FOOTWEAR Cowboy boots are rediscovered by style-conscious young women

Fashion devotees express personal offbeat style by wearing cowboy boots.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Sienna Miller has been photographed wearing them. Ditto for Lindsay Lohan and Kate Moss.
As symbols of offbeat personal style, cowboy boots never drift too far from the vision of fashion devotees.
The New York Times recently discovered a herd of young style-conscious women tromping around city streets in the boots with pointy toes and fancy stitching. The women said they were comfortable and functional but that hardly matters. What they offer in attitude is likely the strongest selling point.
This American symbol got its most recent boost on London streets where young women chose them over sandals as anchors for the popular swirling peasant skirts. And back home, young women are sweeping through vintage stores for the most authentic looks. The high profile prompted boot maker Frye Co. to reissue many of its discontinued styles.
You've only to look at the increasing presence in the stores for proof. Donald Pliner, the upscale designer known for his Italian-made boots, has low-wedge heeled styles in the $300 range in his fall collection.
Booming business
Urban Outfitters is stocking boots with wedge heels and soft crushable tops inspired by the '70s and '80s. And business is brisk across the country, the merchandise manager told the Times. Discounter T.J Maxx is promoting a rich brown Western boot for back-to-school.
But hold your horses. The obsession does not signal a full-blown return to the urban cowboy as happened in the '70s. The best idea is to mix your metaphors with frills, wispy dresses, lean jeans or skinny skirts.