In honor of the last football tailgate last, weekend I thought it would be appropriate to write about why I think Cowboy boots should be appropriate in (almost) any circumstance, and why they should be socially acceptable in all parts of the country. I am from the north, so before I came to school in the south, the only time I would wear my boots was for the WMZQ Country Music Festival in the fall and spring. Before the concert, I would always get so excited to wear my boots because I would never wear them, and after the concert I would always ask myself why I did not wear them more. I would then promise myself I was going to start wearing them more. Except the next morning I would always put them back in my closet, and I would not pull them back out until the next country concert.
When I came to school in the south, my use for my boots completely expanded. I would wear them on Saturdays for the tailgates, rain or shine. I would wear them to class with my jeans. I would even wear them downtown to go out to dinner. I found that my boots could be worn in so many more circumstances than just to a country concert a few times year.
After my first semester at school, and all my new discoveries on how useful my boots could be, I decided it would be smart to bring them home for Winter Break. I was wearing my boots three times a week at school, so I could not imagine going without them for a month. However, when I went home I did not touch my boots once. Well that is a lie. I would look at them, try them on with my outfit, look in the mirror, and then I would switch to my riding boots. The only time I wore my boots was to the airport on the way back to school after break was over.
The reason I feel so much more comfortable wearing my boots at school, and why I get so much more use out of my boots at school than at home, is because of the culture and social norms. I love the culture in the south, but I also love the culture at home. I wish so much that I could wear my boots at home, but I feel like two things would happen. First, my friends and brother would make fun of me, just like they make fun of me for saying “y’all.” Second, I would feel out of place. People always say that we should not care what other people think, and I am working on that, but fashion is something that I take very seriously. I think it is a way that you can express yourself without having to use any words.
The other day when I was walking to class, wearing my boots, I thought to myself, Wow Cowboy boots are great. Why don’t I wear them more often? Why doesn’t everyone wear them more often? Now you may think I am ridiculous for writing an entire article about how cowboy boots should be worn all the time, but before you judge me think about all the great things they offer:
- They are so comfortable.
- They go with everything.
- They are more casual than riding boots.
- They are shorter than riding boots.
- They look better the more worn in they are, which means you do not have to worry about getting them wet or muddy from the rain.
So the end of football season does not have to mean the end of Cowboy boots season.
P.S. This Winter Break, I am brining home my boots, and I will wear them. Challenge the social norms, and do whatever makes you happy and feel the most confident.
