Cowboy Boots

[RichardH]

Don't be alarmed if they feel snug when you first put them on. I can't think of any other hide that stretches more--then returns to steady state when cooled down--than elephant. They provide a nice snug fit that expands where you need them to do so. Also, they are VERY tough and can take a lot of wear. Good luck with them.

Thanks, I was a bit worried about that when I first tried them on (size 10.5, even though I wear a size 10 in sneakers) , but they feel quite nice now, even though getting them off is a bit tricky, but I think it'll improve with time (I've only worn them 3 times so far..) I'll get a picture up tomorrow on wednesday. (Been so busy with school )

 

[DougC]

double post

 

[DougC]

Mercer--I've got a pair of the Justin Bent Rail Cognac Ponteggios--great boot, very comfortable. But, I don't ride a horse...not to say I can't. I just don't. But a buddy has a ranch--so, maybe that part will change. Meanwhile--the square toe is a new/old style and is great for around town and on the ranch. Most of my cowboy friends wear square toe boots.

 

[gtdean48]

Mercer--I've got a pair of the Justin Bent Rail Cognac Ponteggios--great boot, very comfortable. But, I don't ride a horse...not to say I can't. I just don't. But a buddy has a ranch--so, maybe that part will change. Meanwhile--the square toe is a new/old style and is great for around town and on the ranch. Most of my cowboy friends wear square toe boots.

Square or French toed boots are the fashion trend for the past few years now. Ropers have been around the horse show arenas for years. Lacers came in but the toe & heel were the same. Great ankle support for the tie-down calf ropers. It seems the main trend is what comes out of Fort Worth when the Cutting Futurity is going on. Lots of vendors & lots of buyers. You'll see the trend trickle thru the other disciplines & breed related show scenes. Crepe soles, taller shafts, square or rounded toes...they seem to cycle like lapel & tie widths of business suits.
I still prefer the rounded roper toe = fits my foot & doesn't look like a web foot when I look down at my feet.

 

[DougC]

I prefer the rounder toe too, GT, but, my foot grew and I thought I'd try a new style. One of my friends is one of Justin's medical docs for the San Antonio Rodeo and he swears by square toe boots. And yeah--it took some time to get used to the duck feet! And, man are they comfortable! Still, every time I head to the boot store, I tend to look at the ropers...that style was a staple footwear item during high school.

 

[TipTop]

Square or French toed boots are the fashion trend for the past few years now. Ropers have been around the horse show arenas for years. Lacers came in but the toe & heel were the same. Great ankle support for the tie-down calf ropers. It seems the main trend is what comes out of Fort Worth when the Cutting Futurity is going on. Lots of vendors & lots of buyers. You'll see the trend trickle thru the other disciplines & breed related show scenes. Crepe soles, taller shafts, square or rounded toes...they seem to cycle like lapel & tie widths of business suits.
I still prefer the rounded roper toe = fits my foot & doesn't look like a web foot when I look down at my feet.

Good analysis and I agree with Doug's comments too. But my observation--that lower heels are showing up in high-end "fashion/street" boots in store STOCK, and because of that price bracket-- I'm guessing it is the age of the customer. For instance look at these two pages of in-stock "exclusive" designs offered by high-end (mostly-western) store J. Gilbert ALL 1 3/8" Lucchese #3 heels, not a #4, much less a#6 in the lot.

 

[gtdean48]

Good analysis and I agree with Doug's comments too. But my observation--that lower heels are showing up in high-end "fashion/street" boots in store STOCK, and because of that price bracket-- I'm guessing it is the age of the customer. For instance look at these two pages of in-stock "exclusive" designs offered by high-end (mostly-western) store J. Gilbert ALL 1 3/8" Lucchese #3 heels, not a #4, much less a#6 in the lot.

Right, those higher heels are nice looking & if you are in the saddle most of the day then they are good for catching the stirrup.
Walking & ground work, not so much. It has to be age or wisdom = spend that much money, they'd better be comfortable.
I wear ropers exclusively, Justin, Ariat, Lucchese. I have a couple pair of lacers but they make my ankles sweat too much.
I may have to give the square toed a try....as long as I don't feel the urge to quack too much....

 

[BR Gordon]

Right, those higher heels are nice looking & if you are in the saddle most of the day then they are good for catching the stirrup.
Walking & ground work, not so much. It has to be age or wisdom = spend that much money, they'd better be comfortable.
I wear ropers exclusively, Justin, Ariat, Lucchese. I have a couple pair of lacers but they make my ankles sweat too much.
I may have to give the square toed a try....as long as I don't feel the urge to quack too much....

I started wearing western boots forty plus years ago, and was on a horse many times a week. I wore what is currently called a J toe; at that time it was just the toe shape that I liked. Now that I'm older, and obviously not much wiser, I still can't stand to see any other toe on my boots. I wear the J toe and a 1 1/2" riding heel.

 

[illumin8em]

Seems like this thread is more into fancy pants cowboy boots, which to me makes little sense. If you can work in them, what good are they?

Hathorn Classic Cowboy size 13, bought for my father unfortunately they don't fit well

 

[texan]

I went through a cowboy faze awhile back. I did'nt take, Tight pants, and sharp toed boots are hard to work in. And I live in Texas where every third person dresses like that. Cowboy hats are hard to wear in a vehicle with a head rest. Real Cowboys, well thats another thing altogether. They spend most of the day outside and in the saddle. There's a saying down here that refers to a wanna be, "He's all hat, and no cattle!" Cowboy boots can be stylish, but for me they are part of an ensemble.

Having lived in Houston all my life with a short stint living in Seattle, Washington and overseas in the military, I am returning back to my Texas heritage by leaving the 'yankee intrusions' (as my neighbor used to say) for pure Texas western-style dress. The poster has made some interesting comments about the workability of this style of dress. Like a good holster, your wear needs lots of breaking in. Getting in and out of boots, in and out of jeans, in and out of your pickup or car, breaking the boots in at a weekend BBQ, walking around the mall and breaking in both the *tight pants* and sheerness of the boot width takes time ( at least a month ) before everything fits like a glove.

"Real cowboys" are still at work, at least where I live. I drive to Beaumont quite often and many ranch hands can be found in the Jefferson County area eating at various establishments; you can still see a shotgun in the backwindow, mud-up-to-the-fenders and cattle being driven to market in the southeast Texas region. Most cowboys spend more time in a pickup truck or on a motorcycle (with cellphone in hand) than on horseback though, as times have indeed changed.

As for the urban cowboy wannabe's, that began with well ... The Urban Cowboy (1980), which had most of us laughing in Houston. But after 25 years, I gave the movie another look and sat down to watch it again; it provided a pretty good overview of Gilley's as well as the tight knit community of petro-chem workers along Highway 225, east of downtown Houston in the late 70's. At first we hated the explosion of 'new cowboys', but over time, like many Texans I've come to accept it and even like it. Texas underwent an anti-western purge around the 1920's-30's with the FBI look infecting law enforcement. The cowboy hat was rarely seen in large cities (if at all) and worn only by county deputies, city marshal's and Texas Rangers. Frank Hamer's comments on this are must reading. When I was a Texas peace officer I wore .... a baseball cap with gold braid! Most Texas peace officers refuse to wear any type of hat! John Travolta's movie rekindled the western look and though it died sometime around the mid 90's we are seeing a resurgence in boots, tight jeans, belt buckles, western-style shirts and the ubquitous felt and straw.

I love the look of transplanted Northerners who have moved here and they see someone dressed in full get up - they smile. We've had 23 months of non-stop economic growth down here and currently lead the nation in jobs and oil production is back up. Were seeing a lot of new faces. My father always said Yankee's make the best Texans; they become addicted to western wear, the lore and before long your neighbor (from Dearborn, Michigan) is wearing ostrich, a stetson and affecting an accent. Why not? Born and bred Texans shake their heads and wear their Adidas, t-shirts and tennis shoes (that was me).

So, if your thinking about dressing western: do it. I am slowly putting my 'look' back together, even if my horse is a beat-up Acura. I purchased a really nice fitting straw for $5, still have my calvary-cut Levi's; I'll have my Tony's this weekend after fitting. Then its time to put everything on and break it in. Maybe even make for a new thread with a before-and-after photo!

 

[Alex Oviatt]

I love western boots--they are a true American classic. I buy good ones--Tony Lamas--but don't obsess with it. Spending too much on exotic, rare, custom boots is a little creepy to me, and counter to the spirit that inspired them in the first place. Similarly, while I am obsessed with polishing shoes, I don't think that cowboy boots should be kept polished the way a pair of wingtips should be. I use saddle soap to keep mine clean and supple and actually like the patina that develops when the leather starts showing through. Well-shined boots remind me of booted suit-wearing urbanites or cast members from Dallas. I also actually wear mine riding, if I am riding western, and they regularly get the dust of the trails on them. As an aside, I have found that cowboy boots can be amazingly comfortable or fiendishly painful. Fit is everything.

 

[bulldog1935]

I bought a pair of black doeskin Justin Ropers 20 years ago and they were my favorite boots (of several pair). I had them resoled 4 or 5 times.
I replaced them last year with another pair of doeskin ropers. Softest, most comfortable boots I've ever owned, beautiful silky finish, and they don't mark - they last forever.

Loose-cut Wranglers are just fine, thanks.

 

[DougC]

Bulldog--I think I have/had a pair of doe skin boots (pointier toe than a roper and a riding heel) in a 10. They are soft as warm butter. IF I have them and they are your size, you want them?

 

[bulldog1935]

thanks Doug, but they won't fit my ice skate feet - must be 12B (and my feet measure 13AAA)

 

[illumin8em]

Seems like this thread is more into fancy pants cowboy boots, which to me makes little sense. If you can't work in them, what good are they?

Hathorn Classic Cowboy size 13, bought for my father unfortunately they don't fit well

fixed to read correctly. damned time limit for editing posts. thefedoralounge in in the dark ages of forums still

 

[The Good]

fixed to read correctly. damned time limit for editing posts. thefedoralounge in in the dark ages of forums still

Yeah, I don't understand why we can't do edits*on older posts.

On topic, I think I might get western boots within next year. It isn't exactly a high priority at the moment, and I need to save money. I might try to get a couple of western shirts first before investing in boots. Do boots work well with fedoras, especially more "casual" looking ones like a brown Indiana Jones type? I've got an Open Road (modern), and a straw Sunbody fedora that has a curved western brim. A lot of the time, I can see wearing the boots without a hat too, such as with a leather jacket, sports coat, or just a shirt.

 

[TipTop]

I love western boots--they are a true American classic. I buy good ones--Tony Lamas--but don't obsess with it. Spending too much on exotic, rare, custom boots is a little creepy to me, and counter to the spirit that inspired them in the first place. Similarly, while I am obsessed with polishing shoes, I don't think that cowboy boots should be kept polished the way a pair of wingtips should be. I use saddle soap to keep mine clean and supple and actually like the patina that develops when the leather starts showing through. Well-shined boots remind me of booted suit-wearing urbanites or cast members from Dallas. I also actually wear mine riding, if I am riding western, and they regularly get the dust of the trails on them. As an aside, I have found that cowboy boots can be amazingly comfortable or fiendishly painful. Fit is everything.

I'm with Alex, but have to agree with Texan. I've always had a pair of boots (from the Fryes back in college) to now lurking in the closet. They would get pulled out for events that felt right for them. Lately though, as my feet have changed, I have decided that they feel better, support-wise, than flat shoes. I have a high arch and instep and have developed trouble with pressure on the balls of my feet over the past decade. Proper fitting boots seem to relieve this. In street shoes I always wear a an adhesive longitudinal metatarsal pad to support my arch and relieve pressure on the ball of my (left especially) foot; with boots, I can wear a thinner pad, or none at all.

As for Texas style, when I flew into ElPaso for a fitting (and my first ever visit) a couple years ago, I was stunned that NObody was wearing boots...even Pedro at Stallion and Nevena at Rocketbuster, and the others at the major custom manufacturers! How can this be? (and it was early May, so temps were reasonable).

My reason for wearing them is "American" style, despite the ubiquitous sneaker. In fact, I wear them in spite of sneakers. Same with western hats in the winter--MUCH more functional and attractive than ball caps. And of course, they are both distinctive.

I have collected a pile of both on ePrey and purchased new ones, so there is no unanimity of style--just a sampling of old new, and various skins. In fact, here is my latest pair that I ordered when Falconhead was having their annual sale this spring. They are so comfortable (despite warnings about hand-tooled being stiff) that I don't even know I have them on.

 

[texan]

Alex, great comments all. I am glad you mentioned the need to NOT to shine them. A good scrub brush and saddle soap (as you opined) is certainly enough.

TipTop, you'd be suprised how many people DON'T wear western in Texas. This was the first time in probably six months I've seen a Texas Peace Officer wearing a straw. I was in Fayette County this weekend for the Round Top Antique Festival and a portly deputy was directing a swarm of traffic during the festival. He wore calvary-cut Levi's, western shirt, .45 in quick draw holster and the sign of a rural Texas officer: handcuffs worn tucked into the belt and trousers. Everyone else looked like extra's out of MTV's The Real World. I almost feel like a foreigner in my own state.

 

[bulldog1935]

the buttery soft doeskin ropers, which I think have a classic look in any setting

 

[jimmer_5]

There are some great posts here in this thread - Texan, I have particularly enjoyed your thoughts. By the way, what are Cavalry cut Levi's? 517's or Tex Twill?

I grew up in New York state, in a small town 2 hours north of NYC. I grew up in the woods, and spent much of my childhood hiking, shooting, hunting, and just kicking around my grandparent's property (about 150 acres). I had a pair of boots when I was 8 years old, and was made fun of for them. When I was 16, I got a pair of square toed Durango harness boots and never looked back. Being from New York, people always expected me to dress in Urban style (baggy clothes, backward baseball hat, sneakers), and to even have a Bronx accent!

Now, having lived in New York, Utah, Northern California, Oklahoma, North Idaho, and finally Oregon, I have come to the conclusion that "Western" wear is a bit of a misnomer in this day and age. I is really more accurate to describe it as "Rural" vs. Urban" wear, and the same goes for accents in speaking.

I don't own a horse, but I wear cowboy boots and Engineer boots every day. I rarely work in them, as I have beater boots for dirty, rough jobs, and I have sneakers and hiking boots for athletic / hiking pursuits. I have come to regard most of the leather soled western boots I own as a "rural" style dress shoe.
If I rode horse in a dry environment, I imagine they would work well, and occasionally I will wear cowboy boots on a motorcycle as well, leather soles and all.

This is not to say that western boots don't work well as work boots - I have just found that smooth leather soles don't seem to work well in the mud, snow, and ice I have encountered in places I have lived. I have wound up flat on my back more that once wearing leather soles on an icy day

Anyhow, your mileage may vary, but this has been my experience and my observations. Feel free to disagree if you do - I am curious to hear other opinions on this topic.