How to Style Cowboy Boots
yee-haw | /yēˈhô/
exclamationNORTH AMERICAN
an expression of enthusiasm or exuberance, typically associated with cowboys or rural inhabitants of the southern US.
I’ve lived in big cities all my life. I don’t particularly enjoy country music. I am a proponent of saving horses but that’s because I wouldn’t know how to get into the saddle in the first place. And yet, for the life of me, I cannot stop wearing cowboy boots.
I am a self-proclaimed yee-haw girly. Ironic Western Chic, if you will. It’s the closest descriptor I can think of to the aesthetic I strive for when wearing cowboy boots. I certainly wear them for style over utility - I think they’re incredibly versatile, and when worn with the intention of being a fashion statement, they elevate any outfit. Being a yee-haw girly is a mindset, a lifestyle, even. It’s also directly aligned with having hot girl energy (but that’s a topic for another day). When I wear my cowboy boots I plan on turning heads, not tractors.
With that being said, here are some of my favorite ways to style cowboy boots:
With midi dresses.
One of my absolute favorite ways to style cowboy boots is with a super girly midi dress (you could totes do a maxi dress, but I’m barely 5’3” so midi dresses are my maxi dress). Pairing something so delicate and feminine with shoes that are rooted in functionality is a great way to add contrast and make your look unique. This is also an incredibly easy outfit to throw together - it’s basic and simple, but never boring.
With a mini skirt,
In keeping with the theme of pairing your boots with girlier outfit pieces, there is the mini skirt route. Show a little leg, why don’t ya? Since the boots are the main event, I prefer to err on the simple side when it comes to tops and skirts, so I’ll go with solid colors (and usually neutral ones). I let the boots do the rest.
With a classic denim ‘fit.
A classic, pared-back outfit consisting of denim and a neutral top is a great way to make your boots pop. I like to stick with a black or white top, whether a simple tank or a light button down. If I’m opting for neutrals on top, I’m obvi going to wear the pink boots. Yin and yang, you know?
With a mini dress and a blazer.
This brings you a similar silhouette as the mini skirt + basic top combo does, but it’s a bit dressier. If we really want to go granular, I like the synergy between the angular shoulder structure of a blazer and the sharper angles that a cowboy boot gives in the toes and heels. If you couldn’t give two sh*ts about sYnErGy and aNgLes, I’ll say this: wearing a shorter fitted dress and a blazer gives structure up top, a flash of leg, and a party on the bottom. We on the same page?
Go crazy go stupid.
For lack of a more delicate phrase, what I mean to say here is that you can also go balls to the wall. Yes, there is something to be said for keeping your outfit simple and letting your shoes take the spotlight. But you can also go all-out, head to toe. Pictured below I’m wearing zebra print pants, a custom vinyl fringe jacket, and white cowboy boots. Since the pieces themselves were so outrageous I decided to keep the colors neutral, but I think the effect is head-turning either way. I generally like to keep my outfits classic and on the simpler side, so this was a really fun jump out of my comfort zone!
The LBD + CB (Little Black Dress + Cowboy Boots).
I think this one might be my favorite. The LBD is arguably one of the most timeless fashion staples, and boots or no boots, you should have at least one (or five) in your closet. Since the dress is black (duh, Ellie), I like to pair it with my pink boots, but I think it would look just as good with my white ones. Red boots would also be adorable, but I’m still working on tracking down the perfect pair. I love the babydoll style dress with these boots - it hearkens back to the whole feminine garments, functional shoes juxtaposition that I was talking about in my first few looks. This is also one of the easiest outfits you can possibly pull together - whenever I’m in a rush but I still want to look stylish and like I put a lot of effort in, I go for this combo.
Okay, okay, I think that’s enough for now. Clearly, I have an unhealthy obsession with cowboy boots. I actually decided upon writing this that I would like to be buried in my pink pair, so if someone could jot that down for future reference, it would be much appreciated.
I’ll leave you with this final thought - I really, truly believe that cowboy boots can be styled with any item of clothing. They’re one of those pieces that are so unique within their own right that they somehow work with everything. They are the moment.
xo, Ellie