There’s so many decisions when it comes to buying your first pair of cowboy boots.
You first need to know what situation you’ll be wearing them for. Do you want a dressy look? Then go with a simple and sophisticated black. Is this boot going to be used while on top of a horse? Then a flat sole is your perfect choice. Or will you be attending a country concert? If that’s the case, then why not show off some bright and colorful patterns?
We had no idea this much thought went into selecting the perfect pair until we hit up American Cowboy Supply, located inside Flag Works on North Main Street. But we sure got a good lesson from owner Patrick Page.
And if it’s not your first pair, odds are you already have all the styles and are on your way to becoming a real life cowboy.
“Most people who own cowboy boots own between seven and nine pairs,” Page said. “It’s not like wearing the same pair of sneakers every day.”
You see Page is what you might consider a New England cowboy of sorts. He rides horses and shoots guns off of them, owns a collection of cowboy boots for all occasions (he told us he lost count at nine) and of course he owns a cowboy supply store that also features those cool hats to go with the boots.
“It’s just like the western movies,” Page said of his horse activities.
Page estimates there’s about 500 or so pairs in his store, and we have to admit we didn’t take an official count because it can be a bit overwhelming at first. In addition to the black versus brown leather conundrum, and what colors to pick that will best match the most outfits in your closet, there’s also a little thing to do about the toe style.
“It’s a cowboy boot. People think pointed toes,” Page said.
That’s exactly what we thought of, but Page gave us a little lesson in cowboy boot fashion. There’s also round, modified square and snip tip – and that’s only the few styles we could jot down as Page rapidly listed them off.
When it comes to the fit for a cowboy boot, you want the top of your foot to be snug, some room in the front for the old toes to wiggle around and, unlike when you put on your everyday sneakers, you want the heel to slip a little. It feels a little weird (trust us) but that’s just the way it’s supposed to be.
“Some people will say it’s the most comfortable,” Page said.
He also let us in on a little secret.
“If you buy a good boot, it can be resoled,” Page said. “That leather will always look good, but it’s like anything – you get what you pay for.”
And if Page can make one suggestion, it’s that you buy your cowboy boots in person, because it’s hard to get that perfect fit from a picture on the internet.
Page notices a spike in business during the concert season at Meadowbrook, after events like the Country Music Awards or when one of the big country stars makes a fashion statement like wearing boots with shorts. Why didn’t we think of that? But in a place like Concord, which seems about as far away from the Old West as possible, Page will take any spike in business he can get. Especially when it comes in the form of fitting out the bridal party for a cowboy themed wedding.
The birth of American Cowboy Supply coincidentally took place about a year after Page began riding, which doesn’t happen too much lately after a nasty fall resulted in 13 broken ribs – for him, not the horse. It started in the current location on North Main Street before expanding to Storrs Street for a few years. But Page felt it just fit better where it started. Who doesn’t like a side of cowboy with their flag?
Page tries to stock the latest trends from out west, but it may take a while for the new styles to make their way east. Which we can only assume is because they’re traveling by horse and buggy.
“The style keeps changing. You can’t keep up with it,” Page said. “You’ve got to bring in new styles all the time.”
The funniest part about all the time spent choosing the perfect boot is that more often than not, they will be covered up by your jeans – or any other kind of pants you put on one leg at a time. So really the looks of your boots is just for you. Unless you want to try the whole boot and short phenomenon.
“Some want a little more style,” Page said.
And from now through Christmas, you can get a great deal on your first or ninth pair, thanks to the store’s clearance sale. Isn’t it about time you brought out that inner cowboy? We sure think so.
