Miss-Elain-e-ous, at Shootout at Buck Creek 2000, wearing a costume she made herself. Only in Cowboy Action Shooting can a high school girl tell her parents she's going to dress as a "fallen woman" and get encouragement. She's won awards with both the costume and her shooting. (Note Cimarron Lightning revolver)
The Carolina Belles, left to right, Catawba Kate, Fannie Kickinshoot, Tornado Alli, and Pretty Mean Shawmee have done a lot to raise the standards of ladies costumes. Every time you see them, they will be wearing different, elaborate costumes. One or the other of them has won most of the big costume contests, and they have a website that helps other ladies find and create costumes. They even have online classes.
Major Photography took this photo of them at the 2005 SASS Convention
And this one. They also ran the Masquerade Ball this year, leaving the costume contest for others. I'm sure they would dress the same if there were no costume contests.
Holy Terror at Winter Range 2002
Holy Terror:
This cherubic looking young lady may well be the best woman shooter in history. Those aren't my words, they're those of TV Producer Michael Bane. She's not into costuming for the sake of costuming. She usually wears her shooting costume to parties. But she definitely knows what works as a practical shooting costume. Some things of note: Her hat, like cowboy's hats, keeps that fair complexion out of the sun. She doesn't roll up her sleeves but keeps them down for sun protection. The shirt collar is closed so that brass won't fall down her neck. Her boots meet the regulations but are comfortable for walking on gravel for 4 days. (But then she's young and weighs 12 lb. or so, making it easier to be comfortable.)
The B-Western costume is practical, too, if you don't get too carried away with fringe or sequins or chaps. This is Miss Hattie
Deadeye Dawn wears a proper frontier dress and lace up boots.
Powderpuff has won shooting costume awards, too. Do remember the bustle can be a problem.
Goodness Grace wasn't slowed down by a full ladies' costume at Winter Range 2002
Little Elk at Winter Range 2002
This Lady was at Winter Range, too. Not a practical costume, but not one man complained.
Fannie wears a fantasy Soiled Dove or Saloon Girl costume
Shotglass is probably more authentic, just wearing her undies. It was a very hot day.
Seen at Winter Range 2002
Seen at Range War
Cowtown Katy as a post-Civil War widow at Cowtown Katy's Emporium
Seen at Range War
Imagine 20 or so ladies who put as much effort into their costumes as these ladies.
Imagine you're a judge!
Go ahead, pick one!
Tough, isn't it?
Starting Out:
As for men starting out, show up in something semi-western and don't flaunt prohibited items (tennis shoes, for example), and you'll be welcomed to shoot. In the old west women wore men's clothing while working, so you can, too. Frankly, the men in the sport want more women in it so much they don't care what you wear. A lot of the top shooting women wear trousers, suspenders, shirts, and boots while shooting matches for practical reasons. Authentic long dresses trip them up running and going prone (not a common problem, but it's happened). And they get destroyed shooting matches. So they save the Victorian Ball Gowns for the Saturday night costume party. Others go all out all the time. Again, it's fun, not a requirement.
Remember, you can also dress like a TV or movie character, so authenticity isn't required. Check out some of those old movies and their 1930's cowboy fashions, with belts (belt loops are a 20th century invention) and "smiley face" shirts and the like. One local shooter shows up looking like Gene Autry or Roy Rogers at matches. Ditto goes for women. You can dress like Dale Evans and find it's a pretty practical costume.
And yes, some of the ladies dress like soiled doves. One was given a penalty at a match for popping out of her low cut fantasy soiled dove costume, not, obviously, by me. Again, it's fun. Dress the way you want to.