I received an email message the other day from a guy who wrote to me with a question about jeans:

Are there any stigmas associated with guys who wear Dickies jeans to say, a western dance club or concert?

He probably wrote to me after reading my tutorial on jeans and boots. Lots of guys obsess about whether to wear jeans inside or outside of boots. Some have questions about the “right” type of jeans to wear with boots. This probably was the case with this writer.

Here is what I said in reply:

There’s nothing wrong with wearing Dickies jeans. If that’s what you like, then that’s great. Dickies jeans aren’t as common in some parts of the country as in others. I have seen lots of guys wearing Dickies jeans and boots in Oklahoma, for example. I don’t see them much around Maryland where I live, but they’re just not found in our local stores as much as Levis and Wranglers.

So wear your Dickies proudly. Thanks for asking.

Life is short: wear what you like, proudly.

Kid you not, within the last week, the following search terms were entered into Google and landed on my website or this blog. My response to each item follows the *.

How to wear down boots
* wear them.

Do you have to wear boots with Wranglers?
* no, you can wear other kinds of jeans, pants, or even leather.

What kind of boots do the motorcycle cops wear?
* motorcycle patrol boots are most common.

What kind of boots should men wear?
* men’s boots. Women’s boots don’t quite have the same fit.

How do you pull on pull-on boots?
* by pulling with your hands.

How to pull off cowboy boots?
* if pulling with your hands doesn’t work, try using a boot jack available at most western stores or on-line.

Why do bikers wear biker boots?
* because they’re smart enough to wear sturdy boots to protect their feet and legs when riding.

What to wear with cowboy boots?
* clothes work best. Going naked poses risk of arrest.

Why do cowboys wear boots?
* because horses wear shoes.

Cowboys outside of jeans
* well, usually cowboys are inside jeans, and look mighty fine!

Life is short: enjoy it in boots!

I received an email the other day from a guy who asked this question:

Any time I’m in a store or wherever and there is someone who is wearing boots you can hear him from a mile away. Clop, clop, clop. My boots don’t make much of a noise when I walk, for the most part. Are boots supposed to be noisy, or are they noisy because these guys’ boots are ill-fitting?

This was an interesting question to me.

In order for a boot (or a shoe for that matter) to make a clunk, the person wearing it has to drop the heel a split second before the foot. When a boot-wearer does that, he (or she) will hear a distinctive “clunk” as the heel hits the floor sooner than the foot. On the other hand, if you walk in boots as I usually do, I place my foot on the ground slightly before the heel. Walking that way, you can barely tell from the sound that I have boots on.

What is it about wearing boots that makes some guys want to hear that distinctive “boot clunk” sound?

My answer to the writer was one of preferences. Some guys like to hear the “boot clunk” sound, and some don’t care. There are some boots that are more prone to making a clunking sound — such as vintage Frye Boots. Also, some guys modify their boot heels by having taps added, or removing the soft rubber heel plate. Those modifications cause boots to clunk — on purpose.

I admit, there are times when I will clunk my boots, but mostly when I am by myself and in an area with good acoustics — so I can hear the sound reverberate. I do that for self-entertainment (it doesn’t take much LOL!)

Other guys really like to hear that noise, and walk that way on purpose to attract attention.

Boots that make noise when they are worn make that noise because the person wearing the boots makes it happen. Seldom does the boot make a clunk all by itself. It needs “help.”

Is there anything wrong with clunking a boot, especially on a wooden floor, for example? No.

… but some people don’t like it, are annoyed by the sound, or do not understand.

We are all different. Some clunk our boots, and some do not.

Not that long ago, someone sent me an email and said, “I have been reading your blog and website, and you say all the time that you only wear boots. Is it true that you don’t own even one pair of shoes, like trainers?” He was from the U.K., where “trainers” means “sneakers” here in the U.S.

I replied with a simple but honest answer, “yes, that is true. Boots are my footwear. I do not own any shoes of any sort, and have no intention of having any.”

He replied the next day saying, “I find that unbelievable. You say that you work in a management position in an office. You lead some sort of organisation in your community. You gave a eulogy recently at a funeral. You must wear shoes on those occasions!”

My reply was factual: “I have been wearing boots as my exclusive choice of footwear since I was at least ten years old, and probably before that. Because everyone who knows me — at the office, in the community, and everywhere else — has only seen me in boots, they expect nothing else. Granted, I ride a motorcycle and have a reason to wear solid, protective boots for safety’s sake. But boots are on my feet at all times (when I am awake, healthy, and physically able to walk), not just when I’m on my motorbike. For more formal occasions, I wear dark (black or black cherry) cowboy boots with a normal heel and semi-rounded toe. I do not ‘overdo it’ by wearing boots made of exotic skins or colours or that have high heels or sharp ‘X’ toes with a suit or in a formal setting. Wearing boots is just who I am and how I have always dressed.”

My correspondent replied with a different line of questioning, “so what do you wear to the gym?”

… well, that presumes that I go to a gym. I replied by saying, “I use the swimming facilities at a University near me, and can walk barefooted between the locker room and the pool. I do not engage in physical activity there that requires use of sneakers. While I enjoy walking a lot, I have boots that are quite comfortable for walking as exercise.”

The guy with whom I was communicating replied by saying, “thank you for your explanation about wearing boots all the time. It may be a difference of culture or experience. While I like how boots look on some men, I would never think of wearing a pair of boots except only on the most informal occasions. I would not wear them to work, or with a suit. I would expect a mature man such as you would share the same perspective. I have learned that this is not true. It is very interesting to me. Thank you.”

I thought that was a civil reply to a discussion of different perspectives. I have found this line of inquiry to be similar with some men in my own country (the U.S.) as well. There are some guys who would never think of wearing boots at all, and some who might own one pair of boots that they may wear once or twice a year on informal outings. Some men wear boots more often. I realize I am on the extreme, by wearing boots exclusively and refusing to consider, much less actually wear, shoes.

Thanks, G, for your insights and for your permission to post this message on this blog.

Life is short: wear your boots!