I remember the first time I actually FELT LIKE A COWBOY BOOT EXPERT. It was when Evan Voyles held up a boot and said “Do you know who made this boot?”

And I did.

Not only that… but, I could tell the bootmaker and the where Evan had bought the boot just by looking at the sole.

That’s when I knew I had met enough makers and peered into enough cowboy boots to call myself an expert…and now when the newspapers and magazines printed it, I believe it’s true.

Clues:

• You can tell from the lightning bolts inked on the sole… this cowboy boot was made by Pascal (Riff Raff Leather.) There is also a pirate ship stamped inside the boot on its heel slide.
• You can tell by the big ol’ “red ink” size and price…the boots were purchased at Kowboyz, a vintage cowboy boot shop once located in Los Angeles, now recently moved to Santa Fe, NM.

Here’s a great article about Kowboyz… full of dishy Hollywood-style namedropping. And yes, that’s $99 for a “custom” boot made of nubuck and foil leather… you really oughta pay Kowboyz a visit.

Check out my newly-updated vintage cowboy boot dealer page for other shops!