Go Western, Young Man

This summer, urban males who'd rather jet than jog across the Great Plains will be styling up their wardrobes with wearables right off the range. Togs with a touch of the Old West are now creating their own trends by giving the rest of the country a new look in casualwear. Pictured on these pages are fashion firsts, just as sartorially acceptable in Chicago as in Cheyenne. They offer a comfortable change for both the summer months and the early fall. The perfect garb for roughing it on the patio or adventuring well armed with picnic basket and cooler of champagne, Western wear combines the dash and practicality of outdoor-oriented styling with the sophisticated action look that's attuned to the times. This season, traditional Western fabrics, including canvas and denim, set the pace for the stampede of new fashions. Cowboy denim shirts have multiple buttons on the cuffs, buttondown collars and a tight, tapered look. Wear them with trim-fitting, prefaded blue jeans that come already looking well worn. Other slacks we favor include Western models that keep their press while offering such range-country touches as extra-wide belt loops that easily accommodate a brass-buckled cowboy belt. Another style to set your sights on is a multistriped sleeveless pullover that makes an ideal accessory for yachting or riding and features a rawhide-laced neck placket that can be drawn closed when the weather gets rough. Western-look sports coats have a rugged flair that makes an elegant change from the usual summer scene that's often been dominated by madras. One item we've been boosting is the bush jacket. Wrangler-rigged adaptations are now appearing, in colors such as a soft moss green, that combine the spirit of Kenya with the flavor of Wyoming. The Western look is coming on strong in cardigan sweaters. A six-button lamb's-wool model goes well with worsted slacks and makes a welcome fashion innovation for cool treks into the mountains. So fill out your summer wardrobe with spirited wearables that have already won the West and are now rapidly conquering the rest of the country.