September 17, 1942
The War Production Board's ban on fancy cowboy boots for the duration will affect the wardrobe of the drugstore cowboy. The ranchman and the cowboy of the range will get along with less stitching on their Sunday boots.
Stitching is mentioned in an order from the WPB which says that no more fancy cowboy boots are to be made for the duration. Tony Lama, the bootmaker, has appealed for clarification. A certain amount of stitching is necessary to make the boot top stand up, he said.
Ralph Fleck, El Paso cowman, today said that one row of stitching is enough for a work boot.
"Cowmen like three or four rows of stitching on their dress boots," said Mr. Fleck. "But one row will hold 'em up."
Old timers in the cow country often prefer their dress boots made with a brown leather on the tops as a contrast to the black bottoms and they like several rows of stitching, Mr. Fleck' said.
"That's not loud but it makes a pretty boot," said Mr. Fleck. "Of course, anything real fancy, well, that's for the drugstore cowboy or the Hollywood roper."
A work boot in El Paso costs a cowboy around $16 and a dress boot from $23 to $25, cowmen say.
The stitching which they like is made with silk thread, which is the reason probably, WPB specifically mentioned stitching. The leather in the boot tops is soft like glove leather and the Myres Saddle Co. reports it's having trouble buying leather.
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