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Where can I Buy Boots?

Kate Monteith
Kate Monteith

Boots are versatile footwear worn to keep feet and legs warm, or to serve an occupational purpose, or strictly for fashion sake. You can buy boots in shoe stores, sporting goods stores, department stores, and online. From hunting boots to thigh-high stilettos, pairs of boots are readily available for purchase.

When buying boots, the choice of boot types should be based on the specific need or purpose for the boot. Shopping for boots in a fine shoe store or department store makes a lot of sense when fashion and style are the most important factor. If sturdiness and wear are more important, a good pair of cowboy boots can be found in a leatherworks or boot shop. If you want to buy boots for snow skiing, you might check out a ski shop or sporting goods store. Some of the best places for buying boots are online shoe stores; they sell all types of boots online, and the selection is practically endless.

Hiking boots.
Hiking boots.

The best way to know which type of boots to buy is to consider the outfit the boots will be worn with. Men and women can buy boots in a vast array of colors, styles, heel heights, and toe types to convey any fashion statement. Fashionable boot materials can range from shiny patent leather to shaggy sheepskin, but generally boots are made of cow leather. Boot types include ankle boots, calf high, knee high, thigh high, zip up, lace up or pull on. Fashion boots look best when they are paired with a complementary outfit.

Some sports, such as skiing, require very specific boots.
Some sports, such as skiing, require very specific boots.

If you are looking to buy boots to wear on a construction site, steel toed work boots are available online as well as many shoe stores. The uppers can be calf-high or low to the ankle, and work boots come in many colors. But, it is the reinforced toes that makes these types of boots worth buying because they provide excellent foot protection. Work boots with steel toes can help save a construction worker from sidelining foot injuries.

Sheepskin boots are considered to be more fashionable.
Sheepskin boots are considered to be more fashionable.

If you are a hunter, you might purchase a warm pair of boots to protect your feet and ankles from cold and wet extremes. Hunting boots usually rise several inches above the foot and lace up the front to seal out the moisture and cold. You can buy boots that have thick, waterproof, rubber soles and insulated uppers in the shoe department of a sporting goods store.

Many people pair a Western belt buckle with cowboy boots.
Many people pair a Western belt buckle with cowboy boots.

Buying boots for ranching or farming takes a well-considered decision. Known as cowboy boots, these are some of the most familiar boot types worn in the western United States. Cowboy boots have a hard sole and a short heel that fits well in a stirrup. They cover the foot, ankle and lower leg with a stiff, waterproof material, usually leather, and they are expected to last many years. Ranchers and farmers are often inclined to buy boots from a leather smith or bootmaker who understands rural life.

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    • Hiking boots.
      By: MP2
      Hiking boots.
    • Some sports, such as skiing, require very specific boots.
      By: Gary Blakeley
      Some sports, such as skiing, require very specific boots.
    • Sheepskin boots are considered to be more fashionable.
      By: lculig
      Sheepskin boots are considered to be more fashionable.
    • Many people pair a Western belt buckle with cowboy boots.
      By: Nejron Photo
      Many people pair a Western belt buckle with cowboy boots.