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Laurna Lynn Mills, Manager
of the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre location of Sole Mates Family
Footwear, took time from one of her busy days to explain a few interesting
things about cowboy boots.
“Cowboy boots are very
much in fashion this year,” explained Laurna. “Canada West is our
primary supplier of western-inspired footwear, and this year their
catalogue is filled with some exciting styles and colours.”
Laurna explained that many
people are discovering that cowboy boots are the best footwear for
dancing. “The sole is slippery, but the heel is made of rubber. So when
you dance, you slide on the ball of your foot and use your heel to stop.
They are absolutely the best type of boot for dancing.”
Indeed, to the naked eye,
cowboy boots may at first appear to be rather slippery and hard to walk
in, but the construction makes them one of the most comfortable and
versatile types of footwear around.
“We still get a lot of
riders buying our boots for durability they get from the top quality
leather. The leather is good for use in stirrups and also for everyday
chores around the farm,” Laurna commented.
“There are so many
different styles to choose from, and each of them are for specific uses.
When a customer comes into the store, we take some time to find out what
they want to use it for so that we can recommend the right kind of
boot,” explained Laurna. “For example, if a person intends to use the
boot for riding a lot and working around the farm, we recommend one that
has good leather on the sole as well as all around so that it stands up to
the hard use. If a person just wants it for style, then we can recommend
different colours and material that is more fashionable. You wouldn’t
wear a bright coloured cowboy boot to work around the ranch.”
Cowboy boots also come CSA
approved for safety and can range in price from $139 to $299. Most of the
boots fall in the $169 range. The nice thing about cowboy boots is that
they can last for years because of their high quality construction.
“Shania Twain is given a
lot of credit for making cowboy boots so much more popular today,”
Laurna went on. “She wears them all the time and with so many fans
adoring her, they are picking up on the boot as a fashion accessory.”
Sole Mates Family Footwear
also sells a wide range of accessories for the boots, such as metal
toe-caps and chains. |
