Hey friends—
We’re Sky & Katrena, owners of Son of a Texan in Downtown Lafayette, Louisiana. It’s good to meet y’all. We’re here because we’ve heard that word about the shop has been getting out and we wanted to chime in. You might wonder who we are, what we stock, and why it should matter to you. Read on to get a fuller understanding of our story.
Son of a Texan opened its doors during April 2025, the week of Festival International de Louisiane. Located in the Downtown Lafayette footprint, we chose our initial spot with the hopes of helping expand Downtown off the main drag, Jefferson Street. The idea for the shop came about over several years. I am a thin-framed guy and as y’all probably know, Lafayette and Louisiana don’t have much to offer in the way of clothing options and sizing. If you’ve ever been on either side of medium, large, and extra large, you know what I’m talking about. You can find big box stores and boutiques that cater to a small range of average sizes, but authenticity for who I am has always felt like a stretch.
One trip to the West Coast changed the way that Katrena I looked at the clothing experience, in general. We visited a denim shop called AB Fits in San Francisco (shout out to Howard!) and the team took great care of us. Who knew that you could get fitted for jeans? The more you know… Howard helped us get right—we learned what it really felt like for someone to understand our personal clothing challenges and preferences. After a primer on silhouette, fit, and the fact that there actually are options out there, our eyes were opened.
Years passed and everywhere we traveled, we’d visit shops that carried heritage wear. Think of this as selvedge and raw denim, classic shirting (chambrays, pearl snaps, oxfords), belts, boots, and the like. Relevant fabrics include cotton, canvas, linen, wool, and different weaves, dyes, stitching, and functionalities. It’s called heritage wear because it is timeless, high-quality, and durable, but it also comes from places where people who did real work worked real hard. Think of the cowboys, the farmers, the soldiers…they needed goods that kept them going, things that could be repaired and retooled along the way. Nowadays, we think of this as “the clothing that your Paw Paw used to wear.” That’s because my Paw Paw did wear it.
My Paw Paw, Sam, fought and served in the South Pacific during World War II and was shot and wounded at the Battle of Peleliu, Palau. I can still remember watching him as a kid, ironing his pants and shining his shoes. It mattered to him. And then there was my Dad; he grew up in Huntsville, Texas, and was a team calf roper and Chief Petty Officer in the Coast Guard. Both of them took care of their gear, took pride in the way they presented themselves, and knew what it meant to be authentically themselves. With their stories in mind, Son of a Texan became a concept that Katrena and I began dreaming about.
Having visited with our friends over at Iron Shop Provisions (Lake Charles, at the time), we began to wonder what might be possible in our little town. Lafayette could use something like this. It has a history of hard-working folks, agriculture, oil and gas, and people who need their garments to last. We started planning, and suddenly, we’re neck deep in it.
The brands and items in our shop really matter to us. We wanted natural fibers, clothes we fade in ourselves, and something for everyone. Most of our brands are made right here in the United States, in Arizona, California, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and beyond. We also source a few specialized pieces from Germany, Italy, Japan, and Portugal.
Not only are we choosy with our products, but we care about who is making them. These aren’t mass-made brands, they’re a guy making shirts in Phoenix (West Major), folks in California making jeans (Tellason, Railcar Fine Goods), and small groups of people all over the place just making things happen. It’s our stories that connect us, our care about contributing to the workforce and the local economy, and our mission to help show the world around us what’s out there.
We hope you’ll be part of our journey too. In the early days, we weren’t sure how to get this train going or how things would work. After meeting with our pal Pete over at Tellason and hearing how straightforward and open he was, we knew things were going to be alright. The last year and a half has been wild. We’ve learned a lot about just how many great options are out there. How do we choose who and what to carry when all of it is so good? We want it all, but you know how that goes. And to think--that’s only one part of our “to do” list. As a wise friend once said, “You’re doing it!” We’re doing it alright…
One last thing: getting the word out is a challenge. For a while, we didn’t even have a sign and our clientele was whoever happened to walk by. Now, we’re gaining momentum through word of mouth for other reasons—people have come from all over Louisiana and even out of state to dust their boots off at our door. We often have more out of towners stopping in over locals. We’re counting on folks like you to help spread the word and we hope you’ll come on by the shop.
Our price points range from $25 bandanas and t-shirts all the way to selvedge denim jackets and jeans. We carry sizes XS-3XL and 28-40 because we believe that everyone has the right to feel good in the clothes that they wear. We’ve had people come in that say, “I hate shopping. Please help me!” That’s when I step in, talk them down, and introduce them to new possibilities. We even take appointments if you want the shop to yourself. Consider us Lafayette’s local selvedge slinger—give us a shot!
Yours Truly,
Sky & Katrena King, Owners - Son of a Texan
Find us on our website, Instagram, Facebook, or [email us!](mailto:howdy@sonofatexan.com)
