Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Textiles, Apparel Design, and Merchandising
Document Type
Dissertation
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to examine the culture and dress practices of Black and Creole Louisiana trailriders. The impact of race, gender expression, sexual orientation, and retail messaging were also considered. The history of the Louisiana cowboy, often comprised of people of color and Creoles, dates to 1760 (Jones, 2007, p. 17). Yet, when the American cowboy is discussed in historical accounts, the Louisiana cowboy is often absent. Fieldwork revealed that contemporary dress practices of Louisiana cowboy culture are intertwined with familial traditions, trail riding rituals, Zydeco music, partner dancing, and race. While the cowboy archetype is long rooted in images of ten-gallon hats, neck-tied bandanas, leather chaps, and heeled boots, the Louisiana cowboy has adapted its look to reflect the state’s culture, customs, and climate (Wilson, 2001, pp. 40-52).
This research took an ethnographic approach to analyzing and interpreting the dress practices of Black and Creole Louisiana cowboys, cowgirls, and cowthem (Burke 2019). Scholars of dress history and culture have often employed ethnographic methods to observe groups in their natural settings, gain first-hand participant observation, and garner extensive and rich data (Green 2013; Green and Kaiser, 2011; Sandhu 2019).
Interview efforts centered around Louisiana cowboy, cowgirl, and cowthem participants, on the trail rides and at Zydeco dances. Data was gathered through fieldnotes, in-depth interviews, informal conversations and observations, audio recordings, photographic images and videos, and social media marketing flyers. A sample of 20 Southwest Louisiana cowboys, cowgirls, and cowthem was recruited from personal contacts while attending trail ride events and through snowball sampling (Creswell and Poth, 2016, p. 159). The investigation yielded a set of unique and evolving dress practices of the Louisiana cowboys, cowgirls, and cowthems. Zydeco music, hip-hop and popular culture, partner dancing, cowboy traditions, urban and streetwear trends, and Southern climate conditions were found to influence these dress practices. The dress practices of this community were revealed to be distinct and different from other cowboy communities.
Date
7-16-2024
Recommended Citation
Honeycutt, Leigh Danielle, "Black and Creole Louisiana Trailriders: Negotiating Appearance, Gender, and Representation on the Trail through Dress" (2024). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 6575.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/6575
Committee Chair
Stannard, Casery R.
Included in
African American Studies Commons, American Popular Culture Commons, Cultural History Commons, Dance Commons, Ethnic Studies Commons, Ethnomusicology Commons, Fashion Design Commons, Fiber, Textile, and Weaving Arts Commons, French Linguistics Commons, Indigenous Studies Commons, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies Commons, Oral History Commons, Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, Other Languages, Societies, and Cultures Commons, Performance Studies Commons, Queer Studies Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons, Visual Studies Commons