Vintage western boots have been on collector’s radar for a while now. Collectors seek vintage cowboy boots between 1920 and the 1950s. They pay big money for boots that are in good condition and rare.
However, what do you do if you want the look of a vintage boot but do not want it for collection purposes? Say you want to wear a vintage looking boot every day but do not want to pay an absorbent collector’s price for the distressed look. Luckily, for you there are now many modern reproductions being manufactured by the biggest names in western boot makers. Now you can get a new boot by Justin, Lucchese, Dan Post, Old Gringo, Corral, Stetson or Resistol Ranch that has that antique cowboy-leather aura.
Three of our favorite cowboy boot manufacturers who capture the essence of vintage cowboy and western boot styles are:
- Lucchese Boot Company
- Justin Boots
- Old Gringo Boots
The Lucchese Boot Company has also been around a longtime. They began making their first boots in 1883. Lucchese refers to their boot categories as collections. The collections that offer vintage styles are the Classics and the 1883 collections. The difference between these two boot categories is the Classics collection caters to the customer who wants the best available leather and materials in their boots. Lucchese builds this boot collection using the exclusive Lucchese twisted cone to get a fit like no other boot. These high-end boots are essentially custom-made whether ordered that way or not and you will pay a little more for them. The 1883 line caters more toward the fashion minded person. They also share many common manufacturing procedures with the Classics. The 1883 collection features several boots with a classy custom vintage appearance. However, there are some traditional cowboy boots in this collection with a modern flare too. Lucchese western boots of the 1883, Classics, and Lucchese 2000 collections are still handmade in the USA as they were when the company first started. Because of their history, we feel Lucchese has even more vintage credibility.
Handcrafted boot maker, Justin Boot, is another manufacturer with a long history starting in the early 1900s. They favor several styles with tan distressed vintage goat skin as the prime leather of their antique styled boots. The majority of Justin boots appears simpler and may be the least vintage western boot in appearance of the noted boots here. At one point, they made a model line of distinctly vintage looking boots with fancy stitching on the foot and shaft. You can still find some of those styles on Ebay but fewer in regular stores like Boot Barn and Sheplers. However, we still felt we had to mention them here because of Justin’s history and reputation for quality and comfort. Their handcrafted in the USA line still shows off some striking antique styling. In addition, you can check out the Justin boot owned Tony Lama Boots for several vintage styles. Several of their goatskin boots featured some more elaborate stitching.
Old Gringo Boots is a much newer company established in 2000. These boots are the most authentically vintage looking boots of three companies named here. Old Gringo boots look much different from our other two favored manufacturers. It is because they make artisan handcrafted western boots that skate the line of traditional cowboy boots and new present-day fashion. Said more simply, their boots vary from looking genuine in their vintage appearance to what we would term a vintage boot with modern feeling. If you look at the Old Gringo ultra vintage Eagle boots, you will see the likeness of an old custom made distressed leather western boot. They look like someone wore them before you and they should be in a museum. Then when you compare that to say the Girasol, Chingon or Enredadero boot, you see the traditional look, but something more attracts your eye. Somehow, these boots dance along the fashion edge but do not fall off. Meaning, they look cool and not goofy.
Finding vintage western boots of quality that you can wear rather than put in a glass case as art is not difficult. While we prefer Lucchese, Justin, and Old Gringo Boots because they offer unsurpassed handicraft, there are other boot brands manufacturing vintage cowboy boots. Check the online dealers for available styles and you will see the wide selection available.
In addition, check out this cool book called “Cowboy Boots: Art and Sole”