In the constantly changing world of footwear fashion, how is it that certain items never go out of style… Take for example, the timeless style of a great pair western boots. Whether it’s the classic look of Lucchese, the form and functionality of Ariat, or the global appeal of Frye, Western boots are perennially in style.

Is because of the universal appeal of all things vintage Americana? Is it the quality craftsmanship? Is it that western boots are just so versatile as an accessory?

Most likely, it’s all of the above.

Once considered the staple of the American west, today’s western boots are just as likely to be seen on the streets of New York, the runways of Paris, or subways of Japan.

For the uninitiated, Western boots generally come in three styles. Classics/Cowboy, Roper/Working, and Fashion styles.

Classics/ Cowboys

Classic western boots are the kind you expect to see on a cowboy working the range or getting ready to go out on the town. The defining characteristics of Classic boots tend to be a higher upper, or “shank” that reaches mid calf. Likewise the heels tend to be higher (as high as one and a half inches tall) and the toes are usually more pronounced and pointed. More than just choices of a fashion designer, these elements take design cues from the brave men who work the frontier and were designed to better fit into a riding stirrup.

As far as Classics go, none is more famous than Lucchese Classics boots.  Since 1883, when 17-year old Sam Lucchese Sr. and his brothers came to America, The Lucchese Boot Company has had a singular vision to craft a one-of a kind boot that “fit like no other boot.”

Lucchese’s original design, which remains the only one of its kind in boot-making today, and a dogged determination to hand craft the perfect boot have made given Lucchese an international reputation as THE authentic cowboy boot.

Their continuing commitment to the art of hand-making boots continues today. From the careful selection and cutting of the finest grade of leathers, to the hand-driven lemon wood pegs and meticulous finishing of a boot, Lucchese knows that there is no substitute for the experienced hands of a skilled boot maker.

Sam Lucchese, Jr. compared the hand cutting of boot leather to a fine chef carving up a roast. “If you cut leather for your boots in the same way you would carve up a meat carcass for your dinner table, you will be in good shape.”

More than 150 years later, you can still see this craftsmanship at work in a variety of sizes, styles and materials ranging from ostrich, crocodile, stingray, lizard, calf, buffalo to alligator.

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