Frye's Harness boots take after the boots worn by the American cavalry. They may be seen on motor-fueled hogs than on horses, but their history as a boot of the west still remains. The harness hardware might be a vestige of its past, but the attitude it gives will turn any western outfit even more badass.
RRL
Yes, RRL. The spittoon-hawking western sub-brand of Ralph Lauren actually makes some of the choicest cowboy boots you've ever seen. Ralph's been known to use the best factories around, whether it's for jeans, suits, shirts, or even cowboy boots. Though the details on the exact factories they use are understandably hush-hush, they do make their boots in the USA and judging by the supremely fine stitching, real leather welts, and lemonwood pegs, they're not skimping on anything.
RRL's lineup of boots has its core players that return every season, but the limited edition boots are what true Lauren-ophiles obsess over. Case in point, the Plainview hand-tooled boot. It features gorgeous cowhide with a mesmerizing array of painstakingly hand-tooled details throughout as well as wingtip broguing panels for a masterful blend of classic menswear and rough-and-tumble western flair.
RRL Plainview suede cowboy boots
Unmarked Boots
As the name would suggest, Unmarked is kind of a low-key brand. The Léon, Mexico-based label crafts their shoes and boots with a multi-generational pedigree. And though the brand is by no means strictly a cowboy boot brand, they make some of the best-quality western boots around (whenever they get to it). Complicated embroidery stitching, lemonwood pegs at the soles, super clean welt stitching—the works, as they say.
The quiet cowboy of the western world is the roper boot. More squat and less exaggerated than its counterparts, it's the minimalist's cowboy boot and Unmarked's version is a perfect rendition. It features all of the bells and whistles of an artisanal boot without bringing attention to itself.
Lucchese Boots
You can’t talk about high-end cowboy boots without mentioning Lucchese. The brand’s been a storied name in western boots for over a century, worn by US presidents and countless celebrities alike. (They’re also the official cowboy boots of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. The more you know!) Though Lucchese makes some of their more affordable boots internationally, their most coveted styles are handmade by artisans in Texas. You can expect full-grain leather cowhides as well as exotic leathers, top-notch welted construction, and a steep price tag.
The rarified air that Lucchese occupies is true aspirational sh*t. And while any pair of its luxury boots would garner never-ending high fives, the pictorial White Sands boots are on another level. Unlike the usual embroidery, they feature a beautiful multi-colored desert landscape made of leather—a wearable, walkable piece of art.
Rios of Mercedes Boots
Western boots tend to cause more than their share of double-takes. But for Rios of Mercedes, it’s not about grabbing eyeballs. The truly IYKYK brand is beloved for boots that are as well-made as they are subtle (subtle for cowboy boots, anyway). Each boot is handmade in Mercedes, Texas by master bootmakers who last, inlay, and stitch everything with meticulous attention to detail. They’ll cost you a pretty penny, for sure. But the investment pays off every time you wear them.
If there's one kind of leather that stands out among the rest, it's alligator. The unmistakable scales of the leather are peak gaudy western in the best way possible. They're also crazy expensive. So if you're looking to really flex on multiple levels, the Caiman Belly Waxy Boots will turn every head you walk past.
