What more do you need than cowboy boots and hats? Okay, okay — so there may be some necessary items besides these two things… like food and water. But it’s hard to contain our excitement about all things western wear. If you’ve visited Allens Boots — online or at one of our two Austin stores — you know just how fun it can be to shop our expansive inventory, whether it’s to find something for yourself or a gift for a friend.

Cowboy Boots: Wear ‘Em Right

Cowboy boots protect hard-working feet and are meant to withstand tough wear, whether you’re on horseback, at the ranch or on the range. But cowboy boots aren’t just for the country — they add earthy flavor to the city as well. Make a big statement with your footwear and wear cowboy boots. Just be sure you’re wearing them right: They should fit comfortably and last a lifetime with the right boot care. Remember the four steps for proper care of your cowboy boots: clean, condition, polish and protect. Don’t store your boots in a cold or damp place, as mildew can destroy them. And use boot trees to help them maintain their shape.

As for the right boot fit, a cowboy boot should fit snug to the foot. Too loose or tight, and things could get uncomfortable. Always remember that your socks affect the fit, too. We recommend Western Boot Thorlo socks, as they provide maximum comfort and protection against blisters and corns.

Don’t Forget Cowboy Hats

Cowboy boots and hats go together like hay and horses, brisket and beans, and Brooks & Dunn: You’ve just gotta have a cowboy hat to complete your look. In the hot summer sun, there’s nothing handier to shield your head and face from getting burned, and a hat can also help keep you dry in a downpour. For just about any occasion, you can’t go wrong with a cowboy hat.

At Allens Boots, we’re happy to help you pick out the perfect cowboy boots and hats. Stop by one of our Austin stores, or shop online. Thanks for shopping with us!

Calgary police officers working in the city’s downtown area are about to get a change to their uniform: cowboy hats!

A friend of ours forwarded us an article from CTV.ca that talks about this exciting bit of news and explains why they decided to make cowboy hats part of the uniform. Officers up until now used to wear cowboy hats during the Calgary Stampede, but now they’ll be wearing them year round.

City officials, according to the article, said that the cowboy hats are “both fashionable and user-friendly.” And Calgary’s mayor, Dave Bronconnier, remarked that the hats will be good for the city’s image — and they’ll make officers appear more approachable, as wearing a cowboy hat is “very inviting.”

Since the temperature ranges quite a bit in Calgary, officers really needed something versatile that would work on both hot summer days and freezing winter nights. What better to handle that than a cowboy hat?

The city of Calgary will be ordering 65 hats for the police officers. The particular cowboy hats they’ll be ordering aren’t mentioned in the article, though they note that they are very durable and are expected to last a decade.

Cowboy Hats Year Round

Cowboy hats really do offer an amazing amount of protection all year round. During intense summer heat, they can shield you from the sun — and they can also shield you during bad weather. When it’s hot out, they can also fan air. Plus, they’re incredibly stylish. Allens Boots is proud to offer an impressive selection of cowboy boots, from Stetson and Montecarlo cowboy hats to Bailey and Resistol cowboy hats. We even have children’s cowboy hats.

A Wichita Falls, Texas western wear store closed in 2006 after being open since 1953, and the owner’s amazing collection of over 500 cowboy hats will be preserved at the Museum of North Texas History. Great news indeed for such a legendary part of Wichita Falls history.

The store was Cow Lot Western Wear, and its owner, Nat Fleming, wound up with so many cowboy hats because whenever a customer bought a new one, they were invited to leave their old cowboy hat to hang on the wall. These cowboy hats have the owners’ names on labels, and some even tell the ranch at which the owner worked.

From pretty new condition to “absolutely worn to a frazzle,” and all different colors and even adornments, the collection of cowboy hats is truly special.

Don’t miss this great new display at the Museum of North Texas History’s Heritage Hall. It opens on July 25.

Cowboy Hats at Allens Boots

Looking to start your own collection of cowboy hats, or maybe you just need another to add to your collection? Allens Boots is the place for cowboy hats. We have children’s cowboy hats, men’s cowboy hats and women’s cowboy hats in an impressive selection of colors and styles. You’ll find just what you’re looking for.

Summer is here, and so are cowboy hats! Talk about classic style: Cowboy hats are seriously practical, as they protect a person from the sun and other weather elements. Shield your eyes and skin from the sun, or fan yourself with the hat — in the hot summer weather, cowboy hats really come in handy.

So many cowboy hats are available, but which one is best for you? If you’re like us, you can spend hours picking out the perfect one or three. By the way, is there such a thing as too many cowboy hats? We don’t think so.

Montecarlo Cowboy Hats

Great colors as well as more traditional styles can be found with Montecarlo cowboy hats. The Montecarlo Wild West Blue Hat comes in bright blue and is lots of fun. It’s a crushable straw hat with a 3.5-inch brim and a 4.5-inch crown.

Stetson Cowboy Hats

Stetson cowboy hats are well known, and they come in all shapes, sizes and colors here at Allens Boots. If you’re looking for a straw cowboy hat, don’t miss the Stetson Santa Monica hat, bronze in color with a feather band and four-inch brim. Perfect for summer. The Stetson Spartan is another classic and is made of felt material.

Children’s Cowboy Hats

It doesn’t get much cuter or cooler for kids than children’s cowboy hats. Outfit your little cowboy or cowgirl in their very own cowboy hat, and watch ‘em smile. Browse our selection of children’s cowboy hats from Bailey to find the perfect one — they certainly make great birthday, Christmas and “just because” gifts.

These are just a few examples of the many, many great cowboy hats we have at Allens Boots. Stop by our store or shop online to find  your perfect summer cowboy hat.

We loved the recent article in Missouri’s Lake Sun Leader that talked about why we wear hats (including cowboy hats!). As we all know, cowboy hats and other hats keep us safe from sunshine, rain, falling rocks and debris, and they can also help keep us toasty. First a practical part of the wardrobe, hats eventually became fashionable.

The article points out that there are two different terms for people who make hats: a hatmaker makes men’s hats, and a milliner makes women’s hats. There have been all kinds of different hats throughout history, many with special meanings — and many that quickly went out of fashion.

Hats are worn all over the world, but a cowboy hat — like the Pilgrim hat, top hats, the fedora, the panama, caps and two- and three-cornered hats — is known for being American. Unlike many hats that have come and gone into fashion, the cowboy hat has stayed true to its style, making it a truly timeless, classic hat.

So why do we wear cowboy hats? Is it their functionality, their ability to shield you from sunshine and rain? Their ability to help you retain body heat? Or is it just because they plain look good? The reasons for wearing cowboy hats is different for everybody, but one thing is for sure: You really can’t go wrong wearing a cowboy hat!

Get Cowboy Hats at Allens Boots

You’ll find a ton of cowboy hats at Allens Boots. Stetson hats, Southern Thread cowboy hats, kids’ cowboy hats — you name it.

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.

Cutting Horse Adds Spice to CEO Life

There was an article in Fortune Small Business Magazine today about a woman who is CEO by day and a Rodeo Queen by night. Yes, you are reading this correctly.

According to the article, Anita Lind Janssen spends her days as CEO of a company that handles asset management for large firms in the middle of transition. This is a job that requires conservative decisions and very little risk. Wanting to add a little spice to her life, Anita put on a hat, polished up her boots, and became a cowgirl.

It also appears that cutting runs in the Lind Janssen family. Ryan Lind, Anita’s son, placed in the top ten of the youth division at the National Cutting Horse Western National Finals this past weekend. I am sure that his mother couldn’t be more proud of her cowboy son.

Cutting Horse: What is it?

Cutting is a western riding style event where a horse and rider are judged strictly on their ability to separate a calf away from a herd of cattle for a certain period of time.

Cutting, which is becoming quite a popular equine sport these days, is special in that once the calf is separated from the herd, the cowboy or cowgirl loosens up on the reigns and the horse then takes over in keeping the calf separated. These horses are known as a cutting horse.

Cutting Horse Queen is One of Many

After reading about Anita, we did some poking around into the careers of the members of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. We found out that Anita isn’t the only corporate big wig that likes to compete with their horses for stress relief. We found an owner of a women’s western store, a President/owner of a drilling company, a ranch owner, a Chief of Staff of a state assembly, and a CEO of a golf construction company.

Who would have ever thought that participating in adrenaline pumping rodeo events could be so relaxing?

*Photo by Mike Murrow

Cowboy Museum’s Annual Memorial Day Event

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, located in Oklahoma City, will be celebrating its 18th Annual Chuck Wagon Gathering and Children’s Cowboy Festival this Memorial Day weekend. The festival will run from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on both Saturday, May 24th and Sunday, May 25th.

Dressing like a Cowboy More than Alright at Cowboy Museum

Grab your kids, put on your jeans, boots and cowboy hats and head on down to what the American Bus Association has named one of the Top 100 events in North America. You, your family and more than 10,000 other Old West fans will sure to be pleased with all the exciting activities and food planned for this jam-packed weekend.

Chuck Wagons Circle the Cowboy Museum

There will be authentic chuck wagons present offering up some of the finest wrangler food from Oklahoma and Texas. Festival goers even receive their very own tasting bowl to fill up with cowboy favorites such as brisket, biscuits and gravy, stew, and cobbler.

Children’s Cowboy Festival Events at the Cowboy Museum

There will be plenty of good ‘ol western entertainment for the family at the festival. Little Cowboys and Cowgirls can get pony rides, stagecoach and wagon rides, learn how to make a rope, design a bandana, and even pet a Longhorn steer. For the older cowboys and cowgirls, there will be entertainment from the likes of Don Edwards and Red Steagall.

There is even a cowboy bootmaking demonstration, which we here at Allens Boots are the most excited about.

Cowboy Museum has More to Offer than the Festival

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum was founded in 1961 and is considered an institution of Western history, culture, and art. More than 9 million visitors a year come to see the Cowboy museum’s collection of Western art and artifacts and to garnish an insight into the Old West.

*Photo by National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

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.

It’s that time of year again…the 2008 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will be here in no time, so stock up on plenty of cowboy boots and cowboy hats from Allen’s Boots. Even if you can’t rope a steer or ride a bull with the best of them, you can still dress like a cowboy.

Houston Rodeo Coming in March

From March 3rd to March 22nd, enjoy the bracket-style rodeo tournament at the Reliant Center, along with other event staples such as the World Championship BBQ Contest, where contestants are judged on their BBQ pit as well as their pork. This year’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo musical entertainment includes boot scootin’ performances by country music singers Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley and many more.

Houston Rodeo Events

There’s entertainment for everyone at the 2008 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. For the children, there’s the Houston Rodeo Calf Scramble, where youngsters and calves collide in one of the most entertaining events of the Houston Rodeo. The kids must halt and bring the calf into the winner’s square with a single rope as their weapon to win their very own livestock to raise.

Wine and Music at the Houston Rodeo

Adults can enjoy Rodeo Uncorked!, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo event offering wines from all over Texas and the world. Another great rodeo event is The Hideout, which features some of the hottest music from across the Lone Star State. Slip into a new pair of Justin Boots and take ‘em for a spin with that special someone at the Astrodome.

Houston Rodeo Trail Ride

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo trail ride brings around 4,000 riders in 13 groups from as far as Hidalgo, TX, stemming from an annual tradition dating back to 1952. Talk about wear and tear on your Wranglers!!! Those participating in the Houston Rodeo trail rides begin their trek in February, traveling on horseback across Texas and paying homage to the cowboys of the past.

Let’s Get Ready to Rodeo!

With over 75 years of know how, the 2008 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s exhibits and shows are sure to bring in some of the best food, shopping, rodeo action and performances anyone could ask for. So stop by the store and stock up on all your rodeo gear before heading to Houston.