What to Wear for This Year's Burger Cup

We'll assume by now that you've already got your presale tickets to the Burger Cup in hand and are chomping at the bit to get a taste of all those juicy burgers on May 20-21.

But wait! Aren't you forgetting something? That's right, your cowboy costume! This year's event has a Wild West theme and since it wouldn't be a themed event without costumes, we're expecting to see you out in your very best cowboy and cowgirl getup – for which there will be prizes, of course. To help you out, we've put together a list of cowboy essentials along with advice on how to search for them on the world's biggest costume chest: Taobao.

Pro tip: When scouring Taobao for cowboy (or cowgirl) gear, the search term you need is "西部牛仔" (xībù niúzǎi); if you just search for 牛仔 all you're going to get is jeans.

The basics: Jeans, plaid shirt, cowboy hat
The first one on this list is easy – we'll assume you already have a pair of jeans (if they're classic Wranglers or Levis, so much the better). Likewise, you can easily pick up a plaid shirt from a chain store like H&M, Old Navy, or Hollister.

To find a cowboy hat on Taobao, search for 西部牛仔帽子 (xībù niúzǎi màozi), which should bring up a whole raft of options. The snazzy hat pictured above will set you back just RMB 5.3 and comes in 21 different colors, although you'll probably want to stick with classic tan, brown, or black for authenticity.

Note: when searching for hats (or any costume, for that matter) you might want to include the words 成人 (chéngrén), which means "adult," to make sure you'll receive something you can actually wear.

Next level: Cowboy boots, big belt buckle
Taking your costume to the next level is all about accessorizing. The first thing you'll need is some 西部牛仔靴 (xībù niúzǎi xuē) – cowboy boots. This will require a little more monetary investment in costume perfection but if you hunt around there are some bargains to be had. The men's boots pictured above are available in a range of sizes and will set you back just RMB 226. For ladies, there are a few different models to choose from. We've got our eyes on the fetching tan and turquoise blue pair below (RMB 368).

Complete your outfit with a chunky belt buckle to hold up those vintage Wranglers. A search for 西部风格皮带扣 (xībù fēnggé pídàikòu) – literally "western style leather belt" – brings up some truly, err, magnificent specimens, including a majestic eagle (RMB 258), a lion's head (RMB 46), a the one pictured below (RMB 46), for those who feel a particular yen for the Lone Star State.

Spitting image

Group costume: Add a horse and a few cows
Of course, what's a cowboy without his horse? Convince a friend to don the (slightly questionable) horse costume pictured above (RMB 235.9) for the perfect pairing. You can pay them back by buying them copious amounts of burgers and beer. If you're planning to go as a group, why not throw a couple of cows into the mix as well? Give the group's cowboy a lasso and you're on your way to costume competition glory.

Don't use Taobao?
If, for some reason, you still can't use Taobao (we're not mad, we're just disappointed), then probably the best place to look for cowboy style apparel is Beijing's many vintage shops. Most vintage shops, such as veteran Mega Mega Vintage or relative newcomers Miss Eliza Vintage, but you can also find a few around Shuangjing or Langjiayuan, south of Guomao.

Happy shopping!

Images: Wikimedia, Taobao

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