Several years ago, I was contacted by a guy who explained that he liked to wear boots, but did not have the courage (at the time) to wear them that often. He referred to himself as “the only booted man in town” because as a resident of a U.S. state in the northeastern part of our country, he felt quite alone as he was the only man who wore boots in his geographic area.

Subsequently over time and as our friendship developed, my friend began to wear boots more often, including to his place of work, and elsewhere in his community. He has become much more confident as a “bootman” and has ditched wearing dress shoes. Good for him!

But as I look around where I live, further south but in a state that is on the U.S. East Coast, I realize that I should not have…

…let my friend refer to himself as “the only booted man in town.” Often, I feel the same way.

Lately I have had a guy from Mexico write to me with a number of questions. He seems to be shocked that I really am the only man where I live (in Maryland) who wears cowboy boots. Period.

“Do your friends wear cowboy boots?” No.

“Does your spouse wear cowboy boots?” No.

“Does anyone you work with wear boots?” No.

“Do any of your friends wear boots?” (repeated, incredulously) No, not cowboy boots. However…

I have some friends who wear motorcycle boots when they ride their motorcycle. I have other friends with whom I do construction projects. They wear work boots Unfortunately, most other times when my biker friends are not on their bikes or my construction worker friends aren’t on the job site, they wear sneakers. All of ’em.

“Hey, I thought you said that you got your boss to buy a pair of boots?” Yes, your memory is correct. But if he wears them, he wears them at home, and not at work. At the office, he wears clone shoes. Bleccchhh…

Despite all of this… I remain steadfast in my resolve to wear boots every day, often several pairs a day, depending on what I am doing and where I am going. I am my own man. I wear boots. I am not afraid of what other people “might say.” Men who fear others’ opinions are sadly, in my opinion, unable to express themselves and be self-confident. They adopt the “clone look” and wear dress shoes at work and sneakers in the off-time because that is what society expects.

My buddy up North and I remain: the only booted men in (our respective) towns. (So it seems.)

Life is short: have courage and confidence — wear boots!