These Boots are Made for Walkin'

“When in Rome, do as Romans do.” Or in my case, “When in Texas, do as Texans do.”

And do you know what a lot (not all, of course, but a lot) of Texans do? Wear cowboy boots.

My mom, my sister, and I have always wanted cowboy boots. Real cowboy boots are hard to come by in Wisconsin though (most of our boots come from DSW), so actually owning a pair remained something of a pipedream, like winning the lottery or a gold medal or finally getting Hallie to eat foods other than yogurt and chicken nuggets and jelly beans.

I’ve been told that cowboy boots are the most comfortable footwear available, if you’re willing to spend the money on a really good pair. I’ve also been told that they’re very versatile – apparently they go with everything – and from what I’ve witnessed since we moved to Texas, this is true. I’ve seen cowboy boots paired with three-piece suits, business casual attire, jeans and t-shirts, dresses, and shorts, and I even saw someone wearing a pair while walking on the treadmill at the gym. (I hardly think that Lee Hazlewood, who wrote “These Boots are Made for Walkin’”, meant that boots were made for walking on treadmills. Try some Nikes, dude – your feet, and the woman on the EFX next to you, will thank you for it.)

Both Tom and I REALLY want cowboy boots, but neither of us has found the “right” pair yet. Our kids, however, both own – thanks to their generous grandparents – their dream pair of cowboy boots. And they wear them with confidence.

Perhaps a little too much confidence.

Come fall Tom and I will be boot shopping again – perhaps we’ll gift each a pair for Christmas this year – and I’m looking for advice. Those of you who are in the know, tell me, what should we be looking for in a good pair of boots? What should we avoid?