Tombstone Fashion

Essentially, the fashion designer of Tombstone did an accurate job portraying the attire of the old west. They wore dust covered cowboy hats to keep the blazing sun out of their eyes and sun faded bandanas around their necks and mouths to ward off sun and dust. However, this simple and honest lifestyle was seemingly not of enough income or interest to the Cowboys. They did not seek approval from society, only from their fellow outlaws. The Cowboys’ arduous way of life tended to develop rough-and-ready attitudes; instead of tailor-made suits and fancy neckties, they dressed in long, dusty, and tattered slacks as they trekked across the desert from town to town getting money by any means possible. Nevertheless, there was, of course, some Hollywood influence included to make the movie more dramatic and “audience-friendly. Their purpose was to make themselves unapproachable, unsociable, and untouchable so they could make their own laws, not follow the town’s decrees, and nobody would meddle with them. The two factions of the movie were very clear because of the distinguishing apparel; the good wore the elegant and clean Paris influenced suits and white-collared shirts while the evil dressed in dirty, unattractive, dust-covered pants and sweat-stained shirts. This meant that they would not only sell their livestock for revenue, but also kill, steal, and cheat anyone for a little extra profit.

The Cowboys’ goal was to put fear in the eyes of the masses; they figured that if they were feared, then they would be respected. No where in history is this described as the Cowboys’ identity as a gang. The Cowboys did not gain others’ approval, only their disgust by the distinctive red sashes they wore tucked into their gun belts which represented the bloodshed they caused on innocent people.

As part of their beliefs, they were never seen wearing long overcoats like many of the lawmen because the Cowboys formed their look of intimidation with belts made of bullets and guns fastened at their hips which they used for their dirty work and self-interest. The red sash gave the Cowboys an identity to bond with and a unity to associate with.