From Oil Fields to Executive Suites
Say “Texas,” and your mind probably flashes to Stetsons, denim, and maybe a little dust on your boots. But on “Landman,” thanks to the eagle-eyed craftsmanship of costume supervisor Kathryn “Kate” Smith, we get so much more. There’s dirt, oil stains, swagger, and a particular brand of confidence stitched into every shirt and suit. Smith doesn’t just dress characters — she dresses their world. Want the inside scoop on how she turns scripts into snap-button reality? Saddle up.
The Oil Patch: Grit in Every Thread
Before a single camera rolled, Smith had a game plan. She didn’t just Google “West Texas fashion.” No way. Instead, she went straight to the folks who live and breathe it. She sat down with real oil field workers, listened to their stories, and even snagged their old work shirts. Some of those shirts looked like they’d survived a decade inside a toolbox and lived to tell the tale. They had real stains, ripped cuffs, and just enough attitude to match the Texas sun.
So, what did Smith do with this treasure trove? She replicated the look for the actors. She didn’t want fresh-from-the-dryer costumes. Nope, she wanted the clothes to look like they’d seen a thousand sunrises. The department scuffed boots, smeared collars, and made sure the denim was a little frayed in all the right places. The result? Actors stepped onto set feeling like they’d just finished a twelve-hour shift rather than a wardrobe fitting.
From Oil Field to Boardroom: Style With a Purpose
Let’s talk characters. Each one brings a different flavor of Texan style.
- Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton)
This guy doesn’t waste time. He moves fluidly between crisis sites and CEO offices, and his wardrobe shows it. Picture sharp jackets you can wear straight into a conference — or peel off in a hurry if an oil pump goes wild. His boots scream “practical,” but they also shine when the light hits just right. Belt buckles? Only when it matters.
- Monty Miller (Jon Hamm)
Now, Monty doesn’t play around. He’s Texas oil money wrapped in Italian tailoring. The suits are clean, crisp, and probably cost more than your truck. Smith chose fabrics that stand up to heat and dust but look good at a fundraiser. Every suit fits like it was built from scratch just for him. And it probably was.
- Angela Norris (Ali Larter)
Drama doesn’t scare Angela. She leans into her boldness with power blazers, high boots, and a closet that says, “try me.” Smith injected color and texture into Angela’s wardrobe, making her impossible to ignore. Her outfits reflect her fierce independence and the complicated chess game she plays in the oil patch.
- Ainsley Norris (Michelle Randolph)
Here’s where the clothes get playful. Ainsley’s just trying to make it through high school without tripping over her own pom-poms. Her clothes? Cute but rebellious. Smith snagged local cheer styles and layered in authentic West Texas teenage flair. There’s enough frayed denim and shimmer to fill a whole pep rally. Long blonde hair and retro scrunchies? Absolutely.
It’s All About the Details
Honest talk: costumes can make or break a story set in Texas. The costume department didn’t stop with shirts and jeans. Accessories mattered. Smith worked hand-in-hand with hair department legend Tim Muir — who also absolutely nailed it on “Yellowstone”—to match every hat and hairstyle to its wearer. Angela shows up with pumped-up volume that even Dallas would envy, while Ainsley rocks looks straight off the local TikTok feed. And when characters walked into a scene, you could read their story with a glance.
Let’s not forget the boots. Smith knew that every oil patch worker shines up their best pair for church but beats the heck out of them Monday through Saturday. Scratches and dust told as many tales as the eyes above them. In one standout move, Smith even recreated a specific set of work boots after hearing about their “perfect patina” from a former roughneck.
Why All the Effort?
You might think, “It’s just clothes, right?” Nope. Viewers can spot fake Texas from a mile away. Landman’s costumes don’t just keep characters cool in the heat — they establish rank, announce mood changes, and reveal secret alliances. A swap from denim to silk can mean office politics just went nuclear. When you see Monty Miller walk in with cufflinks that sparkle brighter than the Midland night, you know business is about to get real.
Critics loved it. Reviews from Gazettely honed in not just on the personalities but the “frankly fascinating” visual storytelling. It’s tough to do realism without making things drab, but Smith brought the characters’ ambitions — sometimes messy, always big — right into the closet.
Pulling Style From the Source
Smith didn’t go it alone. She tapped real people and real suppliers. She tracked down west Texas boutiques and ranch stores, even swiping a few crazy belt buckles from estate sales. Sometimes, she’d call in the pros — actual oil field hands — to advise on jacket linings or to grimace when a shirt was “too clean.” That’s how you sidestep costume drama: get the experts’ opinions and put them to work.
One stroke of genius? Smith asked locals about “the one piece of clothing you couldn’t live without.” Answers ranged from classic Carhartt jackets to battered Houston Astros ball caps. She folded these into the costume rotation. So, when you wonder why Tommy always tosses on the same, perfectly worn jacket, it’s because someone in Texas actually does!
Quick Glimpse at the Hall of Fame
- Real oil workers’ input shaped every costume
- Clothes were aged, stained, and “broken in” before hitting set
- Executive looks blended luxury brands and Texas classics
- Everyday items — bandanas, hats, belt buckles — added layers of meaning
- Collaboration with hair and makeup for a complete look
The Ripple Effect: When TV Meets the Fashion World
Since “Landman” landed, social buzz is undeniable. Style influencers snatched up the “oil city chic” look on TikTok and Instagram. Vintage western boutiques saw a mini-rush for snap-button shirts and bandana prints. Some fans even posted side-by-sides: their granddads’ real oil field drag against the show’s costumed stars. Guess what? The show pretty much nailed it.
Even high-end designers caught wind. Heels.co.in covered the “Landman” look and how it’s influencing runway collections for fall, which is wild considering it started in the oil patch! That’s not something you see every day. “From roughneck to runway” isn’t just a catchphrase — it actually happened.
Why Smith’s Touch Matters: The Heartbeat of West Texas
Without Smith’s determination to dive past surface-level stereotypes, “Landman” would have missed out on something special about Texas. This isn’t just cowboy cosplay. This is a living, breathing fashion landscape. Outfits reveal who’s at the top of the food chain and who’s barely scrambling by. That’s real storytelling — without a single word spoken.
And if you ask the folks who tune in every week, they’ll tell you: seeing someone wear boots with that proper Midland lean or rocking a snap-front shirt with the right sort of stubborn pride, it all feels personal. Like home.
Trading the Catwalk for a Cattle Guard
In the end, it’s probably fair to say that “Landman” would look pretty empty without Kathryn “Kate” Smith’s fingerprints all over every jacket, shirt, and hat. Her dedication sticks out like a bulldog in a ballet class, and honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way. Next time you catch an episode, check the stitching, take in the scuffs, squint at the hats. You’re seeing Texas up close — one gritty, glorious costume at a time.
