Lupita Doll, Charro

The history of the charro dates back to the Spanish Conquest, the most direct translation of the word “charro” to English would be “cowboy”, but Mexican charros are much different than the idea of the American cowboy, with a culture, etiquette, mannerism, clothing style and social status that is quite unique. During the Mexican War of Independence, in the 1810’s charros played an important role on both sides of the war, riding in private militias. Later, charros gained international fame in the Mexican Revolution, in the 1910’s because they formed a great part of the insurgent groups. Both Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata were charros.
A charro outfit is a type of suit originated in Mexico, which is most often associated with mariachi and ranchera music performers. A basic charro outfit includes pants, a jacket which is also known as chaquetillas, a sombrero, silk tie, dress shirt, chaps, serape, and pitea belt. This type of suit originated back in the seventeenth century and men who wore it were highly skilled horse riders who have represented men with national pride, family values, heritage, and honor. The charro outfit is equivalent to that of the popular cowboy of the American West.