How I Grew to Appreciate Western Wear

By: xdavid

Back when I was a young chap, growing up to be a cowboy seemed like the ultimate in things you could become. Because I watched so many westerns on TV, this theory had been proven to me time and time again. The good guys almost always won, and they were not only unstoppable in doing so, but they looked good in the process. Cowboys were unwaveringly strong, rugged, stoic, and ready to do whatever it took to make things right. In the movies, cowboys are portrayed as heroes, forced to eliminate threats to their land and their women everywhere they turn. The tasks that they seem compelled to take on in movie roles are things that real cowboys aren't really compelled to do, much less, those of us who live in suburbia.

The reality of being a cowboy is very different from how Hollywood portrays it, of course. In my almost obsessive desire to become a real cowboy, I spent a summer out west on a ranch when I was 15, and boy did I come to a harsh realization. Being a cowboy was not only hard work, but you didn't really get to do anything all that cool. Or at least I didn't, not at that age. That summer, I spent most of my time carrying heavy things and mucking out stalls. The real cowboy work was too difficult and too dangerous for me, although I did get the opportunity to ride with the guys on an overnight herding venture. That 24 hours was the best of the whole experience. But although I enjoyed it, it just wasn't something I could envision myself doing for a living.

There is, however, one thing that I took away from that summer and I still have with me to this day: my undying love for western wear. Since then, I have tried to adopt as much western apparel into my wardrobe as possible. My parents had promised me a pair of custom made cowboy boots if I survived the ranch experience, and as it turns out, those cowboy boots were the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned. Even into my twenties, I was decked out everyday in western apparel. By then, I owned a whole closet full of cowboy boots. Now that I'm nearly thirty, I've decided that being an urban cowboy would be much more appropriate, considering I have taken a job in a metropolitan area and probably need to make an attempt to fit in a little more. I still incorporate elements of western wear into my outfits, and I am constantly complemented on my fashion sense. In the end, I'm really glad that western wear, especially cowboy boots, have become a style that anybody can wear. You don't have to be a cowboy anymore!

Written by Melanie River. Brand name cowboy boots and western wear at The Boot Store online store for western apparel. Ariat boots, Justin boots more at western-wear-store.com