Coming up with Christmas gift ideas can be a challenge, especially if you have some people on your Christmas gift list who are hard to buy for. Though it’s October, it doesn’t mean it’s too soon to start Christmas shopping. Before you know it, Christmas will be here.

So check out these great Christmas gift ideas from Allens Boots. We know how stressful the holiday season can be, so that’s why we’ve assembled this list to help get you on your way.

Christmas Gift Ideas For Women

Cowboy boots for women as a Christmas gift are a great idea. The ladies Ariat Legend boots are stylish, versatile women’s boots with a square toe and spur ledge. More Christmas gift ideas for women: Cruel Girl jeans, Scully shirts and Stetson cowboy hats are all wonderful choices. Don’t forget to take a look at Montana Silversmiths jewelry, too.

Christmas Gift Ideas For Men

As for Christmas gift ideas for men, you can’t go wrong with cowboy hats. There are plenty of cowboy hats to choose from at Allens Boots, like men’s Montecarlo hats, Resistol hats, Stetson hats and  Southern Thread cowboy hats. Cowboy hats make great gifts because they not only look cool, but they’re useful.

Christmas Gift Ideas For Kids

With so much adorable children’s Western wear to choose from, you’ll have no problem coming up with Christmas gift ideas for kids on your shopping list. Don’t miss Bailey children’s cowboy hats. We’re also proud to carry children’s cowboy boots like the the kids Frye Harness Bootie, the Frye Lil Harness and the kids Justin Bay Westerner.  A wonderful Christmas gift idea for girls is Ariat Heritage Western cowboy boot — they’re pink cowboy boots! There are also many kids toys and accessories at Allens Boots.

Sadly, ACL Fest Day 3 is the last day of Austin City Limits Music Festival — until next year. So soak up the festival while you can!

How the ACL Fest organizers managed to book three days of fantastic bands is beyond us, but we’re not complaining. The headliner for ACL Fest Day 3 is alternative rock group Foo Fighters, whose lead singer is Dave Grohl, the former drummer for Nirvana. Foo Fighters are known for their live shows, so their ACL Fest appearance should not be missed.

Foo Fighters are from Seattle, so what about Austin musicians at ACL Fest? South Austin Jug Band, a local bluegrass band, is one set to perform from 6:40-7:40pm. Other musicians set to perform include The Raconteurs, whose guitarist and singer is Jack White of the White Stripes; Blues Traveler; Gnarls Barkley; and Nakia and His Southern Cousins.

There are just too many awesome acts to list, really, so we hope you’re looking forward to ACL Fest Day 3 like we are. Austin City Limits Music Festival is one of many things we just love about Austin. If you’re visiting from out of town, we hope you’ll be able to get out and see more of Austin. And don’t forget to stop by Allens Boots on South Congress. Cowboy boots and cowboy hats are perfect Texas souvenirs and will no doubt remind you of the great time you had in Austin, Texas for ACL Fest.

So you survived Day 1 of the Austin City Limits Festival (were you wearing a cowboy hat?), and now you’re ready for ACL Music Festival Day 2. Or maybe you just have a one-day pass. Regardless, there’s no denying that the ACL Fest Day 2 line-up is stellar and once again has something for everyone.

Saturday, September 27 at ACL Fest brings more big names, possibly the biggest of those big names being Beck. Beck has one of the headlining spots at ACL Fest Day 2, and rightfully so. Beck’s breakout single was “Loser” in 1994, and since then he’s continued to put out albums that typically blur the genres. His most recent album, Modern Guilt, was released in July of this year. The other ACL Music Festival Day 2 headlining spot belongs to Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.

Some other artists performing at ACL Music Festival Day 2 are The Black Keys, a blues duo; indie rockers MGMT; legend Roky Erickson; and Texas country musician Robert Earl Keen. Just like Days 1 and 3, ACL Fest Day 2 will have a special stage set up for kid-friendly musicians, which is a great place to stop by if you have little ones with you.

At the end of the day, you’ll probably be worn out from the hours and hours you spent in the hot sun watching fantastic live music. Come home, kick off your cowboy boots, and rest up — ACL Fest still has one more day!

Cowboy Boots Make the Essential List

Cowboy boots are essential for every fashionista’s wardrobe according to Nina Garcia, fashion director of Marie Claire magazine, and her new book, The One Hundred: a Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own.  The book lists the items from A to Z and includes tips on how to wear them, along with some history on each item and a few, fun colorful pictures to boot.

Cowboy Boots Year Round

According to Miss Garcia you should always wear your jeans over your boots, which every good cowgirl knows is best whether you are working on the ranch or enjoying a night on the town.  The good people of Texas know that you can wear cowboy boots all year long.  In the fall and winter, they always look great with your favorite pair of jeans.  In the spring and summer, the women can pair them with long skirts and their favorite casual dresses.

Some of our favorite high-fashion boots are the Lucchese Classics Tan Ranch Hand boot for some of your more casual affairs; or the Justin Black London Calf for some of your fancier evenings out.

Cowboy Boots Aren’t the Only Essential Items

Aside from our favorite, the cowboy boot, the list also contained 99 other items for the fashion-savvy woman.  Some of these items included the Frye Harness Boot (a close cousin to the cowboy boot and one of our popular items), a denim jacket, jeans, a cuff bracelet, a hobo bag like our Ariat Corded Cowgirl Hobo purse, a statement necklace, turquoise jewelry, and a sunhat (which we are sure they meant a straw cowboy hat).

Seeing as how Allens Boots carries all of these above-mentioned wonderfully western items, it looks like we should be considered a fashionista’s shopping Mecca.  Now as far as the other 91 items on the list, you are on your own with those.

Straw Cowboy Hats are a Summer Favorite

Straw cowboy hats are useful for more than just wrangling cattle.  They are the perfect hat for when the weather gets warm.  Not only are straw cowboy hats very functional in the summer; they are also quite fashionable.

Straw Cowboy Hats Keep You Cool

Straw cowboy hats provide a great way to protect your face and your head and keep you cool during in the strong summer sun.  The wide brim of a straw cowboy hat provides for ample shade from the hot summer sun to your face and neck; while the loose weave of a straw cowboy assists in keeping your head cool by letting air flow freely throughout the hat.

The Fashion of Straw Cowboy Hats

As far as the fashion side of straw cowboy hats goes; let’s break it down into genders.  For men, the straw cowboy hat looks good on the golf course (just ask “the shark,” Greg Norman, about that); as well as on the lake or beach.  Not to mention that many country music stars where straw cowboy hats, such as Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, and Kenny Chesney.  And, finally, if your horse steps on your hat during a summer ride never fear.  Just reshape your hat and go.

Women and the Straw Cowboy Hat

Now for the women, straw cowboy hats are a wonderful addition to the summer wardrobe.  Straw cowboy hats go with everything from your favorite sundress to your best pair of jeans and other western attire.  Straw cowboy hats also look fantastic while you are riding on a boat or lounging on the beach in your favorite swimsuit.

Straw Cowboy Hats in all Shapes and Sizes

At Allens Boots, you will find a large selection of straw cowboy hats to fit your summer wardrobe needs.  You will find pink hats, black hats, natural hats, hats with elaborate bands, and simple straw hats.  We carry only the highest quality of straw cowboy hats from top brands like Stetson and Montecarlo.

Come on down to the store and let us outfit your head for summer.

Japan Loves Cowboy Boots

The Japanese have always been lovers of western world fashion, so it should be no surprise that this includes cowboy boots. Cowboy boots can be seen all over Japan from the casual hang-out spots of the teenagers and young adults to the high-rise office building full of professionals in their late twenties and early thirties. The Japanese seem to have fallen for the fact that cowboy boots add a casual touch to skirts and dresses, but can also dress up a pair of jeans. It is the flexibility of what you can wear with your cowboy boots, according to Japan Mode Extra Edition, that have made especially popular with the women of Japan.

Japan Buys Cowboy Boots by Way of the Internet

With so many stores in Japan having problems keeping cowboy boots on the shelves, its pretty great that people in Japan can order cowboy boots online from us here at Allens Boots. We try to make it as simple and convenient as possible to buy cowboy boots, and even our western wear, online. Our shoppers in Japan can find all their favorite cowboy boot brands, like Justin Ropers, all in one place. We strive to make the Allens Boots’ online shopping experience almost (and we stress the word almost) as good as actually coming into the store.

Buying Cowboy Boots in Japan

Who knew we’d be selling cowboy boots in Japan? We sure didn’t. But hey, now that we are, we think it’s pretty cool. Then again, if you really think about it, with our amazing selection of men’s cowboy boots, women’s cowboy boots, cowboy hats and western wear it makes complete sense that the fine folks in Japan would come to Allens Boots. Now the next time you find yourself traveling in a land far, far away and you realize that you need to order cowboy boots from Japan, just hop on our site and shop to your heart’s content. By the way, shopping on our site works even if you just live down the street.