A cowgirl is a woman who works with cattle and horses on ranches in the American West—the female counterpart to a cowboy. More broadly, the word also refers to rodeo riders, heroines of Wild West shows and Western movies, and, today, a distinctive style: cowboy boots, a hat, a Western shirt, and jeans.
Behind the image is a real history, with names, dates, and a few tragedies. Here’s where the cowgirl came from, how she became an icon, and how to wear her style in 2026.
Cowgirl: Definition and Origin of the Word
The English word cowgirl combines cow and girl, following the model of cowboy. Strictly speaking, a cowgirl (also written “cow girl” or called a “cowboy girl”) is a woman who tends, gathers, and cares for cattle on horseback. More broadly, she’s the female face of Western culture, whether she’s a rancher, a rodeo champion, a country singer, or simply a fan of the style.
The word was already in use in English in the 1880s, but it took on its modern meaning at the very end of the 19th century, when women from ranching families began performing in public. The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture sums it up well: the word was in use, but Lucille Mulhall made it a household name. More on her below.
In English, it’s “cowgirl,” and the plural is “cowgirls.” The word needs no translation: “female ranch hand” exists, but it doesn’t evoke the American West, wide-open spaces, or the look associated with a Western cowgirl.
Cowboy and Cowgirl: The Same Life, Not the Same Status
On paper, the difference between a cowboy and a cowgirl comes down to gender. In practice, women on ranches often did the same work as men: riding horses, branding calves, repairing fences, and moving herds. They did it on top of running the household—and without the recognition given to cowboys.
That context matters. The American West was also ahead of its time on some rights: Wyoming Territory granted women the right to vote in 1869, long before the rest of the United States. The cowgirl emerged in a rugged society where a woman capable of running a ranch could earn a place she might not have had back East.
Wild West Shows Bring the First Stars to the Stage
At the end of the 19th century, the West took to the stage. Wild West shows—traveling spectacles featuring shooting, horseback riding, roping, and reenactments—toured the United States and then Europe. For the first time, women showed audiences what they could do on horseback, and the crowds loved it.
Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill’s Sharpshooter
Born in Ohio in 1860, Annie Oakley joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West in 1885 with her husband, sharpshooter Frank Butler. A year earlier, Lakota leader Sitting Bull had nicknamed her “Little Sure Shot.” The name stuck.
She performed at the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris, among other events, and left the troupe for good in 1901 after a train accident. Annie Oakley wasn’t a cattle rancher, but she helped establish the image of a woman of the West as skilled, independent, and capable of beating men at their own game.
Lucille Mulhall, the First “Cowgirl”
Lucille Mulhall was born in 1885 on her family’s ranch in Mulhall, Oklahoma. Starting in 1899, she performed in her father’s Wild West show, roping and catching steers as skillfully as the cowboys. She later became a star in the Miller brothers’ 101 Ranch Wild West Show.
She is most often identified as the first woman called a “cowgirl.” According to the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, Theodore Roosevelt gave her the nickname after seeing her ride at the Mulhall ranch. The story often told alongside this claim—that she lassoed a wolf to impress the future president—is closer to legend than established fact.
What is certain is her career: Lucille Mulhall started her own troupe in 1913, produced her own rodeo in 1916, and was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1977, long after her death in 1940.
Women’s Rodeo: From Its Golden Age to the Ban
In the early 20th century, women moved beyond performing in shows. They entered the arena to compete, including in the most dangerous events, such as riding bucking horses, known as bronc riding.
Prairie Rose Henderson and the Pioneers
Prairie Rose Henderson is considered the first woman to compete in a bronc riding event at Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming. Sources differ on the year—1899 or 1901—but not on what she did: she opened the door for a whole generation of female riders.
Among them was Fannie Sperry Steele, crowned champion bronc rider at the 1913 Winnipeg Stampede. At the turn of the century, female riders adopted split skirts, designed to let them ride astride rather than sidesaddle. This practical detail already hinted at the cowgirl wardrobe to come.
1929: The Death of Bonnie McCarroll
Bonnie McCarroll was one of rodeo’s biggest stars in the 1920s. A regular at the Pendleton Round-Up in Oregon since 1915, she won the saddle bronc title two years in a row, in 1921 and 1922. In 1922, she also took top honors at Madison Square Garden in New York and at Cheyenne Frontier Days.
On September 19, 1929, at the Pendleton Round-Up, she was thrown by a horse named Black Cat. She suffered severe head injuries and died eleven days later, at age 32. It was meant to be her final competition before retirement.
The shock was enormous. Women’s bronc riding was dropped from Pendleton’s program, and women were gradually excluded from the “rough stock” events (bucking horses and bulls), deemed too dangerous. Other factors played a part, including the rise of rodeos organized by East Coast promoters, but the accident remains a symbol of that setback.
1948: Cowgirls Create Their Own Association
Instead of waiting for their place to be restored, female riders organized. On February 28, 1948, 38 women met in San Angelo, Texas, and founded the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA). In 1981, it became the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA).
The association describes itself as the oldest women’s sports organization in the United States and the only one run entirely by women. Today, it oversees barrel racing, a speed event in which riders race around three barrels, now the signature event of cowgirls.
The Hollywood and Country Music Cowgirl
In movies and on the radio, the cowgirl took on a new look. She became a popular, smiling, singing heroine in embroidered outfits that still inspire fashion today.
Dale Evans, the “Queen of the West”
Born in 1912, Dale Evans made her first movie alongside Roy Rogers in 1944, The Cowboy and the Senorita. The duo became legendary: he was the “King of the Cowboys,” and she was the “Queen of the West.” They married on December 31, 1947.
From 1951 to 1957, the couple starred in the television show The Roy Rogers Show. Dale Evans wrote its theme song, “Happy Trails.” She was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1995 and died in 2001. Her embroidered, fringed Western stage outfits helped establish the glamorous cowgirl image.
Patsy Montana and “I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart”
In 1935, singer Patsy Montana recorded “I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart,” a cheerful song in which she yodels about wanting to live the Western life. The song made her the first female country artist to sell a million records.
That success matters in the history of the cowgirl: it proved that a woman could carry the Western imagination on her own, onstage and on record. Patsy Montana was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville in 1996.
The Cowgirl Today: From Beyoncé to Coastal Cowgirl
The cowgirl never left ranches or rodeos, but in recent years she’s made a major comeback in pop culture and fashion. The modern cowboy and the 2026 cowgirl wear cowboy boots in the city as readily as they do at a festival. And on ranches and in arenas, countless female riders still keep the work alive, far beyond the trends.
A Museum Dedicated to Cowgirls
For a long time, the history of cowgirls was less well preserved than that of cowboys. To change that, a museum opened in 1975 in humble surroundings: the basement of the Deaf Smith County Library in Hereford, Texas.
The collection moved to Fort Worth in 1994, and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame opened its current building in the city’s Cultural District on June 9, 2002. Every year, it honors women who embody the spirit of the West: ranchers, rodeo champions, artists, and pioneers from other walks of life.
If you’re in Texas, it’s well worth a visit. Its artifacts and archives make clear that the cowgirl isn’t a fictional character.
“Cowboy Carter,” the Album That Started It All Again
On March 29, 2024, Beyoncé released Cowboy Carter, an album that reimagines country music and its conventions. It debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, a first for a Black woman. On February 2, 2025, it won the Grammy for Album of the Year and Best Country Album.
Beyond the music, the album highlights a reality that’s often forgotten: the American West has never been exclusively white, and the history of Black cowboys and cowgirls is part of that culture. Fashion-wise, its imagery brought hats, fringe, and cowgirl boots back into the spotlight.
Cowgirlcore and Coastal Cowgirl
On social media, cowgirl style has branched into several “aesthetics.” Cowgirlcore is everyday cowgirl style, worn with confidence: cowboy boots, a hat, jeans, a Western shirt, and silver and turquoise jewelry.
Coastal cowgirl, popularized on TikTok in 2023 as an offshoot of “coastal grandmother,” pairs Western details with a beachy mood: lightweight dresses, sand and white tones, a straw hat, and light-colored cowboy boots. We cover it in detail in our complete guide to coastal cowgirl style.
There are plenty of variations in between, from rodeo glam to Western boho. To find your own, read our article on Western substyles and the different kinds of cowgirl style.
The Cowgirl Look, Piece by Piece
Cowgirl style grew out of work: each piece had a purpose before it became a signature. That’s what makes it so easy to wear—you just need to understand what each element does. Here are the key pieces of a Western cowgirl outfit.
Cowboy Boots
They’re the foundation. The slanted heel keeps your foot from sliding through the stirrup, the tall shaft protects your leg, and the pointed toe makes it easier to slip your foot into the stirrup. For your first pair, choose brown or black leather that goes with everything. Our selection of women’s cowboy boots ranges from classic styles to more festive embroidered boots.
The Cowboy Hat
The hat protected you from sun and rain. Today, it’s the piece that instantly defines a look. Wear felt in fall and winter, and straw in warmer weather. A women’s cowboy hat with a medium brim suits most face shapes.
The Western Shirt
Recognizable by its pointed shoulder yokes and snap buttons, the Western shirt became popular in the mid-20th century, during the era of singing cowboys on screen. Worn open over a tank top, tied at the waist, or tucked into jeans, it’s incredibly versatile. Explore our range of women’s Western shirts.
Jeans
Dark or lightly faded jeans in a straight or bootcut fit are the most authentic choice because they fall neatly over the shafts of cowboy boots. Skinny jeans tucked into your boots work, too, for a more urban look.
The Belt and Buckle
A tooled leather belt, often topped with an oversized buckle, calls to mind rodeo trophies. It defines your shape and adds personality to a simple pair of jeans. Choose a women’s Western belt that matches the color of your boots.
Jewelry and the Bandana
Silver and turquoise are classic Western pairings, whether in rings, cuff bracelets, or necklaces. The bandana once protected you from dust; tied around your neck, it adds a pop of color. Finish the look with our Western jewelry.
If you want a complete outfit without putting every piece together yourself, our cowgirl outfit collection brings together dresses, vests, jackets, and ready-to-wear sets.
Three Ways to Wear Cowgirl Style
- Everyday: straight-leg jeans, a white tee, brown cowboy boots, and a subtle buckle belt. You get the look without looking like you’re in costume.
- For a festival or country night: a floral dress or ruffled skirt, light-colored cowboy boots, a hat, and a few silver jewelry pieces.
- For a full-on look: an embroidered Western shirt, bootcut jeans, cowboy boots, a felt hat, and a bandana. A confident nod to cowgirls on the big screen.
Mistakes That Make the Look Feel Like a Costume
The classic pitfall is piling on every piece at once: hat, fringe, plaid shirt, vest, bandana, and oversized buckle. The result looks more like a costume party than a Western cowgirl outfit. Stick to one or two standout pieces and keep everything else simple.
Another common mistake is getting the fit of your cowboy boots wrong. A Western boot should hold your instep. Your heel may slip a little at first, but your toes should never feel squeezed in the pointed toe. Finally, coordinate your leathers: matching your belt and boots within the same color family is enough to bring the whole look together.
Shop our women’s cowboy boots →
Timeline: Key Dates in Cowgirl History
This table brings together the key dates mentioned in the article, from women’s suffrage in Wyoming to the 2025 Grammy Awards.
| Date | Event | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1869 | Wyoming grants women the right to vote | The West becomes a place of opportunity for women on ranches |
| 1885 | Annie Oakley joins Buffalo Bill’s Wild West | The first female star of the Wild West shows |
| 1899 | Lucille Mulhall makes her debut in her family’s Wild West show | The woman often described as the first “cowgirl” |
| 1899 or 1901 | Prairie Rose Henderson rides a bucking horse in Cheyenne | Women enter rodeo events |
| 1913 | Fannie Sperry Steele wins at the Winnipeg Stampede | The golden age of women’s bronc riding |
| 1929 | Bonnie McCarroll dies at the Pendleton Round-Up | The start of women’s exclusion from rough stock events |
| 1935 | Patsy Montana records “I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart” | A million records sold by a female country artist for the first time |
| 1944 | Dale Evans makes her first film with Roy Rogers | The “Queen of the West” is born |
| 1948 | The Girls Rodeo Association is founded | Cowgirls organize their own rodeo association |
| 1975 | The cowgirl museum is founded in Hereford, Texas | Cowgirl history finally gets a museum of its own |
| 1981 | The GRA becomes the WPRA | Women’s rodeo becomes more professional |
| 2002 | The museum building opens in Fort Worth | The National Cowgirl Museum finds a permanent home |
| 2024 | Beyoncé releases Cowboy Carter | Cowgirl style makes a major comeback in pop culture |
| 2025 | Cowboy Carter wins Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards | Country music and its conventions take center stage |
Cowgirl FAQ
What is a cowgirl? What’s the definition?
A cowgirl is a woman who works on horseback with cattle on ranches in the American West. The word also refers to rodeo riders and, more broadly, women who wear Western style. She’s the female counterpart to a cowboy.
What’s the difference between a cowboy and a cowgirl?
The work is the same: riding horses, gathering and caring for cattle, and maintaining the ranch. The difference is mostly historical: cowgirls received less recognition for a long time, and they were barred from the most dangerous rodeo events after 1929. They responded by creating their own association in 1948.
Who was the first cowgirl?
Lucille Mulhall (1885–1940), from Oklahoma, is most often described as the first woman called a “cowgirl,” a nickname attributed to Theodore Roosevelt. Annie Oakley had already made the woman of the West famous with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West, but as a sharpshooter rather than a cattle rider.
How do you dress like a cowgirl?
The basics are simple: cowboy boots, straight-leg or bootcut jeans, a Western shirt, and a leather belt with a buckle. Add a cowboy hat, a little silver and turquoise jewelry, or a bandana, depending on the occasion. Two or three well-chosen Western pieces are better than a full costume.
Should you write “cowgirl” or “cow-girl”?
Both spellings exist in French. The hyphenated form “cow-girl” still appears in some dictionaries, while “cowgirl,” as one word, follows the 1990 spelling reforms and is the most common form today. The plural is “cowgirls”; “cow girl,” written as two words, is a common misspelling.
What do cowgirlcore and coastal cowgirl mean?
Cowgirlcore is everyday cowgirl style, with cowboy boots, a hat, a Western shirt, and jewelry. Coastal cowgirl, popularized on TikTok in 2023, mixes those details with a beachy mood: light colors, airy dresses, a straw hat, and white or beige cowboy boots.
Sources
- Wikipedia (EN): Cowgirl
- Oklahoma Historical Society, The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture: Mulhall, Lucille
- Wikipedia (EN): Annie Oakley
- National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum: Breaking Trail: Bonnie McCarroll
- Wikipedia (EN): Women’s Professional Rodeo Association
- Wikipedia (EN): National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
- Wikipedia (EN): Patsy Montana
- Wikipedia (EN): Cowboy Carter
