Now I find it difficult to think of country music without thinking of cowboy boots. This type of footwear has become a fashion staple among country stars for decades now, and both male and female stars have been known to rock them on stage and on the red carpet. Originally designed in the 19th century for cowboys riding horses and working with cattle, these bad boys were meant for a true man’s day of work, not just tuning in to a Miranda Lambert record. So now I ask, since when did wearing cowboy boots automatically mean you must love country music? Do fashion items and music truly go hand-in-hand?
Cowboy boots are an iconic representation of the American spirit. The legacy of this instantly recognizable footwear takes us back to the days that the original cowboys rode across the open fields, running wild and free.
When people used to talk about cowboy boots, cowboy boots were associated with either labor in the field, or riding horses. Cowboy boots used to refer to a specific style of riding boots, with a Cuban heel, high shaft, and without lacing. The boots are normally rounded to pointed toe, and made out of cow leather, but now that they have become a fashion statement, they are made from skins such as alligator, snake, elephant, buffalo and so forth. There are two known and basic styles of cowboy boots, the Western, (known as the classic) and the Roper. The classic style is distinguished by a tall boot shaft, going to at least mid-calf, with an angled “cowboy” heel, usually over one inch high. Although western boots can be customized with a wide variety of toe shapes, the classic design is a narrowed, usually pointed, toe. A newer design, the “roper” style, has a short boot shaft that stops above the ankle but before the middle of the calf, with a very low and squared-off “roper” heel, shaped to the sole of the boot, usually less than one inch high.
Taylor rocking her boots!
Now when people talk about cowboy boots, it is almost always associated with country music. I never understood why. How did this connection happen? Some say that it started with Western dancing. In the 1900’s, men, women and children wore country boots during the day for either working in the field or for riding, and they would come at night ready to dance the Western/Country dances. The Country/Western dances were to country music, therefore the singers who sang for people to dance to, also had their boots on. Country/ Western dancing was meant to be informal, and cowboy boots allow the steps to come out more smoothly and easier to dance, without having to actually lift feet off the ground. Starting from there, country singers sang and performed wearing country boots, not just for dancing, but in general. Apparently, some of the first country records were recorded with artists wearing cowboy boots!
I mean, I get it. Cowboy boots are pretty versatile since that they can be paired with many outfits, from jeans and a T-shirt to fancier evening wears. For example, Taylor glams up a casual white dress with a pair of heart-shaped detailed cowboy boots. I guess now, it doesn’t matter whether you prefer the classic rounded tow, or the newer pointed- toe boot, there is a pair of cowboy boots out there for everyone. I think that the cowboy boot is a smart wardrobe investment, being a timeless piece that wont go out of style!
