From analyst to cowboy boot designer – such is the inspiring story behind CITY Boots, a Texas-based boot company changing the face of cowboy boots for women.
When you think of cowboy boots, what do you automatically think of? Let’s be honest – most of us would think of treading over grass and fields, or riding a horse. Most people would never even think of wearing cowboy boots to work, or to a special occasion like a wedding. But this company has changed all that.
Who is Behind the Company?
Let me introduce you to the beautiful, talented, and gritty Lizzy Chestnut Bentley. She is the very epitome of persistence, talent, and tenacity all rolled into one. Allow me to tell you about how she founded the company.
Lizzy graduated in 2012 with a degree in Bachelor’s in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, and Alternate Assets. She then took a job as a senior analyst at Halliburton, which was involved in the oil and gas industry. She was all set for a promising career in the oil industry, when one day, it all came crashing down. But before we get to the part where her career setback paved the way for her incredible foray into e-commerce and handmade cowboy boots, let’s begin by talking about her love for the pair of shoes.
How to Wear The Brand’s Top Products
If you’re one of the many women who are wary about wearing cowboy boots, then don’t worry, you’re not alone. Though the cowboy boot has become one of the most fashionable pairs of shoes today, it did take a while for many women to accept them as a fashionable shoe option.
Luckily, the company offers a range of beautiful boots that go well with any style of clothes and can be worn over a multitude of different occasions and events. Lizzy Bentley has designed them to look timeless and chic, without being too “over fashionable” or too far from their very Western essence. The boots have the perfect touch of Western heritage, but done in a modern, sophisticated stylish way about them.
Here are some tips on how you can wear City boots with any kind of outfit:
- Skinny Jeans
All of the boots in the collection can be worn with skinny jeans. They’re best worn with jeans tucked inside, giving you a sleek and tall aesthetic look. The Preston in black, in particular, has a sleek, mysterious, and professional look that goes well with dark skinny jeans. Wear a collared shirt and blazer and the Preston can take you from the office to dinner with your friends or loved ones.
- Fit and Flare Dress
The fit and flare dress is a flattering and feminine dress that highlights the waist and gives you that hourglass figure. It is a flowy style of dress that oozes femininity and softness. While the most common shoe to wear with this kind of dress is a sandal, create a unique look with the CITY Slicker Bone Suede Slip-on Booties, for a soft and tough contrast.
- Shirtdress
Structured pieces always go well with boots, and a shirt dress is a casual and easy look that any woman can pull off. As a casual style, a shirtdress will go well with the CITY Hillcrest Cowboy boot in cinnamon color. The tall, slim, and calfskin boots with the signature CITY toe shoe being not too pointed and not too rounded offers a sexy and refreshing take to an otherwise regular shirtdress.
- Coat
Cowboy boots are not just something you’d wear in the spring or summer seasons, but they’re versatile enough to wear with a trench coat or any coat for that matter. A coat that falls just a little above your knees that shows the right amount of skin on your legs is perfect with The North Side CITY Boots. Designed for the midnight cowgirl, these boots are perfect for all occasions and its tall and slim details make legs look longer, even if you’re hiding under a long and bulky trench coat.
Long gone are the days when cowboy boots for women are only reserved for riding or treading over mud and grass. CITY Boots has completely changed the game when it comes to stylish and fashionable cowboy boots that are made to perfection.
If You like City Boots, we also think you will love these beautiful cowgirl boots by Lane Boots!
From the boardroom to the office, to the streets to the club, the brand has definitely changed the way cowboy boots are worn by different kinds of women from all walks of life. And the best thing about them? They’re made to last a lifetime, with expert craftsmanship, genius design, and an unnerving passion
from its founder, Lizzy Chestnut Bentley.
Lizzy Chestnut Bentley’s Love for Cowboy Boots
Having been born and raised in Amarillo, Texas, Lizzy was rarely without her cowboy boots. Her very first pair were from her grandfather, who gifted her with a pink pair when she was 4 years old. Since then, she had always been in love with cowboy boots, and by the time she was 24, she had amassed an impressive collection of 50 pairs, with many of them being vintage finds. Okay, so now let’s go back to her career in the oil and gas industry.
Great video on just who City Boots is and what they stand for
So when she started working in the corporate world in Houston, she realized there was something missing in the corporate culture that irked her: while most of her male colleagues freely wore cowboy boots at the office, she couldn’t find a pair that looked professional enough to wear in the corporate world.
Being an Amarillo girl, she just couldn’t resist wearing one to work, so she decided to design a pair to solve her problem. It was a pair of black buffalo leather boots with single stitching of white piping on the side. She tucked them into skinny back pants, wore a blouse and blazer, and voila, her corporate look complete with a pair of cowboy boots was complete and she couldn’t be any happier.
As someone who’s always had an eye for entrepreneurship, Lizzy wanted to explore boot-making as a sideline. She posted the boots she designed on Facebook and wanted to see the feedback. Soon, friends, family, and colleagues started to ask her about them. She then explored boot making as a sideline, studying the industry and saving money on the side to someday launch her business.
The Start of CITY Boots
It was in 2015 when she sold her very first pair of boots, which was a brown pair similar to the one she designed for herself. Of course, like any business that starts from the ground up, she encountered many struggles, one of which was finding the right manufacturer. And of course, she was also focused on her career in the energy industry at that time.
In 2015, she moved to Dallas for a new job, but pretty soon, the oil market began its freefall and companies started downsizing. It was also during this pivotal moment when her order from Mexico was headed her way. She almost forgot about the order she made 9 months prior, and by some stroke of luck, they came just in time. Because as soon as the boots arrived in December 2015, she was laid off a week later.
Lizzy’s first order was 50 pair of boots, and she launched the brand in 2016. She started hosting trunk shows, booths at markets and events. She found it a struggle to sell at first but as business picked up, the company soon opened a showroom in Fort Worth, fittings in Houston, and a successful e-commerce site.
Today, CITY Boots has a unique niche in the market of cowboy boots because they’re not your regular cowboy boots – they’re slim and tall, making your legs look longer and slimmer, and they’re made with premium leather and handmade by artisans in Old Mexico.
The company’s customers range from cowgirls to women CEOs, TV broadcasters, and fashionistas who love the unique and timeless designs of her products. Even brides have taken a liking to her heart boots, where they wear them under wedding gowns for a quirky and comfy take on bridal shoes.
Lizzy loves taking the cowboy boot to greater heights, expanding Western heritage and tradition to some of America’s most stylish closets.
What Makes The Brand Stand Out
The brand offers street-worthy, handmade cowboy boots for women, but they also carry a few pairs for men and kids. The boots have a signature look of clean lines and rich leathers, exquisite craftsmanship, and the highest quality materials in the market.
These are not the basic cowboy boots that you can buy anywhere, wear for a few weeks, and store in the closet, never to be seen again. The boots are made and designed to be heirloom shoes that last a lifetime.
The company partners with a 4th-generation family-owned factory in Old Mexico that has been making boots for about 100 years. Lizzy Bentley is in a mission to create the highest quality cowboy boots you can find in the market, which can be handed down from one generation to the next.
The designs are also timeless and classic, but with details that make them chic, sophisticated, but also fun. From cowgirls to fashionistas, they can be worn with almost anything and can be paired with every kind of clothing for different occasions.
Following Her Dream Has Lead To A Top Quality Pair Of Cowgirl Boots
As stated on their website “the thing about a good pair of boots – they’re like an old friend”. When it comes to friends and cowboy boots, you only want to surround yourself with the best! When you think of the nights out on the town, the dance floor, football games or the weekend at the ranch, I can’t think of anyone that I would want with me than a close set of friends.
City Boots has surrounded themselves with “old friends” when it comes to making their boots. Their boots are not only beautiful, but hand-crafted to last for generations. I don’t know about you, but I have to admire a woman who left her 9-5 corporate job and put in the time and effort to make her own brand of boots a success.
