When it comes to cowboy apparel, there is nothing more classic then cowboy boots, jeans, and a button-up western shirt and a cowboy hat. I say that, but of course, these days you can find that kind of clothing anywhere. Folks who have never ridden a horse, much less herded cattle, seem perfectly content to throw on a pair of cowboy boots as a part of their daily attire. And why not, when western wear is ubiquitous? You can find western apparel stores in the middle of big cities these days. Of course, it isn't ever-present enough to account for the rather humorous misconception that all Americans look like cowboys- much to the disappointment of a few tourists!
Once upon a time, however, western apparel was meant for those who were actually sitting in the saddle for a living. Denim was their fabric of choice because of the durability and protection it provided them. Cowboy boots weren't a fashion statements, they were designed around the very footwear needs of the early cowboys- a pointed toe and stacked heel for stirrups, a tall stiff leather shaft to protect their ankles from rocks, snakes, brush and a number of other hazards.
The first men to become cowboys weren't dressed in western wear at all- cowboy apparel was still a thing of the future then. Many were dressed in the style of civil war soldiers, and that was certainly the closest style of boots that existed then to what these men needed for cattle drives. The style of dress that evolved came as a series of unique choices made by those who found themselves sitting atop horses for the majority of their days and who needed to be able to be fully protected as well as fully mobile.
It is said that the first pair of cowboy boots was actually commissioned by a rider who sat down with a boot maker and worked out all the design changes that needed to be made to boots in order for them to be ideal for riding. Other aspects of cowboy apparel developed in much the same way, from dusters to protect them from wind and rain, to the chaps that became popular later on. All in all, one could say that there is no style more American than cowboy style, because it is truly a style that evolved to meet the demands of the American west.
Articles Written by Mel Bryson
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