What better place to start than the homepage?  Right off the bat, we give you several options to pick what you’re looking for, whether that’s men’s, women’s, or children’s boots, cowboy hats, accessories, or western wear.  Well, what else would you expect, right?  After all, that’s what we sell!

Let’s click on one of our options.  Say we want men’s cowboy boots.  Very well, then.  We click on it, and we’re directed to a page with six different pairs of boots in the middle, and a sidebar with a bevy of search options.  (Not every day you see “bevy” italicized, right?  We like to go for the unexpected.)

Now here comes the fun part: We want some Lucchese boots, so let’s click on that option in the sidebar.  Bam!  The boots in the main area of the page shuffle, and we’re left with only a selection of Lucchese boots to look at.  We’re a size 11, so we’re going to go ahead and click on that and voila! We’re left with a selection of boots that fit us, right away.  How else can we narrow down the search?  Well, we’ve always been partial to brown boots, so let’s select that.  At this point, we’re left with five excellent options, but we think the Mens Lucchese Chocolate Mad Dog Goat Boots just speak to us in that special place in our heart reserved for excellent footwear.

Well, that’s our blow-by-blow of how the shopping mechanics work on our new site!  We hope you enjoy using it as much as we do drooling over our boots.

Being around such experts, we now know a little bit about that ourselves, and we’re more than glad to share the lore we’ve picked up along the way with you all.  Let’s try and demystify just how those boots fit on your feet, shall we?

About that snugness we mentioned earlier: Boots should be this way, for sure, but not to the point where they’re crunching bones.  The point is that boots, made with skin, have lives of their own, and will stretch to form to your foot with use.  Boots that seem to fit loosely when you first buy them will only get more so with time, and will soon be uncomfortably loose.

Related to this, make sure you take the thickness of the socks you plan on wearing into account.  For cowboy boots, we suggest getting some boot socks like Thorlos Socks, which provide superior protection against blisters and inflammation.

When you go buy a new pair of cowboy boots, make sure you wear the socks you’ll be wearing with them.  It might sound like an undue amount of planning, but it really isn’t.  Your feet, after all, will be more than thankful for the consideration.

Now, boots are strongly associated with born-and-raised Texans, and it’s likely considered a more significant statement of what it means to be a Texan to them than to people who move to the Lone Star State from outside of it.  I’m going to go ahead and posit that the opposite is true, that to us Texas transplants, the cowboy boots we own are more meaningful, more important and integral to us.  Not that it’s a contest or anything, but just like any group of immigrants longing to fit in, we out-of-staters like to cling to those symbols that show that we fit in.  Ponying up to a bar and ordering a Lone Star is one way.  Rooting for the Rockets is another way.  And buying cowboy boots—more so than cowboy hats, since those are for true die-hards—is yet another way.

I’ve done all three of these things with different degrees of enthusiasm (the order, in case you’re wondering, is boots, Lone Star, Rockets).  My first pair was a pair of Justin boots.  They were Ropers.  They were reasonably priced, and I figured that it wouldn’t be a big loss if I ended up not wearing them that frequently, so I bought them.  They were a hair tight at first, and I felt a little hesitant wearing them out and about (not due to tightness, but due to feeling “authentic” wearing them).  However, as time went on, I grew more comfortable with them, and they grew more comfortable with me.  Today, they’re among my favorite footwear—and they get to share closet space with some nice Lucchese boots I bought last year.  Those Luccheses are definitely the classier boots, and I get compliments about them all the time.

Still, I’ll never forget that first pair.

We understand and we’re glad to here it!  Consider this post, then, a handy little guide designed to help you pick out that perfect first pair.

The first thing you’ll need to consider, before you even walk into a Western wear store or visit any site, is a budget.  There are certainly a host of good, affordable cowboy boots out there, but their prices can quickly shoot through the roof.  If you’re looking to make a splash with your first purchase, then by all means, do so.  Just be sure to have a solid price range in the back of your mind when you start looking.  It helps your focus.

Once you get past that stage, you’ll need to think about cowboy boot fit.  This is a crucial point to consider, and it can sound a little tricky, but it’s really not.  The point here is to buy boots that are a little on the snug side.  Since boots are fashioned from animal skin, they are malleable and will stretch out a little bit once they’re worn around a little bit.  If you buy boots that feel perfect off the bat, they’ll end up feeling loose after you’ve worn them a few times.  We’re not talking toe-breakingly tight here, but go slightly smaller than you’d think for the best results.

Finally, consider the kind of skin you’re looking for.  They all have different properties, and that should be taken into account.  For example, goat skin boots are softer than others, while stingray skin boots are definitely on the tougher side.  There’s a lot of area to explore here, so consider well.

We’ll discuss more tips on how to make sure your first cowboy boot purchase is a happy one in future blog posts.  For now, happy hunting!

Socks have existed for millenia.  Just like anything that’s existed for millenia, it’s a bit difficult to precisely pin when and where they came about.  However, we do know that ancient Greeks wore socks from matted animal hair, while the Romans opted for leather or woven booties.  Due to their nature as flimsy products worn on a heavily-used body part, socks acquired an association as a symbol of wealth, something it didn’t shed until the early 20th century.  Today, of course, socks are virtually ubiquitous in this country, from nearly sheer, elaborately designed dress socks to thick, squat, white gym socks to, yes, cowboy boot socks.

Now that you’re in a stocking’d froth, we’d imagine you’d like to see what socks we have to offer.  Just like with our excellent selection of cowboy boots, we only select the best to provide our customers.  In the case of cowboy boot socks, the best comes from Thorlos Socks, which, as you’ll see if you’ll check that link there, are the product of extensive research into how the foot lives and plays.

More specifically, we have Unisex Thorlos Western Dress Socks, which are fashioned with so much attention to detail you’d think they were built by a luxury car company.  Such details include variable padding along different parts of the foot to best facilitate the demands of walking and to protect against unwanted rubbing inside the boot, and a stretch nylon top designed to stay above the top of the boot.  We’re not normally huge tech buffs around here, but in the case of Thorlos socks, such attention to cutting-edge design is definitely appreciated.

Women’s Old Gringo boots

First, a little bit about Old Gringo boots: The company was founded in 2000 by Yan Ferry and Ernie Tarut.  The two men formed an excellent, mutually beneficial partnership, since the two merged Ferry’s world-renowned bootmaking skills with Tarut’s experience in the leather manufacturing and wholesaling business.  Anticipation (and demand) of the products these two would produce was high, and western wear stores around the world rapidly snapped up the delicious footwear being served up by Old Gringo.

There are over 130 steps taken in the manufacturing of an Old Gringo boot, and not one of them doesn’t require the precision and feel of a human hand.  They are brilliantly conceived, intricately crafted, and expertly executed cowboy boots.  The result of such fine attention to detail includes boots like the striking Old Gringo Ladies’ Elvis boot, which features a truly striking black-and-white avian design.  Other excellent boots include the Ladies’ Old Gringo Elvis Mad Dog boot, which features chocolate brown and red dyes on python skin, and the Old Gringo Ladies Gabriela boot, its black calfskin adorned with red flowers.

You can find all these excellent boots, along with thousands of others, at our store in the heart of the South Congress shopping district.  Not from Austin, and not passing through anytime soon?  Browse around on our website, which features many of the boots we have to offer.  You’re sure to find something you’ll love.

Though we cater to a loyal, local clientele, we also have a global reach, selling our wares far and wide.  Wherever stylish, comfortable, and/or rugged cowboy boots are needed, we’ll be glad to help ship them there.  And we’ll do so while providing the same courteous, knowledgeable, and personable attitude we display in our store.

Since our store is so recognizable, and is located on the fashionable, pedestrian-friendly South Congress shopping district, we’ve had more than a handful of stars come on through and buy a nice pair of Old Gringo boots.  Who knows who you’ll see in our store?  During this year’s SXSW, for example, we helped throw a party with Guy Kawasaki, the famed venture capitalist and former Apple executive.  Pretty cool!

Our store is obviously not the only worthy thing on South Congress. You’ll also find a host of bars, shops, boutiques, and restaurants, each of which brings its own unique flavor to the distinctly Austin-esque melange that is South Austin.  Some of our favorite spots within walking distance of us include Guero’s, the Austin Motel, and the Continental Club.

In addition to our well-known South Congress location, we also have a store in nearby Round Rock.  It’s just a short jaunt up I-35 for all you Northern Austinites who don’t feel like braving downtown.  Rest assured that the selection is great there, too.

So, next time you’re in the area, or on our website, feel free to browse around and see what we have to offer!

In addition to cowboy boots, which Charlie 1 Horse does admirably (and predictably) well, the line offers a wide array of other footwear, including stilettos, wingtips, pony boots, side zips, moccasins, and woven slides.  They also have offerings for all manner of budgets, from the affordable to the more high-end.  No matter what the style or the price, however, Charlie 1 Horse boots all boast of that unmistakeable Lucchese craftsmanship and attention to detail.

For a good example of what Charlie 1 Horse does, check out their Ladies Charlie 1 Horse Tan Mule shoe.  Check out that Longhorn pride!  Hook ‘em horns!  Okay, forgive us; we’re dyed-in-the-wool Austinites, and we have to rep our team whenever possible.  This is a fun, entertaining design, but Charlie 1 Horse certainly goes beyond carefree styles such as this burnt orange model.

Observe, for example, the gorgeous Ladies Charlie 1 Horse Chocolate Mad Dog Calf boot.  It’s subtle, it’s understated, its chocolate-brown finish is impossibly deep and gorgeous, and it’s positively deliciously elegant.  Check out that goat hide!  A wonderful boot.

Or take a look at the Ladies Charlie 1 Horse Basic Shoe Boot.  It’s a black, low-cut, extremely stylish and seductive boot that’s impossible not to love.

If all this sounds great, but you’re (unfortunately) a guy, why not check out Lucchese men’s boots?  They’re just as well-crafted as the Charlie 1 Horse boots, and are designed just for your needs.  And if you’re a gal, well, happy shopping!

(A brief aside: When trying to decide what to write about this time out, we looked at what we’ve been going on about lately, and realized that we’ve been spotlighting quite a bit of gear aimed toward womenfolk.  Really, it’s been fairly nonstop, from that breathless post about Diva by Lucchese to our Cruel Girl spotlight.  So we decided to go a more masculine route this time.)

Anyhoo, we carry quite an array of western wear brands around these parts, as you’re likely aware, and Carhartt is right up there in terms of craftsmanship and quality.  Founded in 1889 by Hamilton Carhartt, the clothing manufacturer originally made clothes specifically designed for railroad engineers.  These garments included useful, sturdy, handy products like heavy-duty denim overalls.  The brand’s reputation for excellent, utility-oriented products soon spread, and Carhartt’s brand took off.

Though Carhartt’s core constituency has broadened these days to include any active worker looking for quality apparel, the goal is still the same: to furnish those looking for excellent duds in a capable and affordable manner.  That’s why we here at Allen’s Boots carry their products.  Some such pieces of apparel include the Men’s Carhartt Duck Active Jacket and the Men’s Carhartt Sandstone Coat, both of which combine a heavy-duty, work-oriented approach to fashioning clothes with an unexpected attention to detail and comfort.

If you’re on this blog and are looking for something other than Carhartt products, may we go out on a pretty safe limb and assume you’re in the mood for some cowboy boots?  We have those, and plenty of other western gear besides, in our online shop and in our actual stores in Austin, Texas.  Browse our stock on- or offline, and remember that we’re proud of every brand we carry.

Nevertheless, Cruel Girl is definitely more than just jeans (though if it wasn’t, we’d still love ‘em, such are their contributions to the world of denim).  They also have a bright, cheery, stylishly countrified selection of shirts and blouses that we here at Allen’s Boots are proud to offer.  Check out the fun, easygoing Cruel Girl Frayed Out long-sleeved shirt, for example, which has a cute brown-on-yellow floral pattern (check out a detail of the flower here).  For something a little more traditionally Western, check out the Cruel Girl Elfin Sheer Dobby, a long-sleeved shirt with a stylish plaid pattern of light browns, burnt oranges, and pale yellows.  The Elfin Sheer Dobby also has embroidery and dual front pockets, both of which are elements that strongly recall the heyday of Western wear.

We could go on and on, and really, we’re tempted to, but we know you get the point: Cruel Girl the bee’s knees, and we’ll stand by that claim.  Believe us, but don’t make us back it up!  We’re lovers, not fighters.

Nevertheless, we understand if you’re not really in the market for jeans or blouses.  If that’s the case, may we humbly suggest perusing our excellent collection of cowboy boots?  If you’re in a Western kind of mood, they may just be irresistable.