A cowgirl costume is really a generalization of the basic concept of the clothing that was once worn in the southwest and western parts of the United States. It is a stereotypical image that is based on historical pictures. When you see the outfit, you simply know they are a cowgirl. Just like when you see an American Indian, you recognize the iconic image.

The cowgirl costume we readily recognize usually had the typical wide brimmed hat that was used to keep the sun out of their eyes and the rain from hitting their face. Then there is the button up the front shirt with a traditional collar. Sometimes there are fancy darts on the yoke of the shirt. You see this more in the rodeo style outfits.

Of course you have to have the leather chaps that kept the dust off your pant legs but more importantly they kept branches from tearing your leg and clothing, protected you from chafing while being in the saddle all day, and kept the rope from burning your leg when you lassoed a steer and they fought back.

Often you can find cowgirl costumes with the traditional colors of muted browns and dark blacks, but there are those whimsical variations of bright pink or cow print. You can even find some really sexy cowgirl costumes as well.

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The most common accessories you will find with this type of outfit are the lasso and the gun with holster strapped across the hip. Sometimes you can add the sheriff star to the front of your shirt too. This gives you the authority to gun the bad guys down in the standoff like the OK corral.

Available Cowgirl Costume Sizes

If you want to get the most out of your cowgirl costume, or any other Halloween costume, be sure that you order the correct size. You should be extra carful you are trying for the tight sexy look. The child cowgirl costumes range in size from infant, to toddler to teen.

The one size fits all tend to be a little looser fitting and not nearly as tailored to your body type. But if you follow the guidelines on the costume selection, the feedback has been positive about the fit.

Remember to get your accessories like cowboy boots and the revolver and holster. Sometimes the hats and chaps are also sold separately so be sure to read what actually comes with your purchase and what you need to add to your order.

Cowgirl Background information

Cowboys are often the more popular image that you see in the Wild West, however there were plenty of cowgirls doing the same things back in those days. It was a hard life then and even today there are women living the life on ranches, in rodeos, and driving cattle across the West.

The can spend weeks out on the range sleeping on the hard earth while by day they herd and over watch the precious cattle. You cant drive the cattle too fast otherwise they loose weight. And since the cows are valued on how heavy they are at market, well to lose weight is a bad thing.

Here is a Cowgirl Chicks video that I found and it seems to really portray the modern day Cowgirl:

Cowgirl TV Shows and Movies

One of my favorite movies showing the individuality and the strength of the cowgirl (as opposed to the damsel in distress that you find in most western films) is the movie The Quick and the Dead. Where the fabulous Sharon Stone meets up with and competes against other famous actors in their gunslinger costumes. She plays opposite Gene Hackman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe and several others.

Then if you want to go back to the time when westerns were all the rage, you would find the Annie Oakley TV series in the mid 1950s. This was an epic western show about the sharpshooter Annie Oakley whom was born in 1860 and lived until 1926. She is most famous for her participation in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

Click Here To Find Outfits To Go With A Cowgirl Costume

Similar costumes

If you plan to go out in a group or just as a couple for Halloween or for a themed party, the cowgirl costume has many companions. Obviously other cowboys are a good match, but you could also do an Indian Brave or maybe an old type saloon bar keep. Even a horse costume would work.

You might want to dress up like a villain in all black with the duster jacket and cowboy hat, gun holsters slung over your hips and the handle bar mustache curled up over a villainous sneer.  A pair of cowboy boots some jeans and big belt buckle and you are half way there with the gunslinger outfit.  Just add a few details.

Or maybe you are the hero type with bravado and swagger you can bust through the saloon doors to save the honor of your favorite maiden in her saloon girl costume. In fact this makes a great couples combination.  If you are going to a party together, or just want to dress up with the kids for Halloween, then make it fun for everybody and do a themed dress up.

There are several gunslinger outfit choices for you too.  My favorite is the Wandering Gunman costume that reminds me of Clint Eastwood dressed as a gunslinger.

He seems to be the iconic cowboy for me.  Of course there are others like John Wanye that I liked too. But it doesn’t really matter if you are the good guy or the bad bandit, there are numerous costume selections to help you get the look that you want.

Click Here To Find A Great Gunslinger Outfit.

Just think of the fantasy you and/or your child can build.  Camping out on the open range just you and your horse, perhaps a few of your buddies.  Are you the cowboy herding cattle or maybe a bank bandit on the run.  Walking down the street with your spurs jangling and your hand on your revolver you stand off against your adversary in a quick draw to the death.  Bang, Bang, Bang!  You are the fastest gunslinger in the west, they had no chance!

I loved playing a gunslinger when I was a kid, in fact the westerns are still some of my favorite movies.  Even the more modern films like for instance,  Cowboys & Aliens.  That is a very popular movie this year and You could very easily modify a gunslinger outfit to be like Daniel Craig or Harrison Ford in this movie.

There are many gunslinger costumes available out there, but this ole cowboy is unique!

The wide chap like pants give you a bow legged look- a stereotype image that old cowboys have.  You might get some cowboy spurs for your cowboy boots to add to the flavor of this stereotype.

The ten gallon hat is an over exaggeration of a gunslinger’s cowboy hat and adds to the characiture of this image when used with the fat mustache.

Wear the included red bandanna and the fringed brown vest over one of your blue denim or other cowboy like shirts.  You can also get a toy gun and holster separately.

This is a funny gunslinger costume and is very different than most of the costumes with the gunslinger theme.  Halloween is a time for fun, so why not go with this funny Halloween costume?

It is one standard men’s size that should fit most average build men.

And, if you have a wild west themed party, you are sure to be a hit!

Another funny gunslinger costume:

Well here are a couple for your to take a gander at:

Bounty Hunter Gunslinger Costume-Plus Size
A long black duster coat draped over the black mock vest.  Find an old jewlers chain and sling it from the faux silver buttons up the front of the cowboy vest.

This costume needs some accessories to complete the gunslinger look.  You will need to get some black boots and a cowboy hat, then a gun holster and toy gun.  Just wear some black paints or Jeans with a white shirt and you are ready to ride off into the Halloween sunset.

Plus Size Gunslinger Costume
This is a new gunslinger costume for Halloween 2010 and is one of the more complete costumes.
It comes with the mid-length cowboy duster, an ominous black cowboy hat and even some gun holsters.  The black with white striped vest has an attached dickie and cravat.

This is a true gunslinger look and you just need to wrangle up some old jeans, toy guns and black cowboy boots and your are ready for a shoot out at the OK corral!  You can even get some spurs to add a little more detail to this Halloween Costume.

Gambling Gunslinger Costume-Plus Size
Are you a gamblin’ man?

This Plus Size Gunslinger Costume will bring out the poker player in you.  Thre is a maroon and gold paisley vest that has buttons up the front.  Attached to is are long sleeves and a dickie to look like an ivory shirt beneath the vest.

There are maroon accents with the ribbon tie and arm band.  The dark colored hat has a matching maroon band around the brim.  Just put on some black pants and cowboy boots and your ready to play.

Gunslinger costumes are great to pair up with saloon girl costumes if you are headed out as a couple.

Saloon girls were the entertainment in the Wild West. And actually these women were not often prostitutes as we tend to see in the old western movies.

Take a look at some of your female gunslinger option below:

Annie Oakley Gunslinger Costume
Shoot ‘em up Cowgirl in this Annie Oakley Gunslinger costume.

Annie is a crack shot that can kill with her gun or her good looks in this suede mini dress.  There is a bit of cow print and fringe trim on the dress with a tie up the front to adjust for the level of cleavage you want to share.

This dress gives new meaning to the Wild West!  get a pair of sexy brown boots and matching cowgirl hat to go with a toy gun and you are ready for the gunslinging Wild West Show with Buffalo Bill.

Girls Gunslinger Costume
This little female gunslinger costume has a red and white gingham blouse attached to her tan suede like cowgirl vest with gold colored buttons.  There is a dark brown skirt that has the belt and cowboy buckle attached.  She even has her own lasso rope.

Top the Halloween gunslinger costume with the included dark brown cowboy hat and bright red bandanna and your little gal is ready for the rodeo.

You can find this female gunslinger costume in sizes ranging from small, medium and large (kids size 4/6, 8/10, and 12/14).  This costume doesn’t include the boots, so be sure to pick up your cowgirl boots before you go.

Sexy Lone Ranger Female Costume
This sexy Lone Ranger costume is perfect to pair up with a Native American Indian costume for your guy to go as Tonto, The Lone Ranger’s trusted companion.

The Lone Ranger costume is a bright blue dress, typical of the character’s uniform.  It is modified to be a sassy female gunslinger costume.  The blue dress is a mini dress style and has a tie up front like the old ranger outfits.

You get the matching blue cuffs for accent to the tank style top.  A red scarf to add that daring flare.  Of course you have to have the white hat so everyone knows you are the good guy- er, gal.  And no gunslinger costume would be complete without the gun holster.

Get some sexy cowgirl boots and you are ready to go kick butt out on the range this Halloween.

Rhinestone Female Gunslinger Costume
Time to get your bling on gunslinger!  You can be the show stopper in this sexy female gunslinger costume.  It is an all black dress that has a short skirt and a low cut short sleeve top.  There are decorative details in silver on the black blouse top.

There is an attached belt with the typical over sized belt buckle in silver.  be sure to  carry the silver colored lasso for hog tying those cowboys who try to get away.  One you have ‘em roped up just wave your included black cowgirl hat and yell YEEE-HAAWWW!!

Annie Oakley was an exhibition marksman that was great with a rifle or a six-shooter.  She participated in Buffalo Bill Cody’s traveling Wild West Show.

Gunslinger Cowboy Boots
Boots are usually a very personal thing and can cost hundreds of dollars for a good pair of cowboy boots.  If you are not a cowboy at heart and dont think you will get great use out of a good pair of boots, then I suggest ordering a pair of these inexpensive pair.  They are really a great value for the price and will complete your cowboy gunslinger costume.  Take a look at your cowboy boot options.

Gunslinger Holster
No gunslinger cowboy’s look can be considered complete if he doesn’t have his trusty gun and holster. These holsters usually feature intricately detailed faux leather belts and some come with toy bullets and gun.

Be sure you get a toy gun if you order just the holster.  These gunslinger accessories are usually vinyl or plastic and thus are quite easy to it wipe clean.

Outlaw Cigar
Look like a real outlaw by completing your tough guy look with this serious cigar! It features a  tip that lights up and responds to your touch touch, this toy cigar has a traditional appearance with a white ash like end.

The cigar is made of rubber and can be wiped clean after use.  It is a great accessory to your gunslinger costume.

Gunslinger Bullet Belt

These are costume accessory bullets intended for decorative purposes only. (These are NOT real.) The belt includes one 60 inches long bullet style belt and is one size fits most.

Add this gunslinger bullet belt accessory to your Halloween costume this year for a custom gunslinger look.

Gunslinger Mustache
Create an ear to ear look of a sinister gunslinger  with the Gunslinger Mustache this Halloween!  It has the traditional handlebar look as it curls up and back toward the center of your face.

The mustache is dark brown, 100% synthetic fiber fake hair and self-adhesive.  You can clean the beer and food out of it with a mild shampoo then just air dry.  The Gunslinger Mustache orders placed by 5 PM CDT usually ship same day.

Cowboys and outlaws all had their own preferences when it came to their western apparel.   Some wore spurs, some armed themselves with layers of bandoliers.  Others covered their 10 gage shotguns under their duster jackets.  So take a look at some gunslinger images and choose the accessories that most suit your tastes.

Here are a couple of zombie gunslinger costumes to investigate:

Zombie Gunslinger Costume
Night of the Western dead.  Be a zombie gunslinger in this full length duster jacket that has fringe at the shoulders and matching skulls on the lapels.  The duster looks like the old oiled leather coats the gunslingers use to wear.

The weathered cowboy hat has skulls attached around the band and is the same color as the cowboy jacket.  It slides over the top of the zombie mask that looks a little like melted flesh.

There are dark brown chaps that come with this Halloween costume.  They wrap around your leg with string and are flat panels in the front.  There is an attached belt around the waist that has a skull belt buckle to match the other decorative skulls on the costume.

Top the whole thing off with a worn out bandanna and you have a full zombie cowboy look.  Just don’t forget that you need to order the gun and western holster separately.

Reaper Gunslinger Costume
This is another new costume for Halloween 2010.  Swagger down the street this Halloween as a reaper cowboy.

There is a brown vest that is a faux suede in the traditional western vest style.  The white shirt is attached to the vest for easy of dressing.  There is a knee length black duster jacket that is more refined than the normal cowboy coat but more like a western gentleman.

This reaper gunslinger costume comes with the pleather gun holster but you need to get your gun separately. Any toy story will probably have a good toy revolver that you can use.

The mask is really a black bandanna with the white skull face printed on it.  Get a black cowboy hat to complete this outfit.

With all of the gunfights that occurred in the wild west, it should surprise you that there are a few evil gunslingers that came back as zombies.

Well there are a number of costumes like Lilah, or Hex’s villain enemy the evil Quentin Turnbull at discounted prices for adults and kids alike.  These are great gunslinger costumes that are outside of the norm for Western Halloween outfits.

Jonah Hex is a great anti-hero from one DC Comics’ Western genre.  He is a prolific killer bounty hunter that always gets his target.

Take a look at a few of these Jonah Hex Costume Ideas:

Jonah Hex Costume
The Jonah Hex costume is a great gunslinger costume.  Jonah wears a long light tan duster jacket outfit with his confederate style cowboy hat.  The thing that makes him more than just any gunslinger is the enormous scar on the right side of his face.

You can get a Jonah Hex Costume and Mask, but personally I would also get the separate cowboy hat and the Scar Face Kit and just leave the mask at home.  It looks so much better this way.  But if you are looking for easy, and don’t want to play around with the scar make-up then the mask works great.

Add on the gun and holster to a pair of jeans and a black shirt and you are ready to sling some iron.

Jonah Hex Costume – Lilah
This is one of the sexiest saloon girl costumes out there!

The off the shoulder white top has the wine colored ribbon tie accent and a sensually low cut that terminates in a flower.  The attached black corset like bodice has vertical ribbing to accentuate our slimness and is detailed with silver color buttons.  Attached to the bottom is a short pleather skirt with a bit of lace that seems to be peaking out.  How sexy!

The over skirt is lace & organza in wine, white and black colors to match the rest of the Lilah Halloween costume.  You  get the gloves made of  lace, but  order the stockings & boots separately.  This is a great couples costume if you pair it up with the Jonah Hex Costume.

Jonah Hex Costume – Quentin Turnbull
This evil villain is out to totally destroy Jonah Hex.  The Quentin Turnbull costume comes with the long gunslinger duster jacket made of dark brown faux suede.  It looks similar to the old oiled hide jackets that cowboys would wear on the trail.

You will also get the red vest that Turnbull wears.  This vest is printed to have the button and lapel details.  And of course you will have the cowboy hat that matches the duster.

Unfortunately the wig and beard do not come with the outfit.  I searched and searched for the right look and this goatee kit and dark brown wig were the best I could find at the moment.  They are pretty close even if they were intended for other Halloween costumes.

Jonah Woodson Hex is a DC Comics anti-hero that rides the trails of the Wild West hunting down his targets.  This gunslinger has tremendous talents in marksmanship with both hands equally.  He can track his pray on trails that are days old through rough weather and not loose them.  And Jonah Hex is reputed to be a ruthless gunfighter with many kills.

Well then these Jessie Toy Story costumes are what you have been looking for!

Gunslinger costumes are available in many varieties.  The silly cowpoke Toy Story characters are a favorite Halloween costume every year.  Woody costumes and Jessie costumes can be found both for adults and in kids costumes.

Take a gander at just a few costumes down yonder:

Jessie Toy Story Costume – Toddler
This toddler Halloween costume is a one piece body suit so it is easy for the kids to step into and out of.  The main body of the suit has the printed image of Jessie’s outfit with the over sized buttons, the yellow collar and the big cowgirl belt buckle.  The cow print chaps are attached to the legs.

Slap on that red hat and your officially licensed Disney Costume is ready to wear!

You can find this halloween costume in sizes 4-6 and in 3T-4T and they are all machine washable, so you don’t have to worry about it it your daughter wants to wear it for more than just Halloween.

Jessie Deluxe Child Costume
Jessie is a new addition to the Toy Story gang in the  Toy Story 2 movie.  She is Woody’s partner, though they do get off to a rocky start.

This gunslinger costume is ready for the Halloween rodeo.  The bright blue pants and the red had along with the yellow accents really make this costume pop!  It is all attached in one jumpsuit, with exception to the yellow hair tie and the flaming red cowgirl hat.

With some good looking gunslinger boots you could jump into this costume in 8 seconds!  Get a few gunslinger accessories like cowboy spurs and you can customize the outfit to your liking.

Toy Story 2- Jessie Adult Costume
This gun slinging cowgirl Jessie outfit from Toy Story 2 is a deluxe Halloween costume.  It is a jumpsuit and just about everything is attached so you don’t have to worry about missing parts!

The outfit looks just like Jessie in the animated movie.  The bright red hat with white trim simulates the felt and rawhide hats of the West.  The top part of the costume is the white blouse with over-sized buttons and the yellow yolk and cuffs with little twirling rope details.  There is an attached belt with a western buckle sporting a bull’s head.  The jean color pants have the black and white cowhide printed chaps attached too.

You may wan to find some cool cowgirl boots to wear and then just wrap that yellow ribbon hair tie to top off this great Jessie, Toy Story Costume.

Jessie from Toy Story is a silly, but tough redheaded cowgirl that knows what she wants and is determined to get it.  Do you have those qualities?

Cowgirls throughout history have had similar personality characteristics, though not all of them were the heroines that we like to dream of.  People like Sally Skull and Belle Star or Etta Place, were thieves in the Wild West.

Jessie Toy Story 2- Song

The whole look includes the gunslinger costume from the top down.  You will get the cowgirl hat that is lined to help keep the hat in correct shape and has a pink and white cow print bad to match the outfit.  Tie the cow print bandanna around your neck to protect yourself from the dusty trail like the real cowboys do.

The top is a bra like halter in a combination of velvety cow print in white and pink with dark fringe and bow accents .  The arm bracers match the pink cowgirl top.  The bracers were originally worn to protect your wrist from harm like rope burns as well as to tuck you shirt sleeve into so it doesn’t get tangled in rigging.

The pants are really fringed pink chaps that strap on with a white belt.  The cowgirl costume comes with the shorts to wear under the chaps so everything matches, but you could always wear a pair of jeans under them if you are a little shy.

Boots and a gun holster are sold separately and you can get a bunch of other accessories like a pink sheriff badge or pink spurs!  

If your not in the mood for cow print, you can get this all pink cowgirl costume that has a similar sexy cowgirl look about it.

And, if you have a little lady that wants to be a gunslinger this Halloween, never fear as there are child cowgirl costumes like this pink child cowgirl costume that are available in a range of sizes.

Cowboys, and cowgirls were a significant part of settling the American Wild West as were infamous gunslingers and saloon girls.  The western frontier period is a time ranging from the mid 1800s to the end of the 19th century.

That Girl is a Cowboy: