Born and raised in Texas, Brandy Minick is the associate publisher at Cowboys & Indians magazine. Brandy has grown up and lived in Fort Worth all her life. She said, “Fort Worth is the perfect balance of ‘cowboy’ and ‘city.’ It’s an excellent quality of life, and now we have our very own Lucchese store, which is a big WIN.” Brandy spent the first years of her life on a ranch, but didn’t embrace the lifestyle until after graduating from Texas Christian University. At 23 years old, Brandy got her first horse and learned to ride and team rope.
You’ve been a staple in the western industry and have been involved with Cowboys & Indians for quite a while now. Tell me about your passion of the American West.
Ha, when you say a “staple in the western industry,” that just means I’m old. My passion for the American West weaves through all parts of my life. From where I live, to where I work, to what I buy, and to what cowboy boots I wear. The American West is ALL about passion and romance, and I’m all in!
What’s a day at Cowboys & Indians look like for you?
We are a small family-owned business, so that means all hands on deck for many departments. Today, I had calls with some loyal long time advertisers, reviewed our October fall fashion images, made revisions to our 2021 Media Kit, scheduled our November/December cover shoot (no spoiler alert here – ha). Being the associate publisher is a little different because your hands are in all aspects of the business, which keeps me extremely busy and grateful to be just that.
You cover a lot of exciting ground on the modern western lifestyle at Cowboys & Indians. Can you share some with us?
What I love most about the modern western lifestyle at C&I is that we celebrate the entire western lifestyle in our pages. Be it fashion, home interiors, art, history, food, spirits, anything we can get our hands on. And incorporating celebrities into the mix is a lot of fun. Everyone I have met through the years has a passion for the western lifestyle. They may not live it every day, but they sure do appreciate it and companies like the two of us that promote it.
Cowboys & Indians is a leader in western fashion. What are trends are you seeing? What is something that never changes in western fashion?
You’d have to ask our fashion editor about trends. I mean, no one would ever associate me with the word trend. Ha! What I can tell you is that a classic shirt, jeans, hat and, of course, cowboy boots will never go out of style…EVER.
Have you continued to emphasize western wear in much of your personal life? How do cowboy boots play a big role in your life?
When I get dressed, I don’t think about emphasizing western wear. I just put on my clothes, and of course, my boots and I’m done. I have told countless people over the years, “I was born to wear cowboy boots.” It might sound strange, but when I put on my boots, wherever I am in the world, they make me feel like home. Home is where my heart is AND my cowboy boots.
Tell us about your own clothing line. Where did you get your inspiration, and what do you sell?
It was a small boutique line called Sage West Designs. We started with western patterned shirts and then added embroidered jackets – think fancy and bling! And what better place to advertise the brand than Cowboys & Indians magazine. And that is how I met everyone at the magazine and eventually ended up working there 13 years ago.
You are involved in many fashion shoots and work with many brands. What’s your take on how to wear boots? Or even how you like to wear boots.
I’m pretty conservative, so it is no big surprise that I wear cowboys boots 95% of the time in the traditional jeans over the boot’s manor; however, I LOVE rocking my super tall Lucchese’s with a dress. In my opinion, there is no wrong way to wear cowboy boots. Make them your own and develop your style – no footwear is better for that than boots!
Tell us about your Lucchese collection. Which is your favorite pair, and why?
My Lucchese collection is all about black and brown with one spiked heel. They vary in length, material, and style, which I love. When you wear boots every day, you need some choices, and classics work the best for me. My favorite Lucchese now is the Dolly in chocolate brown ostrich. I can wear them anywhere whether that’s to work, a nice dinner work, or the ranch. It doesn’t get much better than that!
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