Give your feet the serious comforts of fashion while keeping up with the latest styles. Kate Moss definitely does, and who can blame her? Named one of the sexiest women of 1999, keeping up with her busy lifestyle absolutely makes comfort a requirement to remain balanced. So, shop today for a pair of your own Minnetonka Moccasins.  Who knows you could be in our next blog!  Bottom Line is Minnetonka Moccasins provides serious comfort with serious fashion with the hint of history in every step.

If you’re thinking Justin Ropers are the only brands in his closet think again.   Perry enjoys showing off his LUCCHESE boots.  His Lucchese’s are only made with the best of course, ostrich and cow.  Perry has been known to wear these brands on his campaign, even a pair that has the words “liberty” and “freedom” in honor of those in 9/11.  All we can say is we hope to see more of the action of those words if in office, instead of wearing them down on his campaign.   But if there is one thing we know for sure it is that Perry has style and he is not afraid to show it.

Miranda Lambert's Wedding Party

Sterling Leather celebrates the six month anniversary of Country’s most adored couple, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton.  This time six months ago the hot country rock stars tied the knot in a gorgeous country style wedding.  With wedding bells, dancing and a guest list of famous faces, everyone enjoyed a two hour non-stop band and a delish menu created by the bride herself.  The happy couple was not the only one’s catching the eye of wedding goers and fans.  Miranda’s bridesmaids made quite an impression.  Each lovely lady received a pair of Old Gringo boots as a gift from the bride and groom. The Old Gringo boots brought each bridesmaid their own flair complimenting their individual style of fashion.

The ladies gathered for group photos to show off their beautifully handcrafted boots with the happily married county singers.  You may be thinking you want a pair for yourself? Check out our website at www.SterlingLeather.com featuring many styles to fit your footwear and fashion needs.  But buyers beware …Old Gringo  boots love to be shown off and have been known to get down and dirty.  You can dance the night away or rock out to your favorite country song in your rocking new boots.  These dangerously eye catching designs, in beautiful colors with unique details, add just a bit more to your step. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.  Congratulations to the Shelton’s!

What would you wear to a Taylor Swift Concert??

You’ve finally got your hands on tickets to see your favorite country singer in concert. Whether that’s Taylor Swift or Brad Paisley, you’re totally excited and counting down the days until the show. And aside from how you’re getting there and who’s going with you, one of the biggest decisions you have to make is what on earth you’re going to wear! If you’re like me, you’re always trying to dress to impress, but a country concert is a special chance for you to turn on some extra shine.

Of course the first things that come to mind to wear are cowboy boots, right? But there are just so many options out there for boot styles, and ways to wear them. Here is just a quick rundown of some of my personal favorites that are sure to make you look great.

Adding a touch of western flair to your look doesn’t mean you have to fall immediately into the obvious clichés. These Frye Billy short boots are subtle in their western accents and versatile in their styling. They could easily be paired with a dress, skirt, or shorts which gives you plenty of options so you’ll end up wearing them over and over again.

And don’t worry gentlemen, we haven’t forgotten about you. We know it’s just as important to you that you look great for your night out. Going to a country show in a Stetson and roper boots is pretty cliché, right? You don’t have to be so obvious to achieve a western inspired look. You can swap in an outback hat or fedora for the traditional cowboy hat, or possibly toss on a cool rugged leather belt with your best pair of jeans. Match it with a nice fitted plaid button down shirt and a funky pair of lace-up or engineer style boots and you’re ready to rock, country style.

So, what concerts are you headed to this fall, and what re you wearing? We’d love to know, so feel free to share your look in the comments.

date outfit with frye boots

On any given Friday night, thousands of people across the country are getting ready for Date Night.  Whether it’s a first encounter, or a special night out with your long time SO, the pressure is always on to look your best.  It seems we’re always obsessing over choosing the perfect outfit for that big date, but the outfit is only half of the equation.  The accents and accessories you choose can easily make or break your entire look so they should not be discounted when you’re getting ready.

The first accessory that we generally try to match with any outfit is the right pair of shoes.  My philosophy is generally comfort first, so luckily there are a ton of cute options available that perfectly blend both style and comfort.  Frye boots are a major staple in my wardrobe.  Frye not only has a huge range of footwear types and styles, but they are all so versatile that you really can’t go wrong.  And if you have ever owned a pair of Fryes, you know that they are built to last.  The brand has a long history and a fabulous reputation for quality and durability.  This is a wise investment for any aspiring style guru.

When it comes to other accessories like bags, hats, and belts it’s really going to be case specific.  Sometimes it might be more appropriate to keep it simple and go without.  The choice is really up to you and the possibilities are truly endless.  Personally, I love a braided leather belt to cinch the waist of a pretty and feminine floral dress.  top it off with a vintage leather bag, amazing boots, and you’re ready to knock the socks right off of your date.

Suede Moccasins

All of us who own moccasins know that they get better and more comfortable as they get broken in.  The problem is, however, that the breaking in process can do a number on the outward appearance of your mocs.  There are some steps that you can take to protect your moccasins from wear, and routinely clean and maintain them.

The first thing that you can do, especially if your moccasins are suede, is to treat them with a waterproofing agent.  This will make it much easier to treat any spills or stains, especially if you purchase a suede cleaning kit.  This kit should, at minimum, consist of a special suede eraser and a stiff bristled brush.  The eraser should only be applied to the suede when it is dry, followed by a stiff brushing.  This method can aid in removing everything from mud and dirt to scuff marks and stains.

Leather moccasins require slightly different care.  They are typically somewhat more durable since they are made from the heavier hides of cows, deer, and moose.  Leather that is routinely cleaned and conditioned with appropriate leather care products will naturally hold up longer, and even repel dirt and water much better than if it’s not cared for.  You can easily purchase saddle soap and leather conditioner at any store, or you can make your own mixture from common household products like glycerin, cream, oil, and ammonia.  Fat from the cream and oil will moisturize the leather while ammonia prevents mildew and glycerin seals the moisture into the pores of the leather.  Regularly working this mixture into your moccasins with a damp cloth or sponge will keep them in perfect condition for years to come.

Technorati Tags: leather care, moccasins

Denim Wedding Dresses

Denim Wedding Dress

Western Wedding Dress

Is this really how you want to remember your wedding day??  It’s supposed to be the best day of your life, but nobody looks their best in an outfit like this.  Nobody.

Poofy ‘Southern Belle’ Dresses

puffy western wedding dress

Eevry bride wants to feel like the most beautiful woman in the world on her wedding day.  She wants to feel feminine, delicate, and effortlessly flawless.  Now, pause for a minute and think about whether any of those things describe the image above.  No.  This dress is heavy, matronly and outdated, yet this is the type of thing that is being marketed to western brides.  Yikes!

Overly Authentic Setting and Decor

Straw bales don't make the comfiest seats.

So you’ve always dreamed of getting hitched on your old grandaddy’s farm, where you used to spend summers as a kid.  As cute as you might think it would be to have  your guests arrive in a wagon, sit on straw bales, and dance in a barn, I doubt anyone would actually enjoy that.   Blus, nobody likes cow dung on their dress shoes (unless they’re cowboy boots perhaps), or hay bits in their hair.

You want your big day to be memorable, but for the right reasons, and not because you fell into these or one of many other awful cliches.  Heed our warning!

Technorati Tags: Cowboy Boots, western wear

Hats

Vintage hats like berets are in for fall.

I definitely see hats being more prominent than ever this fall.  Especially vintage styles like the beret.  A hat is one of the simplest ways of changing the tone of any outfit.

Ankle Boots

Ankle boots with a red dress

Boots of all heights are always a major staple of fall apparel, but this year it seems to be all about the ankle boots.  So you should plan to see a lot of these around, styled in many different ways.  You can wear them with a dress, skirt, jeans, trousers, you name it.  There’s pretty much no excuse not to own a pair like these Fryes.

Native prints

Native prints are everywhere

We’ve been seeing a ton of bold, Aztec prints this year on everything from tees, to dresses and even shorts and shoes.  Of course, we are crazy about this trend because it lends itself so well to being paired up with a great pair of fringe boots or moccasins.

Western Wear

Speaking of fringe, you won’t only see it on your feet this season.  Classic western touches are appearing on all types of garments these days.

Visible socks

You heard us mention it this summer with the whole sandals debacle, but evidently the best is yet to come.  You should plan to see socks peeking over oxfords, boots, and any other shoes you see this fall.  Over-the-knee socks are also proving to be a big hit.

Technorati Tags: fashion, frye boots, trends

Sing Scotty!

Great news, readers!  Our favorite country singing idol has just released his second single.  If you haven’t heard it yet, please scroll down to the bottom of this post and have a listen to Scotty McCreery’s latest: The Trouble with Girls.

I have to admit that this isn’t exactly what I was expecting from Scotty, which makes me pretty curious what his album, due out in October, is going to sound like.  The lyrics and melody of the song are both pretty watered down.  If I had to draw a comparison, I’d say that this would be like the country equivalent of a Justin Bieber song.  But with Scotty’s deep baritone voice, the sort of cheesy, poppy lyrics sound a little out of place.  Sometimes, however, I forget that he is only 17 and this is probably right up the alley of his target audience.  And there’s no denying that the chorus is pretty catchy.

So get your fill Scotty Fans, because this is going to have to hold you over until the album is released next month.  And if you really need another dose of Scotty, then you can revisit our dress up Scotty app!  Come on, what could be more fun than picking out cowboy boots and hats for your very own  Scotty McCreery, then sharing it with all of your friends on Facebook and Twitter!?

So here it is folks, Scotty’s new single.  Enjoy.

Technorati Tags: Cowboy Boots, dress up scotty

The Frye Company

The Frye Company is legendary in the American footwear industry.  They are known around the world for their exceptional quality leather shoes, boots and accessories.  I have no doubt that you are all familiar with this nearly 150 year old brand, but you might be surprised to learn that they have just opened their very first retail store.

Frye is entering a new era with a major expansion of their retail sector in the works.  This flagship store, located in SoHo in NYC is just the beginning. The company will be launching a full fledged international retail expansion campaign spanning over the next 5 years.  This will mean we can expect additional locations to be popping up across the country as well as abroad.
One of the most exciting things about these new retail locations is that they are offering some brand new exclusive services. These include tattooing of your Frye boots and available appointments with personal shoppers and private fit experts.  It sounds as though, even beyond shopping, a visit to any Frye store will be an experience all its own.  I know that the next time I’m in The Big Apple, I will certainly make The Frye Store in SoHo one of my primary destinations.

Technorati Tags: frye boots, frye store, the frye company