How to Buy New Cowboy Boots
A pair of cowboy boots is a distinctive part of one's wardrobe. As award-winning director Barry Sonnenfeld says, "You'll never see my feet bound by anything other than cowboy boots. They're comfortable, they make you an inch taller, and they embrace affectation."
Like an interesting tie, a well-crafted pair of cowboy boots brings notice to your personal style. The market is full of gems, but there are also poorly-made cowboy boots that seek to appeal to your vanity with little else to offer. Shop for your new boots the right way to get the most flattering, long-lasting pair for the money.
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Instructions
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Decide what type of skin or leather you prefer. Leather boots are cheapest, but snakeskin and stingray hides are very distinctive and long lasting. However, these cost a good amount of money, so start simple if budget is a concern. Sonnenfeld, meanwhile, advises first-time buyers to purchase textured pearlescent stingray boots.
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Look at how the boot stands. According to cowboy boot enthusiast Jennifer June, a well-made boot will balance on its own, free of a shoe tree or stand. There should be little to no wobble to the boot.
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Check out the construction. There should be no visible glue or crooked edges, and all exposed parts should be smooth to the touch. This also applies to the sole. On a quality pair of boots, "the edges of the sole and heel are "finished", (inked and burnished)...so they have a polished look to 'em," writes June.
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Scrutinize the stitching. Quality boots will have at least two rows of stitching, with sole stitching settled into a carved groove along the sole of the boot. All stitches should be even and unbroken, with no loose threads.
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Consider the budget for what you're buying. A quality pair of boots can easily cost several hundred dollars, but will easily last for years with good care and maintenance.
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Tips & Warnings
Barry Sonnenberg advises wearers to think about breaking the boots in. Leather is more forgiving than stingray or other skins. "One warning about the rays: You really need to fit them perfectly. The skin is so tough that they can't be stretched," he says of his 20-year-old boots.
References
- Photo Credit Old worn out cowboy boot image by rider from Fotolia.com
