A deep dive into the wardrobe of Austin’s most beloved actor, now professor, and the films that inspired his iconic style. 

Story by Roxanna Sanchez / @_roxannasanchez

Step foot in Austin, Texas and in no time you’ll realize that this is McConaughey land. Since his breakout role in Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused, the 50 year-old actor has become the face of Austin and its flagship university with his eclectic style, iconic voice and signature acting. In yet another stage of the McConaissance, 50 years in the making, the beloved actor has turned to education as UT Austin’s latest addition to the Radio-TV-Film department. With a new title comes a new set of clothes. Matthew McConaughey has begun a new phase of his style evolution and we’re all here for it! 

The Beginning of the McConaissance (‘90s): The ‘90s are remembered as the decade that brought us ‘Friends’ and the boy band craze. However, this decade also marked the beginning of the McConaissance, an overdue period that made McConaughey a household name. After starring in Dazed and Confused and Lone Star, McConaughey was making waves in Hollywood while rocking the iconic ‘90s denim on denim look. Like Jennifer Aniston and Patrick Swayze, McConaughey regularly wore plain white tees and denim jeans occasionally letting the country boy in him run wild. Blazers, denim shirts, black cowboy boots and huge belt buckles defined his wardrobe throughout the decade- really leaning into his Texan roots. 

Rom-Com McConaughey (Early 2000s): Rom-coms reigned supreme in the early 2000s with leading men like Jude Law and Hugh Grant, becoming superstars for their recurring heartthrob roles. McConaughey also had his fair share in rom-coms by starring in films How to Lose a Guy in 10 days and The Wedding Planner. With newfound fame came camel colored leather jackets, tinted sunglasses, relaxed oversized button-ups and scarves. McConaughey, like other big name actors, gave in to the Y2K trends, opting to leave the country boy at home. 

The Rise of an Iconic Style (Late 2000s): After a variety of roles, McConaughey finally got into his groove in the late 2000s with, arguably, some of his best roles in films such as Mud, Dallas Buyers Club and Magic Mike. He was refining his art and moving away from the cheeky, leading man roles he used to play. McConaughey took risks with his career from 2010 to 2013, but his style said otherwise. After being a walking hodgepodge of trends in the early 2000s, McConaughey returned to his original southern style; A style that may have gotten its inspiration from the roles he was now taking. He oozed confidence on-screen playing southern and Texan characters very much like the people he grew up around. 

Oscar Winning McConaughey (2014): Written in history among the actual Renaissance will be the year 2014, the peak of the McConaissance period. After his great run in 2013, Matthew McConaughey reaped the benefits a year later with the highest award of them all. His Oscar for his role in Dallas Buyers Club cemented his place in the actors hall of fame among the greats. With the prestigious title of “Oscar winner” came a more serious side of him that resulted in a sleek, sophisticated look. McConaughey wore cool neutral colors, fitted button ups and the sharp suits.

Professor McConaughey (2019): Since returning to Austin and taking a permanent role as an RTF professor, McConaughey has once again brought back the camel colored leather jacket, denim jeans and warm colors. While his wardrobe may be a burst of burnt orange, his style is now a more subdued version of the reckless cowboy look he once wore. Professor McConaughey now sports western button ups or plain UT shirts. The beloved Austinite’s style shouts “Austin” like never before, fully embracing the city’s iconic hipster-cowboy look. 

Despite his ever changing roles and wardrobe, Matthew McConaughey has somehow maintained his eclectic style that’s deeply inspired by Texas. From casual to sophisticated, you can pinpoint his signature look in every outfit that he wears. You can take the boy out of the south, but you can’t take the south out of the boy.