White cowboy boots are a statement piece. They’re giving Dolly Parton. They’re giving Reba McIntyre. They’re giving Vegas in the ‘80s. They’re totally impractical for doing whatever you’re actually supposed to do in cowboy boots (ride cows? Jk I dunno), but they look very cool and completely alter the vibe of any outfit. You have to wield the power of the white cowboy boot carefully, though, or all you will be giving is Nashville bachelorette party.
Let me introduce you now to The Annie, by Tecovas.
The Annie is a superb cowgirl boot: stitching that's decorative but not distracting, construction that's resoleable but not uncomfortable, and tall but not too tall.
Who Are Tecovas?
Tecovas has the vibe of a timeworn Texas company, but in fact it’s the brainchild of a Dallas-born Harvard graduate who had the idea to start a boutique boot brand when he was 26 and working in private equity in Greenwich, Connecticut. For Paul Hedrick, wearing cowboy boots in the Northeast was a point of pride. But, as he puts it, the high price of these boots always frustrated him. What if he followed the now-rather-timeworn-in-their-own-right footsteps of direct-to-consumer brands like Allbirds and Glossier — but for cowboy boots, a $3 billion industry that was thus far free from DTC brands.
So Paul moved back to Texas. A few years later, Tecovas was born.
Today the brand is worth 9 figures and hangs its hat (sorry) on high quality materials, careful craftsmanship, classic designs, and remarkably low prices, starting at $195 for the most basic pair.
[Further reading: Tecovas’ Men’s Roper Boot Review]
What to Love About Tecovas’ Annie
- 14-inch shaft
- 2″ heel
- Pointed “snip” toe
- 6 colors available
- Stitched pattern in gradient tonal thread
The Annie, presumably named after Annie Oakley but don’t quote me on that, is a paradigmatic tall cowgirl boot with an angled 2 inch heel. The 14-inch shaft is stitched with a subtle, palm-like pattern in gradient tonal thread and finished with a deep scallop (that means the top of the boot is arched and dips down in the front and back).
A slightly blunted toe tip, also known as a snip toe, is complemented by classic Western toe bug stitching—that stripey swirly pattern you’ll see on the foot of most Western boots. Fun fact: This began as a way to keep the boot’s leather from buckling and rubbing against a cowboy’s leg from the inside.
These boots are available in four leather shades (two browns, the cream/white color I have, and black) and the classic brown suede. They’re beautiful, hitting at mid-upper calf (an inch or two higher than Thursday’s comparable Rodeo boot) and pair nicely with just about anything you throw at them, from jeans to short skirts to long dresses. As expressed above, I’m a fan of the white ones, a perfect blend of classic and audacious.
Tecovas’ Annie Boot Construction
- ¾ Goodyear welt with a sleek heel
- Resoleable
- Water resistant
Handmade from soft bovine leather in Leon, Mexico, by a team of local artisans, each Tecovas boot is the result of over 200 highly traditional steps, from cutting the custom leather, to hand-laying the cording for those classic Western stitch designs, to sewing the shaft, quarters and counter by hand.
Cork is spread between the insole and outsole for the kind of comfy footbed that molds to your feet over time, and the leather midsole is secured with hand-hammered lemonwood pegs. The stacked leather heels are also made by hand — that makes them very easy and inexpensive to replace when you wear down the heel — and ¾ Goodyear welt construction ensures a long life, making the boots both resoleable and water resistant. (The “three quarter” Goodyear welt means that the stitching you see around the toes disappears around the heel, an aesthetic choice that many prefer for its sleeker look.)
The fact that they’re able to be resoled deserves emphasis, here: while it’s fairly common in
Tecovas Annie Boot Sizing
- Order true to size
These boots run true to size, and are surprisingly comfy. I wore them to a holiday party straight out of the box with no complaints (though I did admittedly change before the late night dancing portion of the evening began).
[Further reading: The 10 Best Durable Women’s Boots]
Tecovas Annie Boot Price
- $295
Ringing in at $295, this is not a cheap boot. Thursday’s version is $100 less, but it’s not resoleable, so where the value lies is pretty obvious. The impeccable quality and sustainable craftsmanship is worth it. As the Tecovas’ site points out, the estimated “traditional retail” price for a non-DTC version of the same quality boot would be over $400.
The Annie is a superb cowgirl boot: stitching that's decorative but not distracting, construction that's resoleable but not uncomfortable, and tall but not too tall.
Wrapping Up
If you’re looking for the ideal pair of high-quality cowgirl boots, Tecovas are it. And if you want to seriously stand out, the white ones are for you. Just ask the guy who saw me sporting them on the subway and, Airpods notwithstanding, spent the next four stops telling me I had the best shoes on the whole train, nay, the whole city of New York. Sure, white boots are a bold and risky choice, but as Dolly Parton our lord and savior once said, “You’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What country makes Tecovas boots?
Tecovas' boots are made in Leon, Mexico, a famous city for bootmaking where many esteemed companies make their footwear likeThursday Boot Company, Chisos, and Unmarked.
Do Tecovas fit true to size?
Their women's boots fit true to size, but men need to size dow. If a man is a size 11 on a Brannock device, he's a 10.5 in Tecovas, and probably 11.5 in most of his sneakers, as sneakers tend to run small.
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