Madison Smith

“Coastal Cowgirl” is a series that depicts how I define home through fashion and culture. Being from Fort Worth, TX and then moving to Malibu, CA, there was a contrast between the ideas of the traditional cowgirl in the South and the beachgirl in the West. I wanted to demonstrate my representation of the Western fad in fashion currently mixed with traditions I’ve formed while living near the beach.  A photographer that inspired me for this series is Sally Mann. She used her children to capture homelife in Virginia. Using my friends and experiences, I wanted to enhance and show this inherit duality between land and the sea in the form of a coastal cowgirl.

My hope is that “Coastal Cowgirl” can be an oasis and homecoming all in one. From the familiar feel of leather boots and rides in a Jeep, to the smell of the ocean and the feel of flowy sundresses in the flowers, I hope we can all be invited into this playful space. The simply pleasures of life are shown in both the southern and western traditions and I hope all can feel the child-like joy of being a coastal cowgirl through these photos.