Yes, I know...cowboy boots are trending. And yes, I still have the pair I bought and wore the first time they were popular in my lifetime. But every time I put them on, I just feel silly, like I'm wearing a costume or trying too hard to be "fashion."
I've pinned dozens of cowboy boot-wearing women to my Pinterest boards and even have a pair of white Western boots that's been sitting in my digital shopping cart for over a month. But something about this trend just doesn't sit right with me. Maybe it's the long square toe. Or the awkward mid-calf height. Or the way they look with pants tucked in.
And so, after months of hemming and hawing, I decided I would isolate just the elements I actually like about a cowboy boot and find a shoe that incorporated them.
1. Detailed stitching. Some cowboy boots have wildly elaborate floral embroidery all over. Some have just the classic geometric top-stitching. But either way it's one thing about the Western look that I can actually get on board with.
2. The low block heel. The classic cowboy heel is usually about two inches high and nice and sturdy. Comfort plus elevation? I'm in.
3. Pull tabs at the top. I'm all here for whatever will make a pair of boots easy to pull on in the morning and pull off in the evening.
And so...my perfect boot: Short, silver and just Western enough to feel on trend without readying yourself for a day at the ranch. Yee-haw!
Get the look: Roper ($53); Old West ($68); Dingo ($100); Corral ($128); Durango ($120); Franco Sarto ($149); Ariat ($150); Sam Edelman ($160); Lucchese ($495)
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