The Cowboy Question

Back when I lived in LA, I temporarily became obsessed with all things western. I blame it on the fact that my then-boyfriend (now husband) is somewhat of a cowboy at heart (and I mean that in a very Brad-Pitt-as-a-cowboy sort of way), and I was set on being the best girlfriend in all of LA County (apparently it worked!). To make a long story short, this is why a WASPy little New England girl found herself shopping for cowboy boots at Kowboyz (yes, the spelling is rather unfortunate) on Beverly, a rundown shack with a slanted roof and hand-painted sign, in the midst of your typical LA glam businesses and restaurants.

This place was a cowboy boot mecca, crammed from floor to ceiling with vintage boots in all shapes, sizes, and colors. I sort of expected to see John Wayne walk through the door (I didn't). What did happen was that I found the most amazing pair of caramel colored cowboy boots that fit like they were made especially for me. This momentous purchase occured about five years ago, and--tragically--I have worn the boots only a few times since.

Was it buyer's remorse? NO NO NO! It was just the classic story of an outfit looking far better in my head than it did on me in real life. Despite the fact that my boots sat, sad and unused, in my closet, I still loved them, and I continued to yearn for the opportunity to wear them--without looking like I was trying to be Jessica Simpson. The only thing standing in my way was the question of how to wear cowboy boots without looking like I was an actual cowboy (or cowgirl in my case).

Just last week, I presented this quandary to one of my fashion-forward RISD classmates, and she basically solved all my problems in ten seconds flat: to avoid looking like a cowboy, cowboy boots must be treated precisely as any other pair of boots. Just because the boots scream "western!" doesn't mean the rest of your outfit should--in fact, it absolutely should not. Rather, wear your boots with a pair of skinny jeans, classic cardigan, and gauzy scarf; or rock the boots with black leggings, a loose tunic, and fedora. We change our shampoos to keep our hair fresh so why wouldn't we change our boots to keep our look fresh?

As we transition into Spring and the temperature slowly rises, I know that I'll soon have to give up my cozy and functional Ugg boots. Usually I shudder at this wardrobe loss, but this season I have a replacement ready and waiting: my cowboy boots. They say that good things come to those who wait, and my boots are definitely ready for walking.



Image of Sienna Miller from another wonderful blog: http://designerlaundry.blogspot.com.