Vintage Typography Brings Old West Style to Rodeo Fashion Retailer

Jeri Lynne Berg had a dream of creating a western lifestyle apparel and accessory business. In 2020 her ideas came alive with the creation of Rowdy Cowgirl. A self proclaimed “jeans and t-shirt kind of girl,” this horse lover wanted to create casual apparel that would appeal to ladies like herself that were living the ranch or cowgirl lifestyle. She notes that she has always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and her personal motto is, “Never give up. Always follow your dreams!”

Rowdy Cowgirl is an online retailer that sells t-shirts, sweatshirts, and baseball caps with quips about rodeo and ranch life. The lighthearted western style designs will appeal to women living life on the rodeo or horse show circuit, as well as free-spirited ladies with a touch of wanderlust in the blood. 

Western style apparel is as hot as ever in the United States, with items like graphic t-shirts and sweatshirts in high demand for casual wear among women and men whose work and play can take place in extreme weather conditions and messy environments. 

Vintage Typography Created With Inspiration From Letterpress Printing

There is a rich history behind the standard “Old West” style typography that many of us associate with the lettering on saloon windows, Wild West show playbills, wanted posters, and so on. This vintage typography is generally collectively grouped in the Tuscan family. “Tuscan” is a broad term for a variety of highly ornamented lettering styles. The Tuscan style is characterized by branched serifs, chiseled/wedged/rounded, etc stroke terminations, as well as other forms of ornamentation such as shadows and fills. Much of this typography contains ornamentation inside the lettering, and is derived from Roman style. The first Tuscans created as wood type actually came from the United States. 

In the days of the Old West, this vintage typography was always hand lettered by individuals, so styles are subject to variances while collectively maintaining the same aesthetic. Today, Tuscan style fonts continue to be a popular choice in graphic design when a business wants to create a vintage aesthetic in their branding. These letterpress fonts are popular among western apparel and boot retailers, alcohol and spirits brands, equine related businesses, and more.

Letterpress printing was invented by Johannes Guttenburg in the mid-15th century and was the industry standard into the 19th century. This hand set type has become increasingly popular again in today’s world thanks in part to its use in Martha Stewart’s magazine. Today, letterpress printing is used on greetings cards, fine stationery, invitations, and limited edition books. The items that it is used on are generally reserved for very upscale uses or in instances when an authentic look is desired.

Hand Lettered Vintage Typography Graces Cowgirl Lifestyle Apparel Retailer’s Custom Logo

When we spoke with Jeri Lynne during our brainstorming session, we focused on gathering ideas about who her ideal customer is, what her brand mission is, and the nature of the products she sells in her online store. After learning that Rowdy Cowgirl is aimed toward women who are entrenched in rodeo, ranch, and/or cowgirl lifestyles, we got to work creating a custom vintage typography logo design that would not only give potential customers an idea at a glance what the brand was all about but that would also be appealing on retail items. 

The highlight of this unique logo design is hand lettered vintage typography in traditional Old West style. We loved the vintage aesthetic this font inspired within the design, and the retro feel is wildly popular among young women in the rodeo world. The vintage typography is truly art itself, so the addition of an American Quarter Horse silhouette in the upper corner was a minimalistic embellishment. The gorgeous vector style horse has the classic ranch horse appearance with a flowing mane and forelock. This stunning vintage logo design will look amazing on apparel in a variety of colors, as well as on stickers and decals, business cards, and other correspondence the company may need to send out.

Whether you’re drawn to our signature line art style or something a little out of the ordinary, we would love to create a custom logo design for your equestrian business. Visit www.EqGraphics.com to schedule your design consultation at no cost, or visit us on Instagram @EqGraphics for inspiration and equine motivation.