Cowboys and Boots

Today, we’re talking about favorite cowboys. Most of mine, I admit, are not “real” cowboys. I’m a movie fan, so when I try to make a list of favorite cowboys they are usually guys who play them in films or sing about being one on a stage. 

What is it about cowboys that we love so much? They ride around on horses for days at a time, sweating in their leather and denim... not bathing... they're not particularly verbose or genteel... Oh, but they're faithful. To their horse. I don't know. It's that Bad Boy thing I guess, or The Man Who Can't Be Tamed... or maybe we love the idea of a guy who drops in now and then but doesn't live with us expecting us to do their laundry and feed them 24/7. I'm just guessing. 

So here are a few of my faves... and stay tuned for the boot part of this post:

When I was 14 we moved to Pasadena, Texas, home of Gilley’s nightclub. You may remember it as the place where John Travolta and Debra Winger scooted some boots and rode the mechanical bull in the movie Urban Cowboy. We got to see them film a few scenes around town, which was fun, and the movie brought boots and pearl buttons into style for the first time since Roy Rogers was sporting them in the 1950s. In addition to just enjoying John Travolta in a tight pair of Wranglers, the movie had a pretty great soundtrack. I’m not a huge fan of country music (currently), but “Lookin’ for Love in All the Wrong Places” was perfection with a twang.

   

I didn’t see this film until I was a bit older since I was a kid when it was in theaters, but Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is one of my very favorite western films. I also love The Sting starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, but there is something about them with scruffy facial hair and boots… well, let's just say it works. Oh, and then there’s Robert Redford in Electric Cowboy… totally different vibe, but more of the Sundance man on a horse is never a bad thing. 

  

In my early 20s I lived in the mid-cities area between Dallas and Fort Worth. On the weekends I would go to the Stockyards in Fort Worth and do a little two-stepping with my friends who waited tables with me. At the time, cowgirl boots were only available in serious western stores, and they cost serious money. Since I was not, admittedly, a “real” cowgirl (and I was a waitress living on tips), I didn’t wear boots – but I think I looked pretty cute drinking a long-neck Corona with a lime slice poked in the top of the bottle. During those years, I was a fan of George Strait. Other favorite singing cowboys that came along later include Alan Jackson and Vince Gill. 

Now, here’s where the boots come into the story… Back in August my sister and I attended a fantastic conference put together by Arkansas Women Bloggers. There are several reasons the conference was fantastic, not the least of which was the new pair of boots that each attendee got from Country Outfitter just for attending. I mean, I’ve walked away from a few conferences with a tote bag full of crap stuff that I have tossed into the “free” box at my next yard sale – but these boots will not be going there.

Rumor has it that cowgirl boots are huge on the fashion scene this year, and I’d be willing to bet that you wouldn’t mind having a new pair, right? They’re cute with short skirts, long skirts, skinny jeans and leggings… there just aren't many things you can’t wear them with. I've seen them with shorts as well, but I do not wear the Daisy Duke look well… I've decided boots do not pair well with cellulite. ;)

But here's the best part - we could only accept a free pair of boots if we were willing to host a giveaway on our blog. So, who wants a pair of boots?? Country Outfitter carries brands from a ton of great boot-makers and I’m not kidding when I say it took me a week to pick mine out. I toyed with getting crazy with color and picking these sweet things: 

But the heel was a bit high for me... so I thought I might take these because the appliques reminded me of the bags I make for Punkinhead Designs:

And then I thought maybe I’d move toward something less western (since I'm a country girl, but not really a COWgirl:

But in the end, this lovely dark brown mustang cowhide pair from Justin won out. They’re dark but not too dark, and they have rubber soles which are super comfortable. I haven’t had to break them in at all because they are already soft and pliable. But the best thing - they look great with my skinny jeans. 

But enough of the boots on my favorites list, right? Here’s what you need to do to win your own… click here to enter your email to win your very own boots worth up to $150.00 from Country Outfitter, and then comment on this post with the name (or names) of YOUR favorite cowboy. Feel free to throw in some off-the-wall faves… Ronald Reagan, that guy you knew in college, Roy Rogers (there is no age-limit here!).

I'll announce the winner via random drawing on Monday, October 1st, so don't wait!! Good luck everyone - I can't wait to announce the winner!!