When you think of polo shirts, you will immediately draw a clean and formal look in your mind. On the other hand, cowboy boots remind you of the wildness of the west. Well, these two styles don’t sound very related, right?
That is why many people often ask if polo shirts can be worn with cowboy boots. Well, I have to say that things have changed a lot if you’re someone who hasn’t touched a pair of cowboy boots for over 20 years.
These days, cowboy boots can completely offer you a neat look and they no longer just appear on the ranch anymore. Pair with polo shirts, why not? And to know more about this combination, let’s dive in!
Key takeaways
- You can absolutely wear a polo shirt with cowboy boots. However, for a clean and formal look, choose boots with a chic or elegant appearance.
- Cowboy boots made from lizard, caiman, or simply well-polished cowhide are great to go with cowboy boots, stay away from distressed cowboy boots.
- The style of wearing a polo shirt with cowboy boots is also essential. Don’t tuck your pants into your boots if you don’t want to ruin the whole outfit. Choose pants with a good fit to cover the entire shaft of the boots.
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Can a Polo Shirt go well with Cowboy Boots?
Polo shirts are always one of our favorite shirts because of their elegant appearance.
While cowboy boots are known for their wild look, keep in mind that there’s still a chance that these two seemingly contradictory accessories can go hand in hand.
The main reason is that cowboy boots today are not only the embodiment of the wild look, but they are widely known for their variety of styles, and also their clean and formal design!
If you are looking for footwear to wear with a polo shirt, then a pair of active sports shoes or leather shoes will bring a truly formal style.
Cowboy boots may not be sporty, but trust me, you will find elegance and formality in them that no other footwear has.
To have that, look for cowboy boots with a well-polished look, or exotic leathers such as lizard or smooth ostrich leather. They are completely formal and bring harmony when paired with polo shirts.
One of the other important things that you need to keep in mind is picking the right pants, this is the bridge between cowboy boots and a polo shirt.
Let me guess, the pants that you often wear with a polo shirt are chinos, trousers, dress pants, or jeans – in case you’re a man. On the other hand, if you are female, short and skinny jeans, a polo dress, or trousers are not bad choices.
And here’s the best part of the story, cowboy boots can be worn with any of these pants, it even looks great!
If you want more details, here are some of our other articles on the subject:
- Can I Wear Cowboy Boots With Chinos?
- Can You Wear Cowboy Boots with Tactical Pants?
- Can I Wear Cargo Pants With Cowboy Boots?
- Can You Wear Cowboy Boots With Straight Leg Jeans?
- Can You Wear Black Jeans With Cowboy Boots?
- Can You Wear Normal Jeans With Cowboy Boots?
- Can You Wear Cowboy Boots With Khakis?
In general, it is important that you care about the overall harmony of the outfits. In this case, it’s a formal look.
A pair of elegant cowboy boots as mentioned above, chinos (or jeans, or trousers), and a polo shirt – this is absolutely a standard and balanced outfit!
The next important point, well, this is mostly about men, is that you shouldn’t wear cowboy boots with pants tucked inside their shafts.
You almost have to do the opposite to ensure a clean look. This is an implicit rule of the cowboy boots world. So make sure the pants have the right length and width to cover the entire shaft of cowboy boots.
Although polo players often wear boots over their pants during a match, this is really not a casual style for men, especially when coordinating with cowboy boots.
To avoid looking old and messy, make sure the bottom legs of the pants are not too wide. And they should not be too narrow, or they will cause the patterns on the boot shaft to print on the pants and ruin your clean look.
Also for this very reason, men should not wear skinny jeans or shorts in this combination.
Meanwhile, things for women are simpler as they are not bound by the rules, skinny jeans or shorts are both smart choices to go with polo shirts. Want to tuck pants into cowboy boots? Cool, just do it!
Even so, polo shirts, known to be associated with British beauty, elegance and formality, are still difficult to reconcile with a pair of cowboy boots that are too colorful.
So my advice for our gals is that you should choose cowboy boots with textures and colors with simple and pure beauty.
For example, don’t choose cowboy boots with square toe that looks pretty rough, they don’t really suit you or match with polo shirts.
Instead, round-toe boots with high heels and white stitching are sure to be the go-to choice to go with polo shirts, skirts, or dresses.
Conclusion
In general, as long as you choose cowboy boots that are elegant and formal, they are still a good choice for polo shirts.
However, the connection between polo shirts and cowboy boots is also important, cowboy boots and polo shirts need to match pants, skirts, or dresses.
Just learn a few rules when wearing cowboy boots like not tuck jeans into the boot shaft (for men) and improve your sense of style, you will succeed!
Good luck!
Howdy y’all! I’m Grace, a Western style enthusiast with over 5 years of experience. From cowboy boots to western gear, I’m passionate about all things Western and dedicated to helping you find the perfect style to suit your taste. Join me and my fiancé Jay Gatz as we explore the rich history and timeless appeal of Western fashion together!