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You are here: Home / Living / How to Buy Vintage Cowboy Boots

How to Buy Vintage Cowboy Boots

February 15, 2016 by Jenny Gomes 15 Comments

How to Buy Vintage Cowboy Boots

The cowboy boot is distinctly American, embodying the spirit of a man facing the vastness of nature with little other than the humble garments on his body, a few tools on his saddle, and the steed beneath him. Developed to perform a variety of tasks in a multitude of scenarios, in any weather, this boot is an enduring icon of the West, the Cattleman, and the American Dream. Truly, the cowboy boot was a critical part of the American cattleman’s progress in ranching the West, and many other places in the world. If you want to feel like you are here to run the day, rather than have the day run you, pull on a pair. There’s no footwear like the cowboy boot.

Guide to Buying Vintage Cowboy Boots

OR

Ode to the Cowboy Boot

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

It is a matter of function first and foremost. Even the most fashionable of well-made cowboy boots remain sturdy, weather resistant, walkable, and protective. While of course, the heel gives the wearer extra height and often an attractive stride, it is designed to prevent the foot from sliding dangerously through the saddle’s stirrup while riding. The toe can give a horse a nudge and can squash the proverbial cockroach in the corner if pointed enough. The shaft, in ever more epic heights, protects the leg from injury and the elements.

 

To the uninitiated, it might come as a surprise that there is a whole subculture devoted to the cowboy boot. Boots crafted by hand from hides of animals from several species of animal including reptiles and birds are enhanced with tooling, inlays, and gorgeous stitching. For many, forget splurging on designer jeans: blowing your paycheck on a pair of custom boots is the ultimate indulgence. The epitome of such custom boots is the Rocket Buster brand from – you guessed it- Texas. It seems that if you can dream it, they can craft it.

 

If you haven’t a whole (or several) paycheck(s) to spare, buying vintage might be the hot ticket for you. My personal collection of cowboy boots boasts a majority of vintage gems that I scored from yard sales, one barn sale, my Grandma, and now some from Instagram. Isn’t it awesome how we can buy cool, old stuff in such a new way?

 

I have long been an admirer of the Instagram account of GoodBuyGirls in Nashville, TN owned by the lovely and talented musician Tanya Montana Coe. This boutique has a brick and mortar location that I haven’t had the pleasure of perusing in person but I often drool over their selection of turquoise jewelry, retro rhinestone cowgirl duds, and most of all, their vintage cowboy boots.

When I reached out to Goodbuy Girls, Tanya shared with me her expert tips for what to look for when shopping for vintage cowboy boots so you Wildflowers will know just what to keep an eye out for.

 

When shopping for vintage (and as well as for new) cowboy boots, seek out high quality, made in America, leather boots. Higher quality leather will yield a more comfortable boot that will last much longer than a cheaper and/or manmade material. An advantage to seeking out vintage rather than new is that most vintage boots were made in the USA while many new boots, even from companies you’d expect American-made, are made in China and are thus likely of lower quality. Furthermore, many newer boots made on foreign soil have manmade soles (as opposed to the desireable leather soles) which are less comfortable and wear out faster. High-quality boots can last decades if well cared for so shop smart, Wildflowers.

guide to buying vintage cowboy boots!
I bought these for 2 dollars at a barn sale.

How can you tell? Well if you are in person, high-quality leather feels softer and more supple to the hand while man-made leather feels more like paper, or has a smooth, paper-like surface. Usually, the materials are stamped inside the shaft of the boot (next to your shin or calf) and/or on the sole near the heel. If you are shopping online, ask the seller specifically if the boot is real leather or not.

guide to buying vintage cowboy boots
These cockroach killers were another yard sale score.

Boots that are handmade are often the very best and if you see that term, you could safely bet that they are well made. Brands that a girl could count on to have high-quality vintage potential include (but are not limited to) Larry Mahan, Miss Capezio, Justin, Nocona, (their new red Legacy boots have me drooling!) Dan Post and Tony Lama. They are desirable not only for their high quality but for their classic look.  

guide to buying vintage cowboy boots
These are Nine West and I bought these on eBay.

As far as finding boots that fit, it is, of course, best to try them on in person and walk around in them. But, for those of us buying online, here are some things to keep in mind.

guide to buying vintage cowboy boots
The best 2 dollars I could have spent!

Leather stretches as it is worn (another reason to buy real leather!). It is often easier to deal with boots that are a bit big (with insoles and thicker socks) than too tight. That said, order a half size up if you are in doubt. I know I have a pair of Frye’s I scored on eBay for 40 bucks (I know, deal of the century!) that I have to wear with super thick wool socks. They are gorgeous and thick socks are a practical solution. I have another pair of boots that are a bit snug and combined with the tragic post pregnancy foot growth spurt, are wearable with nylons only. Nylons help your foot and ankle slide in and out and minimize blister-causing friction so that also is a good workaround. So before you ship a pair back to the sender or down the road to your smaller sized bestie, try them out with different socks.

guide to buying vintage cowboy boots
You better believe I was pulling these on in the middle of the barn sale to check the fit before I brought them home!

Nocona and Justin tend to run a bit bigger as well, so bear that in mind when choosing a size. Men’s boots tend to be wider than women’s and follow the standard 2 sizes down the rule of thumb: A size 7 men’s fits about a 9 in women’s.

guide to buying vintage cowboy boots
These navy blue boots belonged to my Grandma and I try to wear them on every birthday of mine.

Before clicking “Buy”, be sure to ask, ask, ask the seller anything you need to know about the boots include size, fit, etcetera. A knowledgeable seller will be able to help you decide if the boots are likely to fit your foot, style, and budget and would be deserving of your business if they take the time to answer your query.

guide to buying vintage cowboy boots
My Grandpa Jack bought these for my Grandma at a Reno rodeo in the early 80s and since they are now a bit too tight for her, I get to enjoy them.

When you find a pair that you absolutely adore, you will want to take good care of them. Avoid water on suede, hair on leather, and brushed leather as it can stain and discolor in short order. Clean other leather styles with a little warm water and a rag if need be and keep it simple; a little elbow grease and maybe a bit of unscented lotion (yeah, like the kind for your legs) to the condition when the leather seems dry can go a long way.

guide to buying vintage cowboy boots
These are my absolute favorite pair as they are comfortable, unusual in both color and height, and belonged to my grandmother.

One person you should get to know is your local shoe repairman. A pair of boots can be rebuilt, re-soled, cleaned, and otherwise spiffed up to give them a whole new life for a relatively low cost. I had one pair of boots resoled with excellent quality soles that were actually way less slippery than the originals for 40 bucks, for example. I also would take boots to a repairman if they were a color (like blue or red, my faves) and were scuffed or dry and needed some touching up.

guide to buying vintage cowboy boots
I scored these Frye’s for 40 bucks on eBay- I bought them in July!

Here’s to scoring ever more pairs of my very favorite footwear, Wildflowers!  

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Comments

  1. Bernard Clyde says

    April 10, 2017 at 9:13 am

    I agree that you should look for high quality leather cowboy boots if you want to get something more authentic. There are some great designs and types of cowboy boots that not only have a great look, but also feel quite comfortable and are easy to get on. It’s important that you find western clothing and boots that you are comfortable wearing and that help you feel more confident.

    Reply
    • Jenny says

      April 10, 2017 at 9:14 am

      I agree; fashion and function!

      Reply
  2. Jose A Chavez says

    October 3, 2017 at 1:11 pm

    Handmade boots are truly the best! We still do them the old fashion way entirely by hand (hand stitch, hand last, hand welt) in El Paso, TX. Obviously, our costs are higher than off the rack, mass produced, but the quality of the material, the proficiency of our artisans, and the exclusivity and uniqueness of being one of a kind, far outweigh the price difference. We have coworkers from Rocketbuster, Stallion, Ammons, luchesse, Tres Outlaws, etc.
    We are more of a collective effort, (no secretaries, brand marketers, etc, that drive the cost up like the aforementioned shops, while still delivering the same or superior product. If you’d like, you can browse spacecowboyboots.com, as we do their private label, maidas belts and buckles in Houston, we make their corded belts, etc. For pics, and no obligation info, please call us or email us. Thank you for this space, and keep posting your delightful blog.

    Reply
    • Jenny Gomes says

      October 3, 2017 at 1:42 pm

      Glad you enjoyed the post!

      Reply
  3. Rebecca says

    December 29, 2017 at 1:00 pm

    Do you wear Larry Mahan’s? I am trying to find a good vintage pair
    The o e I have tried on so far has a poi th toe. The pointy bit has a hard she’ll type of construction. Where my toe beds the edge of that (?) Shell pinches even though the rest of the boot fits perfectly. Do all pointy toe western boots have that kind of construction?
    Thanks for any insight. Your article has been a big help.

    Reply
    • Jenny Gomes says

      December 29, 2017 at 1:37 pm

      I don’t have a pair of that brand, Rebecca, but GoodBuy Girls in Nashville is my go-to resource for online boot shopping. Try them! The best boot I’ve ever worn, with no pinching, no matter how pointy, is Old Gringo. They are like butter inside.

      Reply
  4. Neil Brown says

    January 7, 2018 at 4:43 pm

    I`m an Englisman in England, I collect cowboy/western boots, its a challenge but UK is a great place to buy them as they`re a bit of a niche and not madly expensive on the second hand market..(shh, dont tell anyone) but I`m working on it..
    great article.

    Reply
    • Jenny Gomes says

      January 7, 2018 at 6:32 pm

      Oh thank you for the comment, Neil! So interesting! Happy hunting 🙂

      Reply
  5. Bonnie Schmidt says

    January 14, 2018 at 9:19 am

    Do you know where I could buy used cowboy boots? Every place I look are SO expensive!
    I live on the Oregon Coast. I’m looking for boots $15 or less. I rework them into pieces of art.
    Thank you,
    Bonnie

    Reply
    • Jenny Gomes says

      January 14, 2018 at 9:34 am

      Bonnie I don’t! That’s a great question. I got a pair for my 5 year old at Barnstormer Vintage fair in Medford, but that was a lucky break for sure. Maybe hit up saddle and tack swaps. I wish I could help more!

      Reply
    • michael mckinney says

      January 26, 2018 at 5:58 pm

      Would love to see your art. Too bad shipping would be expensive as I have a few.

      Reply
  6. michael mckinney says

    January 26, 2018 at 5:56 pm

    Some nice boots for sure. Have some fine examples myself. But dosent look like I can post a pic. 🙁

    Reply
  7. melissa blair says

    June 6, 2018 at 1:17 pm

    hi, i found some handmade cowhide larry mahan boots and i’d like more information about them or at least an idea of what they are worth. i can’t find any information on them can you point me in the right direction? thanks
    melissa

    Reply
    • Jenny Gomes says

      June 6, 2018 at 3:52 pm

      Well I’d head to Goodbuy Girls (linked in the post) to compare them to some of their boots for value info.

      Reply
  8. Michael Lee says

    December 17, 2018 at 6:37 am

    I have been wanting some handmade antique moka pirarucu boots. I agree that you want handmade leather boots for great quality. The quality of the boots is important so that I have something that will last a long time.

    Reply

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