(Re)start With Boots: How a simple accessory reignited my passion for horses

Sometimes, all it takes to remember what you’re passionate about is something simple, like a pair of cowboy boots.

Seriously Lacked Fashion Sense

I’m not sure if we’ve all gone through an awkward fashion phase, but mine started the moment I was allowed to dress myself. I cringe looking back at old photos: oversized graphic t-shirts paired with jeans (sometimes from the boys' section, which didn’t exactly flatter my body type) and sneakers. It must’ve been painful for my mom to witness, she had a real love for fashion. I remember trying to break the look by wearing odd fashion boots or shoes with my tees and jeans, but it never quite came together.

My go-to style

From Awkard to Air Force

Thankfully, that phase evolved. At one point, I discovered Maurice’s and started copying the outfits on their mannequins. For the first time, I looked somewhat put together. I also lived through the college-logo-gear and leggings era. My style fell somewhere between cute and a little country, I’d wear camo when I could and even tried pairing a vintage pair of cowboy boots with jeggings. I was loyal to Maurice’s for my “nice” and “professional” clothes, and Under Armour for pretty much everything else.

But those “nice” outfits got pushed to the back of the closet once I started my active-duty military career. From then on, my OOTD (outfit of the day) became the standard-issue uniform: USAF blues, ABUs, OCPs, or a flight suit.

My first duty station was in Montana, which felt more like fate than coincidence. I was born there, though my parents moved us back to Minnesota a couple of years later. I didn’t grow up under the big sky, but I never stopped hearing about it. And when I arrived in Great Falls, I felt like I was coming home.

The Boots

One day, while browsing a local ranch supply store, I bought my first real pair of cowboy boots. They weren’t fancy. They didn’t have a brand name. They were affordable. I didn’t know anything about boots, western fashion, or popular brands. These boots looked right, and they were something to start with.

And that’s where it all restarted, a love and life in horses I thought I’d left behind. A new confidence grew in me, maybe even a truer confidence. When I wasn’t in uniform, bootcut jeans and those boots, paired with whatever jacket or shirt I had, became my new uniform. I started noticing western fashion more: the brands, the styles, the occasions where people wore certain things.

Style, Confidence, and Starting Over

I wish I could tell you what boots I wore after that first pair, but honestly, I don’t remember. Somewhere between duty stations, military life, and just being in my 20s, the details blurred. My style evolved along with me, shaped by both the trends and what I liked: geometric patterns, color, and comfort. I ended up rebuilding my entire boot collection after having my daughter. That meant getting new Ariat Dixons, new riding boots, new "nice" boots, and new everyday boots. (And, okay, new casual shoes too. I’m not a Hey Dudes person, but I love my Twisted X version.)

All this to say: if you’re waiting for the right time, the perfect horse, or the perfect plan… you don’t need to. Just start. Start small. Start today. Dig out those boots hiding in the back of your closet or walk into your local western store and buy the pair your heart’s been longing for. Heck, even slip on some Crocs (I swore I’d never be the person who did chores in anything but boots… and yet here I am. Story to be continued.)

I believe there’s room for you in the horse world, whether you’re an adult beginner, coming back after time away, or a seasoned horsewoman ready for a new chapter or deeper connection.

It’s never too late to start—or to start over. And it’s never too late to become the horsewoman you’ve always imagined becoming. All it takes is a dream, a little arena dust, and a whole lot of determination.

Here’s to your next chapter,

-Lo