DALLAS — As Big Tex was unveiled ahead of the State Fair of Texas’ 140th birthday, attendees were greeted by a familiar smile and welcoming gesture. What wasn’t familiar was his outfit. The state fair staple donned new clothes from across the western wear industry.
The 55-foot cowboy wore a red Cavender’s Boot City shirt with pearl snaps and blue panels on the front, back and wrists. The panel design will change each year to give every fair a fresh feel, according to the state fair website. His shirt is tucked into classic dark denim in the Levi’s 501 silhouette. Up top, he wore a cream Resistol cowboy hat.
But it was the Lucchese boots that stole the show. The base of the boots are Texas blue and red, according to the state fair website. The shafts feature a longhorn, a lone star, bluebonnets, pecan trees, prickly peers and the 212-foot Texas Star Ferris Wheel.
The design came from 31-year-old Atlanta resident Aaliyah McNeal. She was the winner among nearly 450 applicants nationwide who submitted designs…