• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Cowboy boots-are they back

mram65

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2002
Messages
58
Reaction score
0
I asked about this 'bout a month back, but the more fashion magazines I read, it seems that cowboy boots ARE making a big comeback.

I know that boy bands do NOT dictate fashion, but it seems more and more celebs, who certainly rely on professional stylists, are wearing cowboy boots.

Exotic skins, with pointed toes, and high/underslung heels seem to be very popular of late.

Would like to hear opinions, especially from those who wear cowboy boots, what they wear them with, and the comments they receive.

Thanks.
 

LA Guy

Opposite Santa
Admin
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2002
Messages
57,382
Reaction score
36,223
Check out the UK GQ from December (or January?). I don't know if the boots the "rock and roll" guys are wearing are strictly cowboy boots, but they look pretty cool. On the other hand, they are pulling off a look that's pretty difficult to do in real life (blazer, t-shirt or loose button up, distressed jeans and boots - lots of guys try this a little too hard. The secret is to be tall and lanky - definitely a no no for muscleheads - and have good bedhead.) I can't do it, but I admire those who can.
 

Mike C.

Distinguished Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2002
Messages
1,518
Reaction score
7
I think cowboy boots are more of a regional thing. If your from Texas, then they'll never be out of style. On the other hand, if your from New York City or New England area, I doubt they were ever in.
 

AlexB

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2002
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Cowboy boots are DEFINITELY back. I work for a men's magazine, and we're seeing cowboy boots in all the new fashion lines.

They are stylish, and ultra-masculine. A man in jeans and cowboy boots exudes confidence and style.

Look for a black lizard skin pair, and you'll look great.
 

Steve B.

Go Spurs Go
Joined
Mar 2, 2002
Messages
10,286
Reaction score
134
Which men's magazine, Alex, if I could be so bold as to ask?

I was in Texas in Nov and wore my gray pit vipers and was told pointy toes (called ropers) are out? But the woman who told me that was a "yankee" living in Austin who'd moved there from Mass. So can I feel safe bringing them on my next trip down there- LOL?
 

AlexB

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2002
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Actually Steve, Ropers have rounded toes.

But yeah, they're classic, and look great w/jeans.
 

Steve B.

Go Spurs Go
Joined
Mar 2, 2002
Messages
10,286
Reaction score
134
Alex:

What are the pointy toed ones called?
 

RainCityClotheshound

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
50
Reaction score
0
Steve,

Those pointed toe boots are referred to as a "J" toe, or a narrow toe.As opposed to an "R" toe,or rounded/medium toed boot. Ropers are more round,both across the top of the foot,and around the circumference of the vamp of the boot.
 

Steve B.

Go Spurs Go
Joined
Mar 2, 2002
Messages
10,286
Reaction score
134
Thank you, guys.
 

European Interloper

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2002
Messages
104
Reaction score
0
Cowboy boots are in whenever rock and roll is in. However, as LA Guy said, you have to be able to pull off the rockstar chic before even attempting to wear cowboy boots, which are a definitive part of that look. If you want good boots, try to find some of the old DG ones from last years summer collection. I think they were in UK GQ around that time if you want an idea of what I am talking about. However, before even thinking about buying a pair, make sure that you can pull off the look. Either that, or move to Dallas, where i've heard it is an accepted practice as long as you wear a rawhide leather jacket along with them. A word of warning: due to the often homophobic attitudes of the general American populous, the rockstar look will get a lot of incredibly uncultured remarks slung in your direction. If you can't deal with this, only don your boots, energie jeans, and Cavalli top when going out clubbing.
I hope that helped.
--European Interloper
 

styleguy

Member
Joined
May 26, 2002
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
From what I'm seeing, cowboy boots are definitely on the way back.

From clubs in NYC to just casual wear with jeans, cowboy boots make a fashion statement, as well as let you know that the man wearing them is ultra confident.

Cowboy boots look HOT with jeans................

Wear your boots with pride.
 

Joe G

Senior Member
Joined
May 22, 2002
Messages
404
Reaction score
0
Last winter, I tried on a pair of Chelsea boot-height cowboy thingies that Versace was showing, and could not stop laughing when I looked in the mirror.

Maybe cowboy boots are only for white folks...

Peace,

JG
 

pstoller

Senior Member
Joined
May 24, 2002
Messages
669
Reaction score
11
I have a few pairs of cowboy boots myself"”I can do the "rock star" look. While the big name designers occasionally come up with a cool variation (my vintage Paciotti-designed Versace ankle boots come to mind, as do a weird pair of Junior Gaultier cowboy boot/soccer shoe hybrids that are a hoot), I think the best bet is to go with the real thing: American-made by a company with a venerable history. My pick is Lucchese; I have a pair of black cherry full quill ostrich Lucchese ropers, which are more subtle than they sound.
wink.gif
I also have some blue ostrich boots, some tan anacondas (well, I think it's anaconda), and some pearl gray boots. I'd love to get more, especially exotics. I really want black stingray boots, and maybe cognac anteater. But, um, I'm a little strange that way.
 

pstoller

Senior Member
Joined
May 24, 2002
Messages
669
Reaction score
11
We CANNOT do cowboy boots. That is just wrong. I know the country music industry has been trying for years now to turn in us all into some hicks by infiltrating the airwaves with country pop, but this is too far.
Wearing cowboy boots does not make you funky and fashionable, it makes you stupid. Just because some artists are wearing it, does not mean normal people ever will, or will even look upon it well.
Remember part of looking good is making sure that others think you look good. If they don't, and you're the only one that does, then you're just a fool.

If I hated cowboy boots, I think I would wear them just to tick you off.

But, seriously, there are a few points to address here. First, not everyone who either listens to country music or is from south of the Mason Dixon line is a "hick." Granted, there's some pretty schlocky country pop crossing over into "mainstream" radio, but it doesn't suck any worse than the boy bands, teen divas, whiny frat boys and throaty Pearl Jam wannabes that make up most of the rest of that desolate audio landscape.

Second, being "funky and fashionable" is only partly about wearing what other people would wear or would like to wear. In fact, if you limit yourself to what fits in that category, you're a mere slave to trends, and while you might be considered fashionable, you won't be very funky, and you'll never have style.

Making others think you look good by simply catering to their expectations is no great accomplishment. Anyone can nick a look from a catalog, ad, or GQ spread and look decent. Now, making people think you look good when you put a twist on their expectations, or outright defy them: that's artful. And, when you do that, some people will probably think you look like crap. As long as you can still walk the walk (which takes some doing in underslung heels), the joke's on them, not on you.

By the way, I don't believe there's any article of clothing you can wear that will actually make you stupid. However, if you're neither a country star nor an oil magnate, wearing cowboy boots with a suit would come close.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,182
Messages
10,579,221
Members
223,891
Latest member
Barrybgarcia
Top