How To Break in Your New Cowgirl Boots

Fashion and comfort aren’t normally two words that appear together, particularly when it comes to footwear such as boots. Cowgirl boots are such a popular statement piece, but what can one do to make them more comfortable? Discover three things you can do to break in your new cowgirl boots so that you can love them even more and start wearing them more frequently.

Warm the Boots

When applying heat to your boots, you can use a hair dryer or a steamer. If you’re using a hair dryer, hold the dryer about 8 inches away from the boots and point at areas where your feet may be uncomfortable while in the boots. Common spots to heat include the heels or the sides of the boots. Once you have the boots warm, put them on and walk around the house for an hour or so. The heat allows your foot to expand the material so that the boots can adapt to your feet.

A steamer works the same way and can be less taxing on the boots in the long term.

Wear Thick Socks

Wearing your boots with two pairs of socks, or thicker socks, is a great method to use if you’re looking for a slight increase in the width and height of your boots’ toe boxes. This method is known to stretch up to about one-half of a size up, but it will take multiple wearing sessions to achieve. Wearing two pairs of socks with tight boots can be painful, and you shouldn’t wear more than two pairs at a time so that your toes don’t feel crammed. For best results, try this method during warmer weather when the boot material is more flexible.

Use a Western Boot Stretcher

You may have seen boot stretchers before at a Western boots store or your grandpa’s house. Using a boot stretcher is a more passive approach. You simply set the boot stretcher on whatever setting you’d like that molds your boots in the way you want them. Leave the boots to sit for a few hours. 

However, this technique normally stretches boots only at the toe width and the points where you place the pins of the device. You may want a more snug fit to your boots. Since this device can stretch only specific parts of the boots, the stretcher may not be for you.  

A good boot stretcher can cost upward of nearly $200. However, you will have the device forever and you won’t have to worry about water or heat altering the design of the boots.

Try Some Unique Attempts

Spray bottles of water and a quality conditioner have been tried and tested, but these methods don’t always work the best. Some people have used a spoon to rub inside the boot on the heel, which creates the same friction on the boots as the human heel does. This approach, however, takes more arm work.   No matter what route you take to break in your boots, research what works best for the material of your boots. Now that you know how to make your boots more comfortable, think about all the different ways to wear them and show them off with confidence.