Wrangler jeans became the pant de rigueur for late-twentieth-century country and western fashion. Popular with mid-century rodeo riders after their introduction in 1947 because of their snug fit and boot-cut pant leg, Wranglers have come to symbolize the free spirit and individualism embodied in the myths of the American frontier West. While other brands, especially Levi's, became connected with urban chic, Wrangler focused its marketing almost exclusively on associations with rural authenticity and Western roots. As the jeans of choice for almost any star in the growing country music industry of the late 1980s and 1990s, Wranglers benefitted from the resurgence of country music and the heavy advertising tie-ins associated with the music's rural and Western image. Wrangler became culturally connected, and often financially intertwined, with rodeos, country music, competitive fishing, and pick-up truck sales.

Further Reading:

Gordon, Beverly. "American Denim: Blue Jeans and Their Multiple Layers of Meaning." Dress and Popular Culture, edited by Patricia A. Cunningham and Susan Voso Lab. Bowling Green, Ohio, Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1991.