DALLAS – Everyone loves getting a new outfit. But when Big Tex gets one, it’s an especially big deal.
Friday morning, the State Fair of Texas revealed Big Tex’s new outfit, laid out on the field at the Cotton Bowl.
The new outfit includes a blue ribbon and police badge, meant as a tribute to the five fallen officers killed in the July 7 ambush on police in downtown Dallas.
"It was something we really wanted to do to pay tribute to them and their families, and all of the officers that are still affected by this every day," said Karissa Condoianis, State Fair of Texas spokeswoman.
Officers we spoke to were pleased by the sign of support.
"I worked very closely with some of those officers, and anything that anyone can do to keep their memory alive, they’ll always be with us," said Dallas Police Sgt. Wanda West. "People come from all over the world to our state fair, and so Big Tex will just help us to continue to just never forget."
The tribute will be displayed on Big Tex's new shirt, a black, white, and red button-up, meant as a nod to this year’s theme “Celebrating Texas Agriculture.”
Big Tex is, well, big, and it takes weeks just to make his jeans. They weigh 100 pounds, and it takes 100 yards of fabric to make them. This year, he has a brand-new belt buckle, too.
Julie O'Leary is part of the team that creates Big Tex's outfits, at Williamson-Dickie Mfg Co. in Fort Worth.
"We are always so proud. For me, personally, this is really exciting," O'Leary said of Friday's big reveal. "It’s almost like the first day of school, when you lay your clothes out on the bed."
Big Tex wears a 95-gallon hat, and his boots are a size 96.
It takes an entire crew to dress him.
You can see his new duds for yourself when the State Fair of Texas opens Sept. 30.