Dallas Styles: Sue Ellen’s Jeans

Forever in blue jeans

Sue Ellen is “Dallas’s” classiest dresser, so when she wears jeans in “Rodeo,” it’s worth noting. Yes, there are practical reasons for this particular wardrobe choice – what else would one wear to a rodeo? – but the denim carries symbolic value, too.

Jeans have signified defiance since James Dean popularized them in “Rebel Without a Cause,” and rebellion is what Sue Ellen seems to have on her mind at the Ewing Rodeo. She spends the afternoon flirting with dashing cowboy Dusty Farlow, which drives J.R. nuts.

But Sue Ellen isn’t just trying to annoy her husband. She’s finally recovering from her disastrous affair with Cliff and considering letting down her guard with Dusty – which is the message the rest of her “Rodeo” outfit sends.

Sue Ellen’s tan vest and knee-high boots match her complexion, making them an extension of the character’s flesh. Metaphorically, Sue Ellen is baring herself.

The whole look is timeless, and Linda Gray has never looked better. If she wore this same outfit on TNT’s new “Dallas,” she’d be just as fashionable as she was when “Rodeo” aired in 1979.

If only her relationship with Dusty proved as durable.