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If you know me, or have just seen the way I dress, you probably would never expect to find me wearing a pair of cowboy boots. I never really expected this of myself either, but on a recent trip down south to Nashville, Tennessee, something came over me.

With Western fashion dominating the trend cycle and, at that time, Fashionista’s coverage (see here and here), cowboy boots — and the rich history surrounding them — were already on my mind before I touched down in Music City for the first time. I was in town for the MAGIC trade show, where hundreds of young contemporary brands exhibited their wares for buyers. From wall to wall, the Western trend was inescapable as the overwhelmingly dominant theme across their collections. (My interpretation? The Western fashion trend is still going strong, but its peak is nigh.) Meanwhile, cowboy boots were the footwear of choice for attendees inside, as well the mix of tourists and locals outside. I felt like I’d missed the memo.

Then, during the trip, a prized invitation to Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” tour in Los Angeles hit my inbox. Suddenly, my wardrobe had a gaping, boot-shaped hole that I couldn’t ignore — and Nashville’s famed Broadway Street (also known as “Honky Tonk Highway”), where almost every business that isn’t a bar is a cowboy boot store, was just two blocks away. What was I supposed to do, not go shopping?

I ended up at one called Betty Boots (because it had a fun sign and there were only women inside), where pair of tall, black-and-white boots in my price range (though still a bit of a splurge) caught my eye. I found myself intoxicated by the smell of the leather, dazzled by the sturdy hand craftsmanship and intricate embroidery and charmed by the southern accents around me. Like a true tourist, I handed over my credit card, put my Mansur Gavriel ballet flats in a shopping bag and walked over to a Honky Tonk in my new boots.

Finally, I fit in — and I own a beautiful pair of boots that will be the hero of my “Cowboy Carter” outfit. Will I ever wear them again after the concert? Who’s to say? But they already feel like more than just a pair of shoes to wear, like some cross between a souvenir, an heirloom and a piece of art. I love them and they’re part of a story, which is why I’m not even mad that I could’ve gotten them for cheaper online. (I swear I’m not!)

Corral Boots L6180, $188, available here

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