The Best Western Boots Are Ready to Ride Into Your Regular Rotation
- 1/16
The Best Western Boots Are Ready to Ride Into Your Regular Rotation
Listen, cowboy. The Yeehaw agenda has been alive and well for some time now. If you're still feeling apprehensive about taking the plunge and purchasing that first pair of Western boots, we're here to tell you that now is the time. There are levels to get into, so don't feel like you have to roll up with a pair of ostrich skin boots on day one (unless that's your thing—in which case, lean into it). If that's not your vibe, then let us help you ease your way in.
The complex part of finding the cowboy boots that are best for you is that the most outlandish and boldest of western boots are the ones that best encapsulate the beauty of the shoe itself. Being brazen is half the battle in Western wear. This is, after all, the lane of style that embraces the chap and the pearl snap button. That means that a plain brown or black boot can end up looking like an everyday work boot, and while that's not bad, it's also worth thinking about when you're picking out the boot that best accomplishes your style goals. Something with a bit of flare means you're making the choice to stand out.
As for design, the other important aspect to remember when it comes to cowboy boots is that this is footwear that was designed to be on a working man's foot. That means your boots should be built to last, whether you're out on the ranch or just ordering it as a side for your wedge salad. These are pieces of art, and thus, should be constructed that way: a snug fit on your foot, a leather sole nailed into the boot, and a genuine leather upper that fits the purpose you're most looking for.
We could get into rubber vs. leather soles here, but if you're looking for the most authentic design, leather is your best bet. Of course, not everything can be the real deal, and there are great western-inspired options that impart the same vibe. They may not be the preferred by true cowboys, but they'll certainly work for fashion folk—particularly the sleek designs from Celine, Acne Studios, and Saint Laurent.
There's a ton of research you can dive into, but if this is your first rodeo (sorry, the pun was too easy), then take a look at the western boots we've wrangled up for you below.
Elaine Chung - Hearst Owned - 2/16
Montana Boots
Dingo
zappos.com
$105.00
Western boots (even Western-inspired ones) can get costly. But if you're looking for an option that won't break the bank, Dingo's Montana comes a sweet price that's almost too good to believe.
zappos.com - 3/16
Rebel Frontier Western Boot
Durango
amazon.com
$180.06
Yes, it may have rubber soles, but everything else about this Durango boot—from the 100 percent leather upper to the heel to the embroidered shaft—is the real deal.
amazon.com - 4/16
Roper Boot
Rhodes Footwear
huckberry.com
$210.00
Rhodes's aptly named Roper boots are handmade out of premium waxed cowhide in Leon, Mexico, by expert craftsmen who've been doing this for decades. It's a cool, easy style you'll want to lasso stat (pun intended).
huckberry.com - 5/16
Plano Cowboy Boot
Ariat
nordstrom.com
$219.95
If it's a bona fide western boot you want, a bona fide western is what you're going to get when the tag says Ariat. To wit: the brand is the official sponsor Professional Bull Riders—and it doesn't get any more cowboy than that, folks.
nordstrom.com - 6/16
The Roy Western Boot
Tecovas
tecovas.com
$255.00
Tecovas can be credited with restoring the Western-inspired boot to its rightful place of prominence the world over. So much so that we officially endorsed 'em back in 2019. And though this style, the Roy, may have a zipper, rest assured, my friends, it still holds up.
tecovas.com - 7/16
Cobra Brown Exotic Western Boots
Cody James
bootbarn.com
$289.99
As a snake detractor, myself, nothing says "get out of here, snake!" like taking their skin and putting it on a boot. This is also your opportunity to lean into the flare. Other colorways might be bolder or more contrasted, but this combination of cobra skin on brown hits the sweet spot of western boot design.
bootbarn.com - 8/16
Rust Bison Western Boots
El Dorado
bootbarn.com
$369.99
Now, look at these beautiful boys. When we're talking about the easy entry, this is what we're talking about. Not too loud or boisterous, you can't deny the craftsmanship that went into this design. With a tall 13 inch shaft and a Stockman heel, this is the cowboy boot for the first-timer that will have the crowd fooled when they find out it's your inaugural pair.
bootbarn.com - 9/16
Grady Chelsea Boot
Frye
thefryecompany.com
$378.00
Frye's Goodyear-welted Chelsea boots take inspiration from old-school Western styles while updating the tried and true cowboy silhouette with a much more accessible shape that'll gel nicely with any city scenario.
thefryecompany.com - 10/16
Cecil Exotic Ostrich Skin Western Boot
Lucchese
amazon.com
$501.90
Answering the question, Which cowboy boots should I wear if I want to make a statement?, Lucchese's Cecil boots are for the brave and adventurous. But don't think that being extravagant means you have to give up high-end construction. Lucchese is top-notch, offering a Western heel and a square toe that seamlessly integrate traditional design with an eye-catching color combination.
amazon.com - 11/16
Handmade Full-Quill Ostrich Stockman Boot
El Dorado
amazon.com
$559.99
Calling all Westworld fans: The first step to becoming The Man in Black is getting these beautiful boots. Again, the way into cowboy-boot flamboyance is all about balance. The squared off toe here works beautifully with the more intricate design, which combines shaft embellishments with the full quill ostrich vamp and heel. Dyed black, what you're left with is a sleek boot that says everything you'd want a boot to say without screaming it at the top of its lungs.
amazon.com - 12/16
Bruno Boots
Acne Studios
ssense.com
$700.00
Acne Studios is great at taking the styles from around the globe and reinterpreting them with its Swedish, minimalist sensibility. Case in point: its Bruno boot, which features an elongated toe and a stacked heel that'll certainly appeal to fashionphiles.
ssense.com - 13/16
Western Boots
Ernest W. Baker
ssense.com
$825.00
Ernest W. Baker is a Portuguese brand that culls inspiration from the Mod style of the '60s and flare of the '70s, while also adding modern touches that always feels au courant. It offers the kinds of pieces that are bold and graphic without looking cluttered. And and these Western boots are proof.
ssense.com - 14/16
Plainview Suede Cowboy Boot
RRL
ralphlauren.com
$890.00
The Western trend tends to fall in and out fashion (and that's regrettable), but if there is one designer who consistently keeps the spark alive, it's Ralph Lauren. The man, after all, does live on a ranch for most of the year, and therefore knows what it takes to offer real cowboy boots that'll last the long haul.
ralphlauren.com - 15/16
Embellished Embroidered Leather Chelsea Boots
Celine Homme
mrporter.com
$1200.00
Skinny jeans, leather biker jackets, and Western-inspired boots are Hedi Slimane's calling card. Since he came on the scene, the
designer, now at Celine Homme, takes styles from disparate genres, refreshes them with smart details, and combines them to form fits that never feel tried or outdated. He is consistent—the hallmark of a great designer.mrporter.com - 16/16
Ratched Cowboy Boots
Saint Laurent
ssense.com
$1395.00
Like Slimane, Saint Laurent's Anthony Vaccarello seldom presents collections without a slew of cowboy boots stomping down the Paris runway. He reimagines them with different fabrics and different lengths, sure, but the overall vibes stays Western.
ssense.com
