for the new crop of designs, I’ve found that Indigenous artists are adding unique details to their styles, such as colorful beadwork, precious turquoise and corals, and even stamped steel—all of which transform the bolo into a statement piece that can also signify cultural pride.
Apsáalooké artist Elias Jade Afraid created a unique style embellished with vibrant beads, fur, and spikes; designer Alex Manitopyes made a graphic bolo tie that references the motifs found in a traditional Cree star-quilt blanket; and New Mexico artist Krystalyn Platero crafted sterling-silver styles punctuated with pink crystals and turquoise. After years of mainstream fashion brands appropriating the bolo tie, it’s incredibly refreshing to see Indigenous designers take back the reins and add their own Native flair to the look.
What’s also interesting is how bolo ties are now crossing over into the fine-jewelry world—sometimes even covered in diamonds. Piaget, for example, currently has a $14,000 Possession pendant in its cache of jewels. (Leave it to the fashion world to render a trend into something luxe and over-the-top.) Personally, I’m drawn to the more artisanal, Indigenous-made styles. I even wore one to New York Fashion Week this month. Who needs a Bulgari necklace when I can wear a bolo made by my cousin?
