The unapologetic return of cowboy boots is cause for celebration
(You don’t even have to be a cowboy!)
If I were a pair of shoes instead of a person, I think I’d definitely be a pair of cowboy boots. I say this because cowboy boots are like the least casual footwear choice one could possibly opt for, especially during the Summer.
As it turns out, cowboy boots are more or less the Summer shoe of choice among a ton of people who know their shit. And we’re not really talking about the fact that the iconic style of shoe used to be stigmatized and worn kind of ironically. Heck, we’re not even talking about the fact that they’re cowboy boots at all. We’re just….wearing them. It’s great.
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But this trend has been brewing for some time now. I mean, if you have an Instagram and/or frequent the explore page, you probably saw this coming. And while it may seem like fashion houses like Balenciaga, Raf Simons and Vetements have pioneered this trend in recent months, if you’ll recall (and I know you will) last September, Shane Oliver of Hood By Air debuted the brand’s now notorious double-sided cowboy boot:
The style garnered a shit ton of attention and went pretty viral, to say the least (I mean, look at those babies). Helmut Lang has also been killing it lately creatively (thanks to Ava Nirui and the rest of their awesome team) and is pedaling their own sleek, modern take on the trend as of late:
And while we’re still very much on the topic of cowboy boots in the context of high fashion:
Now, before you go ahead and make the perfectly logical deduction that this trend trickled down from the runway down to the streets, think again: as is usually the actual case, designers are only using their artistic lens to interpret what’s already there. Meaning, in less words, that this trend isn’t solely editorial or artistic, it’s actually wearable.
On our days off (in between walking runways and shooting editorials), normal people like you and I are cashing out on this not-at-all casual look as well! Once again, it’s great.
Cowboy boots are such an easy way to make an outfit more interesting: I challenge you to come up with the most boring outfit you can think of, and just try to keep it boring with a pair of cowboy boots on. You. Can’t.
Below, I present you with further evidence:
The classic casual tee, cowboy boot, biker short ensemble
Tired of the old T-shirt and jeans look (no? me neither)? Why not opt for this equally comfortable, wearable alternative? We may not all look quite as cool while doing so, but this outfit combination is actually kind of a recipe for success.
The good old linen slip dress and white cowboy boot look
Another surprisingly chill, easy way to wear your cowboy boots with your less suspecting articles of clothing.
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Fancy/dressy/work appropro cowboy boots
Oh, you love your cowboy boots? You love your job? Do you wear your cowboy boots to your job?
Tbh, these brown steel-toe pair are sooo fire and could easily be dressed up or down. But the ironic juxtaposition of cowboy boots and a nice pair of trousers is never lost on me: in fact, it’s probably my favorite way to wear them (Fall, are you listening?).
The timeless bikini cowboy boot backpack getup
Slightly less business casual, but equal parts amaaazing. But can’t you kind of imagine? Walking up into the office like this on a Thursday morning? I just might.
Look, it’s actually so easy
Such a cute, wearable, simple summer fit: and tbh, the shoes make it!
Almost didn’t even notice those were cowboy boots
Well I was already wearing leather on the top, so I wanted to be consistent. I’m also realizing now that wearing cowboy boots in the Summer is making me appreciate wearing shorts and boots after conditioning myself to hate that combination for some reason. Anyway, moving along.
White seems to be a popular choice
White cowboy boots are basically sneakers, right?
Correction: white is a popular choice (and rightfully so).
Well it’s decided, I do in fact need a white pair to go along with my black, red, and black and red pairs (not joking, though I can’t believe I haven’t taken advantage of that syntax before).
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I love my cowboy boots more than I love most other people and things in my life, and I’m so glad to see us all in on the action. Happy sweating.
