| Historically horsemen have always needed | | | | |
| protective footwear as well as preferring | | | | In the 1920s and 1930s cowboy boots became a |
| boots with a higher heel. The origin of the | | | | fashion item as a result of the movies and |
| cowboy boot that we know today comes from | | | | radio shows about the Wild West. |
| various boot styles including the Wellington | | | | |
| boot, which originated from Britain's Duke of | | | | After 1940 boot designs became more colorful |
| Wellington. At the time it was a straight | | | | and intricate incorporating images of the |
| plain leather boot with one-inch heels and | | | | west such as cacti, eagles, horses and |
| straight tops. Cowboys also wore the Hessian | | | | horseshoes. |
| boot, which had a V-cut in the front, and | | | | |
| some of these had a silk or leather tassel | | | | In the 1950s when rodeos became a popular |
| hanging down in the V. | | | | form of entertainment and country music |
| | | | started being heard, the popularity of cowboy |
| The Coffeyville-style cowboy boots originated | | | | boots skyrocketed and millions of pairs were |
| in Coffeyville, Kansas around 1870 and were | | | | reportedly being made in all shapes, colors |
| normally black leather with a low Cuban heel. | | | | and styles. |
| The front of the boot, known as the "graft", | | | | |
| was higher than the back and was usually a | | | | After this the designs of cowboy boots |
| different color. Texas cowboys were known to | | | | followed the fashions and styles popularized |
| have a lone star inlaid in the graft. | | | | in the movies - if John Travolta or Tom |
| | | | Cruise wore cowboy boots then those styles |
| Cowboy boots continued to evolve through the | | | | were immediately in demand. |
| late 1800s and the designs were influenced by | | | | |
| the European cavalier style of boot, which | | | | Since the early 1990s boot makers have become |
| were characterized by higher heels and | | | | even more adventurous and we are now seeing |
| better-quality leather. | | | | styles incorporating studs, conchos, |
| | | | rhinestones and precious stones, no doubt |
| The toes of cowboy boots were square or | | | | partly as a result of the interest in line |
| rounded and this did not change to pointed | | | | dancing. Of course it is still possible to |
| until the 1950s. | | | | buy an attractive plain leather boot. |
| | | | |
| The straight lines of stitches across the top | | | | Part of the enduring appeal of the cowboy |
| of the toe of the cowboy boot are called a | | | | boot is that they can be worn by anyone. |
| toe wrinkle. Boot makers in the early 1900s | | | | |
| started to add decorative stitching on the | | | | There is an excellent book that covers |
| toes in addition to the wrinkle and these | | | | everything to do with the cowboy boot called |
| designs became and have remained to this day | | | | appropriately The Cowboy Boot book, which you |
| the personalized signature of custom-made | | | | can get from Amazon. |
| boots. | | | | |