Previously on Part 3: From Hollywood blockbusters to Yellowstone’s modern grit, cowboy boots moved from the ranch to the red carpet. Legacy brands like Lucchese and Tony Lama turned craftsmanship into an art form—and boots into a cultural staple.
Part 4: Women in Boots
Cowboy boots aren’t just for cowboys.
Women have been booted up for centuries—riding, fighting, designing, and styling their way into the cowboy boot's story. From battlefield legends to fashion trailblazers, they helped shape not only who wears cowboy boots but also how we define their meaning.
Joan of Arc & Queen Victoria
Joan of Arc was tried in part for wearing men’s clothes—including boots—in the 1400s. Centuries later, Queen Victoria would help popularize the slip-on riding boot, a precursor to elastic-sided boots that remain iconic today.
Hollywood Women in the West
In the early 1900s, Ruth Roland became one of the first American actresses to wear cowboy boots on screen. She led the charge for cowgirl characters in silent Westerns. Later, icons like Dale Evans, Patsy Cline, and Dolly Parton made boots their signature look. From fringe jackets to sequined shafts, these women redefined what Western glam could be.
Enid Justin & the Rise of Women Bootmakers
Enid Justin founded Nocona Boot Company in 1925 and became a boot industry force. Her vision helped elevate women’s role in cowboy boot manufacturing and design. She was also instrumental in adapting boots for women’s sizing and style preferences.
The Fashion Frontier: 1970s to Today
In the 1970s, Judy Buie brought Texas boot culture to New York fashion, blending rodeo inspiration with high-end leatherwork. By the 2000s, luxury brands and independent makers began tailoring cowboy boots to women looking for boldness, tradition, and versatility.
Contemporary bootmakers like Deana McGuffin and Melody Dawkins have kept the handmade boot tradition alive while also teaching and mentoring others—including incarcerated women learning the craft as a trade.
Boots for Everyone
Today, women wear cowboy boots on ranches, runways, concert stages, and city streets. The styles have grown as diverse as the women wearing them. Tall, short, bright, subtle, traditional, bold—there's a boot for every kind of woman and every kind of story.
Next up in Part 5: The boot industry gets a digital upgrade.
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