Throwback Thursday: Cowboy Boots

Cowboy boots are like hamburgers.

See, if my Googling grueling research proves true, the Duke of Wellington defeated Napoleon in 1815 and named the boots he was wearing after himself 
(obviously). 

Then U.S. Civil War soldiers stole the look, cowboys made it their own, and ultimately Hollywood commercialized and contorted yet another Europe-originated tradition.

Source

Source

Cowboy boots. Hamburgers.

(oddly enough, both can also be traced back to Genghis Khan)

Another likeness? They're ubiquity on college campuses. 
And whether or not they represent some sort of study-induced need for a materially based illusion of wild horse-wrangling freedom, or simply a fondness for the non-preggo Jessica Simpson-esque style of our youth, it seems like everywhere I turn I see a new iteration of the rodeo staple. 
And why not? There's no question that cowboy boots bring a whole new dance move to the hoedown. In fact, in that sense, they're probably one of the easier things to style. 

"Outfit-makers", as I like to say.

Wearing: blazer, shirt, pants: Forever 21, scarf: unknown, boots: store in Las Vegas, bag: Adidas sample piece from Germany

That being said - if you do choose to go above and beyond a basic t-shirt and jeans, I'd recommend taking some style advice from Lauren here. By pairing them with a structured blazer and skinny jeans, she offers a supa fly modern take on the historically-rich footwear. 

Giddy up. 

PS: Here's an article on cowboy boots and college campuses that refers to them as "an almost-timeless item, rising above passing time or fads". Agree? Disagree?

Cheers.