Category Archives: Cowboy Boots

Suited and Booted

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Regular readers know that I abhor dressing up, but there are times when it becomes necessary for my job.  I had a major presentation to do for various big and bigger cheeses, including some international visitors.

So I broke out the suit — well, not really a suit because I do not own one — but I have a jacket and pants that match, though made by different manufacturers. The material in both the jacket and pants are the same, so it looks for all intents and purposes like a suit.

To appease my inner leather soul, I wore a blue leather tie.

To appease my feet (and my head, as I absolutely cannot wrap my head around the idea of wearing dress shoes), I wore some very nice, clean, well-shined, Lucchese Classic goatskin cowboy boots.

While you see me with a cowboy hat on in this photo, I didn’t wear it for the cheeses. Nope, my head was nekkid (giggle.)

So, it is possible for me to wear a suit. I am just thankful that I don’t have to wear one but once in a blue moon.

BTW, I had to attend a funeral of a friend the other day. What did I wear? A dress shirt, no tie, clean denim jeans and a different pair of cowboy boots. Why not a suit? I fear that the little old lady who I cared for — the deceased — would strike me with a bolt of lightning. She knew very well that I’m not a suit guy, and never saw me in anything other than shirt, jeans, and boots. Period.

Life is short: do what you have to do, even if you don’t like it.

P.S.: please do not write to me and tell me that I look good this way. One may put on appearances, but the real guy is not that guy. Not me. Not suits. No way.

What Do Gay Mens Boots Look Like?

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Once again, an internet search asking, “What Do Gay Mens Boots Look Like?”, directed a visitor to this blog, specifically, here: “Why Do Gay Guys Like to Wear Boots?“

I’ve quit trying to figure out why people look up stuff like this, but nonetheless, there they go … again … and here’s my reply.

First of all, gay men who wear boots choose to wear boots like any other guy who’s man enough to wear them. If you have to obsess about what “gay mens boots look like” (perhaps because you’re afraid that you don’t make a “mistake” of wearing a pair of boots that will cause people to question your sexual orientation) … then just go put on a pair of flip-flops or crocs.

Second, in all honesty, there are no particular styles of boots that gay men prefer over any others. I can say that from a base of knowledge: I am gay and I wear boots. So what?

Some gay guys like tall boots, some like shorter boots. Some gay men like cowboy boots. Some like motorcycle boots — heck, some of us like (and wear) both styles. Some gay men like boots with a Cuban or underslung heel, while others like boots with higher heels, low heels, or composite heel/sole combinations. Some like “retro Beatle boots” or platform boots or cavalry boots or jump boots or lace-up boots or Timberland work boots or logger boots or police patrol boots or tactical boots or military boots or … you get the picture: Uh-oh! That means that you will find all kinds of “gay mens boots” or (more likely): gay men wearing different types and styles of boots.

‘nuf said. Gay men are like anyone else. If a gay guy likes to wear boots, his boots will look like anyone else’s — cowboy boots, motorcycle boots, harness boots, engineer boots, classic Frye boots… whatever. Boots are boots and men are men, and some men wear boots and some guys obsess too much.

… end of rant.

Life is short: wear boots.

Lunch with a Boot Buddy

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I am still taking a break from blogging for a little while, but I wanted to post a picture that I took yesterday when my friend Clockner, also known on YouTube as Bootedman, came to the DC area for a visit. He is also a fellow blogger.

We met for a very pleasant lunch in the downtown of my home town in Maryland, close to where my office is located.

He is wearing brown Justin square-toe buckaroo boots with red uppers. He says they are about the most comfortable boots he has worn. I am wearing a pair of brown Lucchese wingtip cowboy boots with dark brown inlays. They are also very comfortable.

It’s nice to catch up with friends. I appreciate that my friend came to visit for a nice annual lunch.

Tall Sendra Boots

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I have seen these boots for years — 18″ tall Sendra cowboy boots, made of all leather.  They have harness straps which are removable (an interesting feature.) These boots, like all other Sendras, are made in Spain from quality leather and materials with great craftsmanship in bootmaking.

Unlike most Sendra boots that have a low heel (about 3/4″ [2cm]), these boots have “normal” heels — 1-1/2″ (4cm) cowboy “walking” heels, which are a typical style and heel height of their American counterparts.

However, Sendra boots generally run small, and the boot shaft even on their shorter boots is tight. I didn’t think that I could wear them, even though I liked the style a lot, as well as the craftsmanship.

I saw them on sale, though — for about half the usual price. A good buy — if they would fit. Before buying them, I asked the store to send me the calf circumference measurement. I explained that my experience was that Sendra boots have smaller calf circumferences that other tall boots, and I wouldn’t order them if the shafts wouldn’t fit me.

The store owner responded rather quickly, and gave me the measurement. Turns out that the calf circumference was exactly equal to the circumference on both legs. I explained that problem, and the store offered to stretch the boots for me, at no additional charge. So I bought them.

The boots arrived, and they fit fine. The right boot was still a little tight, so I used my own calf stretcher and stretched that boot for a few days, and now it fits better.

I have worn the boots to work already and while kickin’ around. I have learned, regretfully, that the boots make my feet tired and sore after a few hours. I do not know why, but it seems that Sendra boots are all like that — or at least those that I own. I like the boots and how they look, but to improve their comfort, I have had to install another insole.

Despite the height of the boots and their nice stitching design, I do not wear them with jeans tucked into them. The calf circumference is still rather close. I can get my jeans into them, but the bulk of the fabric makes my legs feel squeezed — so I don’t wear them with jeans tucked into them. I like how the boots feel on my legs and do not have a “need” or reason to wear them showing the full shaft. I know how tall the boots are. 🙂

Some guys swear by Sendra boots, and others are more like me — they like the style but find them not as comfortable to wear as other boots are.

More photos of these boots are on my website.

Life is short: admire style yet remain practical.

How Much Do Leather Cowboy Boots Cost?

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Yet another question entered into a search engine and landed on my website.

Frequently I receive questions, “how much did those boots cost?”

Honestly, it varies. New cowboy boots can cost as little as US$50 (if they’re machine-made plastic) to well over several thousand dollars for one pair of custom-made  all-leather boots. For my preferences, I usually choose commercially-made cowboy boots from reputable makers, such as Tony Lama, Dan Post, Nocona, Lucchese, and several others. I choose boots that are comfortable, good-looking, and generally go with “business casual” clothing which is what I wear to my office. I like my boots to be made of all leather. Further, I want them to be comfortable and to wear well, so I look for a pegged sole.

I have some custom cowboy boots made by Champion Attitude, and a few pairs of Buckaroo boots by Olathe. However, while those boots are nice, their heel height and style don’t quite work for how klutzy I am when I walk, so I wear those boots when I don’t have to walk very much.

I do not have boots made by some of the top custom cowboy boot makers, such as Paul Bond. While I like the beauty of these top-notch bootmakers, I realize that having boots that cost well over US$800 per pair (most of them are in the thou$ands), it is not worth it to me. I feel that I would have to frame them and admire them as art. Well, in reality, I would wear them, but not enough to justify in my warped way of thinking that the investment was worth the cost.

Having said all this, I have not yet answered the question: how much do leather cowboy boots cost? Boots that meet a minimum of my standards — all leather, comfortable, pegged sole, reputable manufacturer — cost in the range from as low as US$180 to as much as US$400. Beyond that, I usually don’t consider buying them. Sure, I may look, but I often ask myself, “why on earth do you want a pair of cowboy boots that cost over US$600 when you already have so many pairs?” — good question. That self-questioning holds me back from making many purchases (believe it or not.)

Life is short: have (and wear) at least one pair of cowboy boots.

Gays and Black Boots

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This stuff drives me nuts, but honestly, I don’t pay much attention and do not let it bother me because I do not suffer fools well.

From Bothell, Washington (a suburb of Seattle): “Why do gays wear black boots?”

I can tell that it was written by someone who is not well educated and who is straight — the pejorative term “gays” is a give-away to both conclusions.

Now, to address the question. Well, there is no answer for stupid assumptions. Honestly, where do some people come up with this garbage?

Most men’s boots come in black or brown, and you’ll find cowboy boots with more colors — the most common besides black and brown is black cherry, cognac (orange-burnished), tan, and there are also men’s boots that have inlays or accents of blue, red, white, and other colors.

So, ding-dong from Bothell, hear this:

Not all men’s boots are black.

Not all gay men wear boots.

Granted, most motorcycle boots are black — but then again, I would venture to say that the vast majority of bikers who wear black boots are not gay.

Gay men who wear boots wear more colors of boots than only black. Sheesh — look at my cowboy boot and motorcyle boot collections. I have boots of all colors. And I’m gay. So what?

Get an education, friend. Wise up and then go speak with some gay men. You may be surprised to learn that they’re people too, much like you — and me!

Disclaimer: I have been to Bothell, Washington, and know that most of the people there are fine, upstanding, well-educated people. There are exceptions everywhere, so this post was not meant to take a swipe at everyone who lives or works in Bothell. I betcha you can find some equally ignorant people near where I live, too.

Life is short: stop looking for stereotypes.

A Booted Man in an Unbooted State

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This is a guest blog post written by a man with whom I have been exchanging email for a while. He has written to me about some of the posts on this blog which he told me have been both informative and some have been amusing (like my “amusing google search” posts that appear from time to time.) He’s a teacher and enjoys wearing boots, but in a U.S. state where few men wear cowboy boots on a regular basis. The photos with this post are pictures of some of the boots in his personal collection. Here’s his story.

By: The Only Booted Man in Town

I am a nonconformist by nature. I hate doing what other people do, and despise doing things because they are trendy. Maybe that’s part of why I wear cowboy boots in a part of the country where most guys don’t.

But there’s more to it than that. Let me get on the leather couch for a minute and relax, and let my mind wander to the past. Ahh, there we go.

Here is my bootman story.

When I was in high school, cowboy boots were cool for guys. We were just coming off the “Urban Cowboy” thing, and boots were all over the place. Except on my feet.

I was a nerd by nature, and not well-respected by my peers. I was shy as well, which didn’t help things. Yet I lusted after a pair of boots. Don’t know why. Just really liked them. Finally right before Christmas, my mom and I were in the mall browsing around. We passed a display of cowboy boots in one of the stores. Looking at them, I thought, “Man. Do I actually ask for a pair?” I did. That Christmas morning I found a pair of new boots under the tree. I was in love. I put them on and wouldn’t take them off. Now as I look back, I think, man, those things were terrible. They were made by Fortina in Brazil, tan, with buck stitching on the side. They had two-inch stacked heels, and really were not that great to walk in, but I loved them nonetheless. I wore and wore those things. I still have them and occasionally still do wear them. Did I become the most popular guy in school? No. But girls still did notice them, which is more than what had happened to me before. I kind of liked being a couple of inches taller (once I learned how to walk in them.)

Other trends happened. Boots were replaced by Jazz Oxfords (ick), and my beloved pair of cowboy boots sat in the closet. But I couldn’t get rid of them. So I kept them. High school turned in to college and grad school. Marriage and two sons happened. And yet those boots sat in the closet. My wife even asked me once, “How come you never wear your kickers?”

Then, out of the blue, one day, I put them on. And fell in love all over again. I was that couple of inches taller, walked a little prouder, felt a little more manly. Hmmm…. I wonder if there are any cowboy boots on ebay. Let me look here for a minute.

Alakazam. Boot Acquisition Disorder (BAD) hit really hard. Before I knew it, I owned over 35 pairs. Yes, a modest collection by bootman standards, but a lot for me. I have more shoes than my wife! I wore them every day at home and around town. At first I was self-conscious. Too gay, I thought. Too manly. Too whatever. I googled “are cowboy boots gay” and ended up a BHD’s website (yes, BHD, I was one of “those guys” with the weird google questions). Slowly, but surely, I stopped being so self-conscious about them and wore them in different places, like the junior high school where I work. That took a lot of guts. At first there were a few comments, some by kids, some by male teachers, but they have stopped. (Where’s your horse, pardner?) Now boots are a bit of a trademark with me.

That’s the story. But why? Why do I wear cowboy boots here in the North country where we are thousands of miles away from the South and the West?

Part of it is that they are masculine. I am a quiet man by nature, and definitely not a jock. Can’t throw a football worth a damn. I’d rather work with textiles than power tools. Never even learned to ride a bike. But I love to ride horses. English, though. Not Western. Go figure.

Part of it is the fact that not everybody else around here wears them. I kid that I am the only booted man in town. And for the most part I am. I am also only one of two men in town with a handlebar mustache. But who cares?

I wear them because I like them. I wear them because they are comfortable. I wear them partly for the Marlboro man mystique. I wear them because my wife likes it when I wear them. I wear them too because they represent independence, individuality, and strength.

Most of all, I wear them because I am me.

So there, in a nutshell, is why I wear cowboy boots.

Traveling With Boots

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I travel more now than I have been traveling in a while. Work-related trips have brought me to the U.S. West Coast three times in the last three months, and also to Puerto Rico. I anticipate more domestic travel in the coming months, including a trip to a U.S. Commonwealth way out in the Pacific.

As readers of this blog know, I choose to wear boots exclusively. I don’t own any shoes or sneakers or sandals. I have expressed my opinions before about those types of footwear. Sum it up as, “yuck.”

Recently, a close friend who has contributed a lot to this blog with comments and guest blog posts traveled for his work to Houston, Texas. He remarked about taking the trip on Facebook.

One of his Facebook friends asked him, “Sportin’ the boots?” to which he responded: “Not this time. Traveling with them has become such a pain these days.”

I replied also, saying, “oh my lands, what’s this world coming to?”

My friend, chagrined, admitted in a follow-up email that he was concerned about the amount of walking that he would have to do in the airport, which is why he chose not to wear (or bring?) boots with him.

Hmmm… well, buddy, I have some comments about this matter:

1. If the boots you currently own are uncomfortable to walk in, then you should consider getting gel insoles, which I wear in many of my cowboy boots that I wear when I travel. The insoles add a spring to my step, and make walking a pleasure.

2. Alternatively, perhaps, you should consider a different size for a new pair of boots? I have found that boots that fit me perfectly do not have adequate room to accommodate a gel insole. The insole in well-fitted boots causes the top of my foot to press against the inside top of the boot, and soon enough, the bones in my feet begin to hurt as they rub against the inside of the boot. I solved that problem by getting boots a half-size larger. The insole takes up the room so the boots do not slip when I walk, and the slightly larger size accommodates the room required for the insole. Plus, as an added bonus, I found that insole-supplied half-size larger cowboy boots give more toe room, so I can wear pointed-toe cowboy boots more comfortably, as well.

While my friend didn’t directly address concerns about hassles in going through airport security with boots, let me address those issues as well.

First of all, these days, everyone has to take off footwear, regardless if the footwear is a pair of boots or anything else: sneakers, shoes, etc. Therefore, don’t think that if you wear shoes or sneakers that you’ll be able to get through without having to take them off. (I have observed that in larger U.S. metropolitan airports, everyone has to take all footwear off. Perhaps one can get through wearing sneakers in smaller airports, but not in the big ones where the TSA staff are more formal and drone-like in enforcing “the rules.”)

Wearing boots at an airport is no big deal. One just pulls them off like any other footwear. Therefore, keep in mind that since you have to pull boots off while balancing at a table before the magnetometer, the boots should be easy to pull off, and not require untying laces or a helper to remove them for you (such as my situation if I were to wear tall motorcycle patrol boots).

Once the boots go through the magnetometer and you go through the x-ray, you should have boots that are as easy to pull back on as they were to take off. For me, I carry them to a seat, then sit down and put them on while I also put my laptop back in its case, retrieve my cell phone and pocket change and put it away, etc. I abhor the slogs who bunch up at the end of the magnetometer who try to put their shoes on right there and put their stuff away. That behavior causes the lines to slow down significantly. Just get your stuff and walk away (in socks) to a nearby seat and put yourself back together. Don’t make the rest of us behind you wait for you to get your act together and move on.

While addressing the issue of boots and travel, let me point out that if you will be in the air for more than a couple hours, take your boots off when you get seated on the plane (provided you have room enough to do that; some airlines make you pay a ransom for more leg room, and if you don’t pay the ransom and don’t have status to get you priority seating, you may not have enough room to do that.)

The reason why you should take your boots off is to allow blood to circulate in your legs and feet. As we age, we become subject to all sorts of maladies when the circulation slows down and blood flow becomes sluggish. You need to stretch your feet, circle them around at the ankles, bend forward and back, etc., several times an hour. Doing so will help several ways: 1) it prevents DVT (deep vein thrombosis), which can be deadly; 2) it helps your feet feel refreshed so your boots feel better when you put them back on your feet; 3) your feet won’t sweat in the boots, so your boots won’t get as stinky. My recommendation: take your boots off in flight. You will feel much better. And who knows? Maybe your seatmate is a secret Bootman and will notice and strike up a conversation about your boots with you. 🙂

Another thing about air travel: wear comfortable clothing. I shudder when I see men dressed in suits and ties on the plane. They look so damn uncomfortable. They worry about wrinkling their jacket, and make the rest of us wait while they carefully fold it and put it in the overhead bin. I know, I know, sometimes some men can’t avoid it — they go right to a meeting upon arrival, or they work for the airline which requires their employees to wear a suit when flying their airline. But most of us don’t have these situations. I usually wear a comfy pair of jeans (denim or leather) and a shirt with two pockets (helpful to carry ID and boarding passes, cell phone and glasses). Be comfortable when you fly, as most airlines these days make air travel cramped and uncomfortable.

In summary, I will forgive my friend for his transgression, for he knew not this advice (because he didn’t ask, yet. LOL!)

Life is short: wear boots!

Differences on Skins of Cowboy Boots

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Once again, Google brings interesting questions that drive some visitors to my website.  In this case, the question is, “what is the difference between lizard skin boots and alligator skin boots?”

The answer to that question is simple: alligators are alligators and lizards are lizards. Two different animals whose skins were harvested and treated to fit over molds (called “boot lasts”) and sewn onto leather soles, had leather vamps (rear part of the foot) and shafts attached … and voi-la! They became boots that are called “alligator skin” or “lizard skin.”

These type of cowboy boots fall into the general category called “exotic skin” boots. “Exotic skins” means anything made of an animal that is not an animal from which traditional leather products are made.

This gets a little complicated, but leather is made from more types of animals than cows. While cowhide is the most common, leather can (and is) also made from goats, deer, bulls, lamb, elephants, and even horses. When another kind of animal has its skin removed and used to make boots, then the resulting boots are called are called “exotic skin boots.”

There are a number of exotic skins that are used to make boots. The most common are ostrich, teju lizard, and python. Each of these animals is “farmed” (that is, grown specifically to produce skins from which to make boots and other products). Other animals with skins that make interesting boots are alligators, crocodiles, cobra, rattlesnake, eel, shark, and sting ray. There are probably more.

I have a variety of cowboy boots with exotic skins. I think they look cool. While most of these skins are durable and strong, some are not. Especially snake skins. Boots made with snake skins can be easily damaged by scuffing as well as by getting wet. Snake scales on boots will curl when they get wet and will not “uncurl” when they dry. So it is important to wear those boots only in dry weather, and not in the rain.

You can see the variety of exotic skin cowboy boots that I own here, on my website.

Life is short: wear boots!

What Should I Do With My New Cowboy Boots

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Ah, Google, you never cease to bring me amusement when you reveal what questions people enter into your search engine.

What should I do with my new cowboy boots?

Of course, the simple answer is: wear them.

Perhaps this person is wondering how to break them in? Answer: wear them.

Perhaps he wants to know how to keep them in good shape? Answer: keep them clean, polish them if they are all leather, and avoid damaging them by getting them (soaking) wet or scuffed by knocking them against concrete steps or other obstructions.

Perhaps she wants to know if she should wear them every day? Answer: no, have at least one other pair of boots, and let your new boots get some air between wearings so the sweat that naturally builds up and absorbs into the lining of boots (and the foot pads) evaporate. Some people refer to this as “rotating boots.” I do not mean turning them around and around (I actually was asked that once), but I mean giving them a chance to “breathe” between wearings.

Perhaps he is wondering where to wear them? Answer: everywhere. To work with dress clothes, and casually with jeans. Just wear them.

If he is a boot fetishist, he doesn’t need advice from me and I’ll keep that stuff out of this G-rated blog (giggle.)

So what should someone do with new cowboy boots? Answer: WEAR THEM!

Life is short: wear boots!