Among all the micro-trends accumulating into a stylistic jumble as liberating in its freedom as it is depressing in its inelegance, the resurgence of cowboy boots stands out as one of the most remarkable. The overrepresentation of this traditional pair of American boots in “Outfit of the Day” or “Get Ready with Me” videos posted on social media indeed says a lot about our relationship with clothing.
To properly address the issue, let’s define the terms. The name “santiag,” used exclusively in France and some French-speaking countries to describe this style of boot, is an obscure reference to the now-defunct Belgian company Santiag, the first importer of such boots in Europe, and actually refers to what Americans call western boots. Emerging in the 18th century, these boots have always been distinguished by their knee height, angled heel, stitched shaft and extremely pointed toe.
These characteristics have meaning and function in their natural habitat. These boots protect the calves of cowboys and herders from rubbing against the horse’s belly and prevent, incidentally, a snake from crawling up their leg. The angled heel aids in digging into the ground, facilitating physical maneuvers. The stitching on the shaft prevents the leather from sagging. And the pointed toe allows for quick insertion into the stirrup.
Style effect and suffering
The problem with cowboy boots lies in the length of this list. While contemporary wardrobes are filled with utilitarian pieces removed from their original environment, none pose as many constraints in everyday use. In practical terms, while jeans free us from many style and maintenance concerns, cowboy boots weigh down the legs, cut into the feet and destabilize walking to the point that descending stairs without holding the railing becomes a feat.
Extremely appealing in principle, sometimes sublime on paper or on screen, cowboy boots are, out of context and without purpose, mere style effects and a source of discomfort. To wear them daily requires rather questionable reasons. In the past, they helped fulfill rock or American fantasies and navigate through crises, whether of adolescence or midlife. Today, cowboy boots dramatically punctuate outfits and poses designed to garner approval on social media. Is this progress? No, but it probably hurts the feet less.