1970s Laramie Checkerboard Rockabilly Boots • Women’s 6.5 M

Vintage 1960s Tony Lama Red Checkerboard Rockabilly Cowgirl Boots
Size: Women’s 9.5 B
Maker: Tony Lama (El Paso, Texas)
Era: 1960s
Condition: Good Vintage Condition

The Boots
Stop traffic red. These vintage 1960s Tony Lama cowgirl boots are a jaw-dropping showpiece in red-and-white checkerboard woven leather — a design so bold, so unapologetically loud, that they could only have come from the golden age of rockabilly Western fashion. These are the boots that Wanda Jackson would have worn to burn down a honky-tonk.

The vamps feature an all-over red-and-white checkerboard pattern created through an intricate woven leather technique. Tiny squares of red and white leather are interlaced to create a dizzying, op-art effect that shimmers and shifts as the boot moves. This woven leather extends from the pointed toe all the way up through the lower boot and wraps completely around the heel counter — an extraordinary amount of labor-intensive handwork. At the front of each shaft, a dramatic tulip-shaped inlay of the same checkerboard leather rises into the red upper, creating a seamless visual bridge between the two sections.

The tall shafts are solid cherry red leather with elegant elongated diamond stitching in cream thread — classic Tony Lama craftsmanship that provides just enough traditional Western structure to ground the wild vamps below. The scalloped collar, cream piping, and matching red pull straps complete the look. The interior bears the iconic black “Tony Lama / El Paso” label in gold script.

Tony Lama: El Paso’s Finest Since 1911
Tony Lama founded his boot company in El Paso, Texas, in 1911 after apprenticing as a cobbler for the U.S. Army at Fort Bliss. Over the next century, Tony Lama became one of the most recognized names in Western footwear, known for combining traditional craftsmanship with designs that pushed the boundaries of what a cowboy boot could be.

During the 1960s, when these boots were made, Tony Lama was at the height of its creative output. The company was still family-owned, still manufacturing entirely in El Paso, and producing some of the most adventurous designs in the industry. The woven leather checkerboard pattern was among their most technically demanding offerings — each pair required hours of painstaking hand-weaving that made them a premium product even by Tony Lama’s high standards.

The Rockabilly Connection
Red boots have always been the rebel’s choice. In the 1950s and 1960s, as rockabilly music fused country with rock and roll, the cowboy boot became a symbol of that crossover — traditional enough for Nashville, wild enough for the Sunset Strip. A pair of red checkerboard Tony Lamas from this era is pure rockabilly royalty. These are the boots of a woman who dances on tables, sings along to the jukebox, and never apologizes for being the loudest thing in the room.

Condition
These boots have been worn and they wear their age with pride. The red leather shafts show natural creasing and softening throughout. The checkerboard woven leather vamps remain intact with the weave tight and secure, though some individual squares show minor wear and surface loss at the toe tips. The leather soles show significant wear. The stacked heels show scuffing and wear at the base. One pull strap shows wear. The interior Tony Lama label is intact and legible. These are boots with decades of stories in them — and they’re ready to make more.

Vintage 1970s Hondo Butterfly Tall Cowgirl Boots
Size: Women’s 7.5 B

Maker: Hondo Boots (Made in Mexico)
Style: 8070
Era: 1970s
Condition: Good Vintage Condition

The Boots
These are the boots that Stevie Nicks would have worn to write Rhiannon. A stunning pair of vintage 1970s Hondo tall cowgirl boots in black leather, adorned with bold burgundy and gold butterfly inlays that give these boots an unmistakable bohemian-meets-Western mystique.

The extra-tall stovepipe shafts rise well above the calf, creating a dramatic silhouette that was the hallmark of 1970s cowgirl fashion. Each boot features a large, striking butterfly inlay at the upper shaft — rendered in deep burgundy leather with golden/snakeskin-print accent wings that catch the light. The butterflies are outlined in precise stitching that gives them a dimensional, almost appliqué quality against the black leather. A matching smaller butterfly adorns the outer vamp of each boot, tying the design together from toe to top.

The shafts feature subtle diamond stitching at the collar and a classic scalloped overlay at the vamp-to-shaft transition. The pointed snip toe and stacked wooden heel are pure 1970s Western — feminine, confident, and built for a night out. Black pull straps sit at the top of the tall shafts, and the interior is fully leather-lined in golden tan with the “Hondo Boots” woven label and “Made in Mexico / Hecho en Mexico” stamping clearly visible.

Hondo Boots
Hondo Boots was a respected maker of quality Western footwear, manufacturing their boots in Mexico with a focus on solid leather construction and bold design. During the 1970s, when the cowboy boot crossed over from country into rock, folk, and mainstream fashion, Hondo was producing some of the most visually striking women’s boots on the market. Their butterfly design became one of the most iconic motifs of the era — a symbol of freedom, femininity, and the free-spirited 1970s Western aesthetic.

Hondo boots were known for their generous shaft heights, quality leather, and the kind of bold inlay work that made them stand out on a shelf full of conservative brown boots. They were the boots of the counterculture cowgirl — the woman who listened to Emmylou Harris, wore turquoise jewelry, and danced barefoot when her boots came off at the end of the night.

Condition
These boots have been well worn and carry their years with character. The black leather shows natural creasing and softening throughout the tall shafts — this is soft, broken-in leather that has molded to a foot over decades of wear. All butterfly inlays remain securely attached with vibrant burgundy and gold coloring intact. The leather soles show significant wear. The stacked wooden heels show wear and weathering at the base. The snip toes show minor scuffing. The interior lining is clean and the Hondo label is intact. These boots have lived a full life and they’re ready for their next chapter.

Vintage 1990s Liberty Stars & Moons Cowgirl Boots
Size: Women’s 7 C

Maker: Liberty Boot Co.
Era: 1990s
Condition: Good Vintage Condition

The Boots
Celestial magic meets Western tradition. These vintage Liberty boots feature a stunning stars-and-moons inlay design that feels like a desert night sky rendered in leather. Bold turquoise six-point stars, golden crescent moons, and delicate climbing vine leaves cascade across cream leather shafts, creating one of the most visually captivating boot designs of the 1990s.

The tall cream shafts are loaded with detail: large turquoise leather star inlays dominate the upper portion, while golden yellow crescent moon inlays cradle smaller turquoise stars at the center of each boot. Slender climbing vines with golden leaf inlays wind upward between the celestial motifs, adding organic movement to the geometric star shapes. Every element is outlined in precise brown stitching that ties the composition together.

The vamps are crafted from rich cognac brown leather with a sharp snip toe and natural creasing that speaks to a well-loved boot. The transition from vamp to shaft features a dramatic scalloped overlay in the cognac leather, creating a beautiful frame for the cream-and-turquoise artwork above. Brown leather pull straps and brown piping along the seams complete the warm, earthy color palette.

The soles have been resoled with rubber half-soles for added traction and longevity — a sign that someone loved these boots enough to invest in keeping them going.

Liberty Boot Co.
Liberty Boot Co. built a devoted following in the 1990s and 2000s for their bold, artistic inlay designs that pushed cowgirl boots into the realm of wearable art. Based in the bootmaking heartland of Texas, Liberty became known for their willingness to use color fearlessly — turquoise, red, gold, cream — in combinations that traditional makers wouldn’t touch. Their star and celestial designs became particularly iconic, earning them a loyal following among women who wanted boots with personality and soul.

Liberty boots were handcrafted with quality leather construction throughout, and their inlay work was executed with a level of precision that elevated them above the mass-market competition. Today, vintage Liberty boots — particularly the star designs — have become highly collectible in the resale market.

Condition
These boots have been well worn and well loved. The cognac leather vamps show significant creasing and natural patina consistent with regular use. The cream leather shafts show some discoloration and light soiling in areas. All turquoise star and golden moon inlays remain securely attached and vibrant. The soles have been professionally resoled with rubber half-soles. The stacked heels show wear and scuffing. One pull strap shows wear at the attachment point. The interior is clean. These are boots with a story — they’ve danced, walked, and lived a full life, and they’re ready for their next adventure.

Vintage Late 1980s Austin Hall Thunderbird & Heart Cowgirl Boots
Size: Women’s 8.5 M
Maker: Austin Hall
Era: Late 1980s
Condition: Good Vintage Condition

The Boots
These boots have attitude for days. A stunning pair of vintage Austin Hall cowgirl boots in a dramatic black and white colorway, loaded with bold leather inlay work that screams 1980s Western rock and roll. From the thunderbird eagles to the red hearts to the lightning bolt arrows, every element of this design was built to make a statement.

The tall black leather shafts are dominated by massive white leather thunderbird/eagle inlays with outstretched wings that span nearly the full width of the boot. The wings feature intricate cut-out feather details that allow the black leather beneath to show through, creating a layered, dimensional effect. At the center of each eagle’s chest sits a heart — rendered in bold red leather on one side and black on the other — adding a pop of color that breaks the monochrome palette with perfect precision.

A striking white lightning bolt arrow runs vertically down the front of each shaft, flanked by geometric Southwestern-inspired inlays at the upper collar. The collar itself features a dramatic scalloped white overlay with cut-out flame or tulip motifs. At the toe, a white starburst/eagle inlay adds one final bold detail.

The boots feature an aggressive snip toe, a stacked Western heel, and a tall shaft height that gives them serious presence. The black pull straps are long and functional. Leather soles are stamped with the “Baronas” brand name.

Austin Hall: Bold Western Fashion
Austin Hall carved out a niche in the late 1980s Western fashion market with boots that pushed the boundaries of traditional cowgirl design. While many brands played it safe with florals and pastels, Austin Hall leaned into high-contrast, graphic designs that appealed to women who wanted their boots to carry the same energy as a rock concert or a Saturday night on Broadway. These boots sit at the intersection of Western tradition and punk attitude — the kind of pair that Joan Jett would wear with black leather pants.

Condition
These boots have been worn and loved, and they show it with pride. The black leather has developed a soft, broken-in character with natural creasing throughout the shafts. All white leather inlays remain securely attached and intact. The red heart inlays are vibrant. The leather soles show significant wear, and the stacked heels show scuffing and wear at the base. The snip toes show minor curling and wear at the tips. These are boots with a story — they’ve clearly lived a life and they’re ready for their next chapter.

NOS 1980s Larry Mahan Floral Inlay Cowboy Boots
Size: Women’s 6.5 B
Maker: Larry Mahan Boot Collection (El Paso, Texas)

Era: 1980s
Condition: New Old Stock (NOS) — Never Worn / Store Stock

The Boots
Brand new, never worn, straight out of the 1980s. These Larry Mahan floral inlay cowboy boots are new old stock — deadstock store inventory that has sat untouched for nearly four decades. The leather soles are virtually unmarked, the interior is pristine, and the leather is as fresh as the day they left the factory in El Paso.

The design is pure 1980s Western femininity at its finest. A soft, buttery tan leather serves as the canvas for a cascading garden of multi-color leather flower inlays. Bold red and deep purple five-petal blossoms climb up the shafts on stitched green stems with vibrant green leaf inlays, creating a lush, garden-like effect that wraps the entire boot — front, back, and sides. The flowers are arranged in an organic, climbing vine pattern that gives the design a natural, free-flowing quality.

The snip toe is elegantly pointed with subtle decorative stitching at the vamp, and the dark stacked heel provides a flattering, comfortable height. The interior is fully leather-lined in cream. Pull straps are intact and unused.

The Larry Mahan Name
Larry Mahan is one of the most decorated rodeo cowboys in American history. A six-time All-Around World Champion (1966–1970, 1973) and a Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame inductee, Mahan dominated professional rodeo during its golden era before transitioning into the Western fashion industry. His boot line, manufactured in El Paso, Texas, became synonymous with quality Western footwear that bridged the gap between authentic rodeo heritage and fashion-forward design.

During the 1980s cowboy boot boom, Larry Mahan boots were among the most sought-after brands in the country. The combination of a legitimate rodeo champion’s name with high-quality El Paso manufacturing and bold, colorful designs made them a favorite of women who wanted boots with both pedigree and personality.

Why NOS Matters
New Old Stock means these boots have never been worn. They were manufactured in the 1980s, shipped to a retailer, and sat in storage ever since. The result is a pair of vintage boots in essentially new condition — no creasing, no sole wear, no patina. You are getting a brand-new pair of 1980s Larry Mahan boots that simply cannot be found in this condition anymore.

The leather has remained supple and the colors vibrant thanks to decades of climate-controlled storage. Minor shelf wear and very light surface marks on the toe are the only indication these aren’t fresh off the production line.

The Bottom Line
For the woman who wants a pair of authentic 1980s floral cowboy boots without the decades of wear that typically comes with them, this is the find. Larry Mahan pedigree, beautiful multi-color inlay work, and deadstock condition — it doesn’t get better than this.