Over the years, I had heard a lot about Sendra Boots, which are made in Spain. They are very well-made, attractive boots, but I have to say, at least for the three pairs of Sendras that I own, they are very uncomfortable. I cannot wear them for more than an hour without my feet aching. The footbed is hard, and the boots are sized in such a way that I cannot insert a gel insole to make them more comfortable. The boot shaft is narrow, so they squeeze my legs. Ouch!

Back in 2006, I bought my first pair of Sendra “Texan” cowboy boots. Black, traditional style, with a low heel (1″/2.5cm). I don’t like boots with that low of a heel. They looked good, but wearing them became a chore. Often, they would just sit in my boot closet taking up space.

In 2007, I received a gift of a pair of Sendra boots from some friends who visited Spain. The boots are shiny and very attractive. But like their black brothers, the shaft is narrow and the footbed is hard. They occupied a space in my boot closet next to their black brothers, gathering dust.

I don’t know what I was thinking when I bought a pair of 18″ tall brown Sendra harness boots a few months ago. They are very good-looking boots, and very well-made. However, the foot is small (despite ordering a whole size larger than I usually wear) so I cannot insert a cushion insole. The shaft is narrow. I stretched the shafts using a boot stretcher for several weeks. I can put them on, but I cannot wear them for more than an hour without the boots feeling hot on my legs and feeling sweaty.

I know other guys who love Sendra Boots and do not have any problems like I have had. They say that their Sendras feel comfortable and they can wear their boots all day. I can’t. Again: ouch!

Over the next few weeks or months, I will put my Sendra boots on eBay and hopefully find someone who would like to buy them — and enjoy them. Sendra boots do not work for me.

If you want to make me an offer to buy these boots (and you do not live in the U.K.), write to me here.

Life is short: realize that each boot manufacturer makes boots that have size issues for some guys.

I am not the only one who thinks that cowboy boots and shorts do not go together. I found this on a popular mainstream blog, linked from a Facebook friend. LOL!

If you wear shorts, then wear sneakers (and don’t ride a motorcycle). If you wear cowboy boots, then wear jeans or khakis or casual to dressy business clothes. Even a suit and boots go well together. But not shorts and cowboy boots! No no no no no!

Life is short: find your kindred spirits.

More internet searches continue to come up with people entering the question, “do men wear pants inside boots?” or “tuck pants into boots?” or “do guys wear jeans inside boots?”

Okay, I have blogged on this matter ad naseum but this one summarizes it.

I really, really, I mean really wonder, why in the heck do so many people search that one question every day? For the past 30 days, over 200 people have search that question (or related) EVERY.SINGLE.DAY! They have been directed either to this blog or to my website from search results.

I am completely befuddled. Why do so many people ask that question? It’s like an obsession!

To save you the pain of clicking through this blog, I’ll address this issue once more:

1. In the United States, men who wear boots wear them with jeans or slacks or even business suits over their boots. Myself included. I wear boots every day, but only a few times, like when I am wearing breeches, do I choose to wear pants inside my boots. Breeches are made for that purpose — to have tall boots over them.

2. If pants (or breeches or leathers) are tucked into boots, it’s done with tall boots, like a cowboy’s buckaroo boots, or a biker’s tall engineer or harness boots. Civil War re-enactors and Renaissance Fair participants also show their tall boots with the clothes they are wearing, because that is how men wore their boots during the period they are recreating.

3. Most traditional cowboy boots and the majority of “biker boots” are short(er). Most cowboy boots are 12″ – 13″ tall. Many biker boots are 11″ to 12″ tall. One doesn’t have much boot to show, and pants tucked into shorter boots just doesn’t look right. So that’s why most men who wear boots wear them with pants over them, not tucked inside.

4. There are always exceptions — certain uniforms specify pants tucked into boots, like motorcycle police officers and military. Exceptions also extend to equestrian riders, doormen, and a few other professions.

That’s it. Ask the question, “do men wear pants inside boots?” — the answer is, “yes, sometimes… in the right setting with tall boots and the right clothing.”

Now you know.

Life is short: stop obsessing!

My website has “made it” LOL!  I just discovered that the “eHow Style” website article by the title, “How to Pull Off a Cowboy Look for Men” used my Cowboy Boots and Jeans tutorial as a reference. That just cracks me up.

However, I can tell from all the internet searches that land visitors to that tutorial that a huge number of people look for that kind of information every.single.day.

Here’s my take on this question.

First, if you’re not a cowboy, then don’t be a pretender. The old Urban Cowboy fad-trend is long over. (In fact, anyone under 40 probably doesn’t know that I am referring to a movie that came out in 1980.)

Back on track… a lot of guys appreciate the relaxed, comfortable appearance of western wear. Jeans, t-shirt, ballcap, belt w/buckle, and cowboy boots… that’s it. Simple.

Belt with belt buckle? Sure … just don’t wear one of those “plate” buckles that rodeo cowboys wear (at the rodeo). A simple 2″ x 3″ rectangular or oval belt buckle, that perhaps shows the initial of your last name or has an interesting inlay design … that’s enough. In my opinion, don’t wear a buckle that advertises a brand of beer, boots, or cigarettes. That spells “dimestore cowboy” a mile away.

Stetson or Resistol cowboy hat? Really? You think cowboys wear 10-gallon hats regularly? Nope…. Perhaps for a semi-dressy occasion (as shown with a shirt and tie), or when actually riding a horse, attending a rodeo, or going to a stock show, you may see some guys wearing a traditional cowboy hat. Usually, when a cowboy hat is worn in warm weather, it is made of straw, because a straw hat is lighter and doesn’t get hot. Felt hats are warmer, heavier, and are worn in cooler months.

Most guys into the western-wear look (because that’s how they regularly dress) wear a ballcap. Yeah, a regular cap with a brim over the forehead, but not around the whole head. And don’t be silly — if you wear a ballcap, wear it with the brim facing forward, over your forehead — don’t wear it backwards. Again, guys who wear ballcaps backwards are fodder for ridicule because that’s just not how that kind of hat is worn by adult men. And note: most guys wear a hat. The sun in the U.S. Midwest and West is brutal on the scalp! Wear a hat for your protection and keep the sun off your head so you don’t fry your brains. Seriously. Hats help a lot in strong sunlight.

Boots? Well, there are a LOT of choices. Most guys wear plain leather cowboy boots, and occasionally exotic skins like ostrich, lizard, or python. Leather colors of black, brown, black cherry, or tan, and the boots have few accents or inlays. Usually you’ll find rounded toes, but the more pointed toes are not unusual. Heel height is usually a roper heel (1-2cm) or a walking heel (3-4cm). Cowboys (and those into the style) do not wear heels higher than that.

I have to be honest, lots of guys in my (former) home state of Oklahoma wear sneakers more often than boots. But if you really want the cowboy look, you gotta wear boots. And definitely not sandals or shorts!

Jeans? Regular Wranglers look great — or Levis, Carhartt, or Dickies — but not the cheap-o jeans from Walmart (they may be more affordable, but aren’t of good quality and often do not fit well.) Straight-leg regular blue denim jeans are most common. You don’t really need “boot cut” jeans but you can get them if you want more of a flare of your jeans over boots. Don’t get designer jeans, baggy, or low-rise jeans — definitely not “in” for Western style.

Get your jeans long enough to touch the tops of your boots, and gently fold on top of the boot, with the bottom of the leg in the back coming to the top of the heel. When jeans gently fold on top of the boot when you are standing, this is called “stacking” or “stacked jeans.” Don’t get jeans longer than that, ’cause you’ll trip, or shorter than that, ’cause it looks dorky.

And, guys, wear a belt. Nothing looks more ridiculous than seeing your underwear poking up around the back of your butt, or worse, your butt crack when you bend over. Have some dignity!

Tuck your jeans into your boots? Naaah… not really. I may do that for photos on my website, but when you look at guys who dress western on a regular basis, none of them wear pants or jeans tucked into their boots unless they are actually riding a horse or competing in a rodeo.

Shirt? As the referenced eHow-Style article says, a t-shirt is most common. While the article recommends a plain white t-shirt, I see lots of Western-style men wearing all sorts of t-shirts that have something printed on them. Your school, state, military branch of service, car or motorcycle brand, or supported charity — that’s all fine. A t-shirt that promotes drinking alcohol or has sexist or political statements on it is not a good idea. Nor are shirts that have various quotes (that shouldn’t be repeated on a G-rated blog). They tend to reflect poorly on the wearer (and really aren’t funny).

In cooler weather, a flannel or denim shirt is also a good choice. Many Western-style men wear shirts in all colors from blue to pink to red to yellow to green to purple. It really doesn’t matter, despite what the eHow or design/style guys say (IMHO!) Just one thing about shirts: make sure it fits, and tuck it in. Nothing looks more silly than a really baggy shirt hanging over a beer belly. Even bigger guys with some girth look better with a shirt that fits well and is tucked in.

As I began this post — many guys like the casual, comfortable style of western wear and like to “dress cowboy.” That’s fine, as long as you keep the look simple. It is easy to spot those who try too hard. You don’t need to. A ballcap, t-shirt, belt with a buckle, blue jeans and boots do the trick. That’s all you need.

Life is short: be comfortable in cowboy clothing.

Okay, another internet search landed a visitor to my website. The question was, “Can straight men wear cowboy boots?”

That’s a different take on what searches usually direct to my website. Usually, the question is whether gay men “can” wear cowboy boots.

Okay, inquirer from Iowa, USA, I am here once again to disabuse the notion that there is any relationship at all between one’s sexual orientation and what he chooses to wear on his feet.

Yep, straight men “can” wear cowboy boots. Go ask a rodeo cowboy or working cowboy if he is gay or straight, then determine whether or not he “can” wear cowboy boots.

I keep putting the word “can” in quotes, because it really is not a matter of whether it is possible for a man (gay or straight) to wear cowboy boots, but whether in the opinion of some people overly-influenced by the internet and garbage they hear or read due to stereotyping that a guy should, could, or would wear cowboy boots.

Get over it. Guys wear boots — especially in Iowa! Come on! Whatcha smokin’?

Life is short: wear boots.