These Trending Cowboy Boots Are (Still) Made for Walkin'
Cowboy boots—the trend we’ve been seeing since the start of last summer. But are they really here to stay? At the beginning of summer I felt as If I slowly started to see cowboy boots being paired with everything from girly dresses to edge up the outfit, to a simple tee shirt and jean short combo.
A Brief History On the Cowboy Boot
These trendy boots were originally invented back in the 1800s and gained popularity in the midwest for those who worked the plains; in the west they were popular with cowboys who worked on ranches or just for everyday wear. Originally, cowboy boots were more rounded but in the ‘40s they switched to the more popular pointed toe style. The first wave of popularity for cowboy boots being more of a fashion piece rather than a functional workwear piece, was in the 1980s when it was being worn by rock stars and celebrities. This created a subculture of fashion that would be classified as rocker chic or cowgirl chic.
Western wear was first popularized on the runway and in fashion by Ralph Lauren in 1979, and again when the icon herself, Princess Diana, revived the cowboy boot by wearing them with anything from boring ‘ole sweatpants to a classic pair of jeans. In 1998, Givenchy debuted the beloved boot on the runway again in their Spring/Summer show. In 2017, the boots made appearances on the runway again in the Fall/Winter Calvin Klein and Celine shows.
Back and Better than Ever
Cowboy boots were an on-and-off trend for quite some time, making appearances in the Y2K era, and again in the summer of 2019. Mid-summer 2021 came around and cowboy boots were filling up our Instagram feeds, TikTok lookbooks, and Pinterest boards. I realized this trend was still popular, and more retailers were starting to sell cowboy/cowgirl boots. These retailers include high-end shoemakers like Steve Madden, and online retailers like Amazon and Dolls Kill.
The boots started to be seen on influencers such as Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, and Addison Rae, while celebrities such as Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, and Taylor Swift have been wearing them since the beginning of their careers. Despite the boots' uncomfortable look, they are known to be quite comfortable, making them more desirable to wear for functionality purposes than, say, a high heel.
So, the question remains—are cowboy boots here to stay? The answer is yes, of course they are. This fall season people are still wearing them and adding them into fall lookbooks and style guides. Cowboy boots are a great and sensible addition to your wardrobe, and with the fall season already among us, it is an essential boot to have to implement that “yeehaw” factor to your style!