Boots

I'm the daughter of a small town girl and country boy. Sounds like the words to a Journey song, but it's true.  My grandparents continued to live in their homes up until the time they left this world, and I visited them often. Often enough to identify with small towns and feeling like I had the legitimate claim to being a sometimes country girl. At times, I thought I wanted to live there. It just seemed like life was more fun, more simple and there were more freedoms.

Over the years, being "country" comes in and out of fashion and one of the things I love the most? Cowboy boots. Western cowboy boots, to be specific. As I was pulling off my boots the other day, I reflected on how much I love wearing them. When I wear my boots, I feel like I could take on the world. I walk like I have somewhere to go and you can hear me all the way down the hall. I've got western cowboy boots, riding boots and another pair of boots that look less western but still have a pointy toe and heel. I love wearing all of them. Some days I can't wear my boots because I don't feel up to the challenge of strutting my stuff that day.

I started wearing cowboy boots in college. Guess where I got them? Sears! My dad and I both got cowboy boots there, as I had a great employee discount. The annual Barn Party that all sorority and fraternities hosted meant that one had to have cowboy boots and a hat. The local country and western bars, both for the 18yrs olds and the 21 clubs, were the perfect place for my jeans and boots. My dad still has those boots, calls 'em his Roebucks, but I have no idea when I got rid of that first pair. Probably during the disco phase when I needed the room in my closet for my scrunchy disco boots that I folded my jeans into.

My teenage son decided to dress as a cowboy for a Halloween party and requested a pair of boots to complete his outfit. I declined to make that purchase for him, as I wasn't convinced he really wanted to commit to the boots. I bought the hat and lent my bandanna, but no boots. Not yet. Boots mean you're serious about your style.