Tony Lama 1970s Tall Inlay Cowgirl Boots (NOS)
Size: Women’s 5 1/2 B
Maker: Tony Lama (El Paso, Texas)
Material: Chocolate Brown Leather with Gold/Tan Leather Inlays, Tan Leather Side Panels
Condition: New Old Stock (NOS)
The Boots
A breathtaking pair of 1970s-era Tony Lama tall cowgirl boots in new old stock condition — never worn, straight from the shelf of a long-closed Western store. These are a time capsule of Tony Lama’s peak craftsmanship era, and they look it.
The extra-tall shafts are done in rich chocolate brown leather with dramatic fleur-de-lis and tulip inlays in gold and tan leather that run the full height of the front and back panels. The inlay work is bold and symmetrical — large, sweeping Art Nouveau-inspired curves with a central tulip bud motif that dominates each panel. The design is framed by tan leather side panels that run from the pull tabs down to the heel, creating a striking three-tone color palette of chocolate, tan, and gold. Additional tonal stitchwork in cream thread traces flowing vine patterns across the tan panels, adding a layer of detail that only reveals itself up close.
The vamps are smooth, glossy chocolate brown leather with horizontal stitching detail at the instep and a pointed toe profile. The proportions are pure 1970s — extra-tall shafts, a slim silhouette, and a stacked black heel that gives these boots a leg-lengthening look that was the height of Western fashion in that era.
Construction is classic Tony Lama quality: leather soles, stacked heels with rubber caps, cream leather lining throughout, and the kind of precise inlay work that only came out of the El Paso factory during their golden years.
New Old Stock
These boots are new old stock — they have never been worn. The leather soles show only the faintest storage marks, the heels are completely fresh, and the leather throughout is supple and unworn with no creasing anywhere. The original size markings are still written inside the shaft in pencil. Finding a pair of 1970s Tony Lamas in this condition — with this level of inlay work — is genuinely rare. Most boots from this era have been worn for decades. These sat in storage and waited.
The Bottom Line
Tony Lama. 1970s era. New old stock. Extra-tall shafts with bold fleur-de-lis and tulip inlays in gold and tan against chocolate brown leather. Three-tone color palette. Never worn. Women’s 5 1/2 B. This is the kind of boot that doesn’t exist anymore — the craftsmanship, the proportions, the materials, and the condition all come together in a way that simply cannot be replicated today. A museum-quality piece you can actually wear.
