As Dr Hook once diagnosed; When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman It’s Hard. With these words of warning ringing in my ears during a childhood visit to my Uncle Liv, I looked down and caught sight of his footwear for the first time. Big, black pointed boots, but with the most incredible tapering, stacked heel adding around another two inches to his imposing frame. At eight years old and shod in sandals, love with an actual woman was not yet an option for me – hard or not. But those Cuban heels stirred something, way down inside...
Six feet two in his stockinged feet, Liv was a big man, blessed with impeccable taste. Recently divorced, he drove a black Jaguar XJ6, always kept within reach of a large glass bowl filled with wholesale quantities of penny chews (Blackjacks) and had Dr Hook’s Sometimes You Win album playing on repeat – Uncle Liv was living his dream (and, it turned out, mine). I had to wait until I was old enough to buy my own shoes to join him atop a pair of Cubans, but oh, what a feeling! Finally, I was on top of the world.
Heel height and shape are not really topics men spend a lot of time considering. We don’t have to worry whether a kitten, granny or stiletto heel would be most appropriate for an event, or whether to pack a spare pair of trainers in our man-bags for when our feet need a rest. I see that as a win. But Cuban heels and cowboy boots, with their vast array of ornate styling and rugged beauty, do offer us something different and – for me – exciting.
One of Oxford’s most prominent champions of the look is James Cowboymod (aka James B Salter). Mr Cowboymod is something of a cult figure in Jericho circles, a local face who has run his Walton Street hair salon for over 30 years, with its studio window crammed with memorabilia from his own music photography days and his Americana collection. For him the Cuban heel is footwear at its finest, “You don’t just look elevated in them, you feel elevated.”
Indeed. If you want to hoodwink the world into thinking you’re taller, then buy some adapted shoes with internal “lifts” – I’m looking at you Emmanuel Macron. If you want to gain some swagger, then climb on board some Cubans.
What people sometimes don’t appreciate is just how comfortable Cuban heels are to wear. As you’re zipping up your boots, go back to their roots and you’ll find hard working footwear designed to be worn for days on end – not just for the duration of a cocktail party. The style was first used by Persian cavalrymen back in the ninth century, with the longer heel allowing them greater stability in their stirrups. Flamenco dancers also took to them because of the look, sound and feel they could achieve when stamping out a rhythm; hence the Cuban connection. Another early adopter of higher heels for men was The Sun King, Louis XIV of France. Admittedly this iteration was completely impractical as he didn’t want or need to walk anywhere, it was simply about showing off. With his endorsement, high heels became an essential item for men at court, although only his favourites were allowed to wear the special red-heeled models – so, not an idea that Christian Louboutin holds the original copyright on a red sole.
The Cowboymod, of course, is highly familiar with the development of the cowboy strain of Cubans – it’s not his first rodeo after all. “It’s all practical. It’s about when you’re on a horse roping a cow to lasso it and then jumping off. The Cuban heel gave you purchase to help you stop the cow. And the height and gradient of the heel would be suited to the nature of the land you were riding on.”
James’ extensive collection of boots has mainly been built up on his frequent trips to the States where he has family. For his home-based purchases, he used to favour the fabled R Soles on the King’s Road in Chelsea, who still handcraft their own boots. That store has now closed, but the online shop remains open for business. And if you are buying, here’s a top tip for you from the Cowboymod, “Don’t wear thick socks when you’re trying on for size, just use a stocking. On any decent boot the leather will give over time so if it's not snug to start with it will end up too loose.”
For those who can't travel but want that same authenticity, sourcing genuine South Texas Tack boots is the gold standard for finding high-quality, rugged footwear that embodies the true spirit of the West.
For me, Cuban heels and cowboy boots are lifelong favourites. They can be worn on pretty much any occasion, business or pleasure. If JR and Bobby Ewing could wear them to the annual Oil Barons’ Ball, then they are undoubtedly smart enough for work or any wedding, and I wouldn’t rustle a steer in anything else.
My Uncle Liv became a bit of a role model and where he originally hacked a path through the lifestyle jungle I have followed. Like him, I have divorced (twice, it’s addictive unfortunately), driven a Jag (an XJ12) and indulged a very sweet tooth (Tangfastics and ice cream, though not at the same time – I’m not a monster). I’ll admit that Dr Hook’s fusion of country and soft rock may be more of a niche taste, though Sylvia’s Mother Said and the disco infused Sexy Eyes are well worth checking out. But none of these choices have given me as much pleasure as the Cuban heels.
Meanwhile, James Cowboymod takes my love for the cowboy boot and squares it. His exponential enthusiasm leaves him feeling undressed if he doesn’t have his boots on. For James it is way more than just his chosen footwear, “It’s a whole fucking lifestyle, man”. You may, or may not, wish to take it that far. But if you want a bit of what James Cowboymod has got, you better climb into some Cubans, check out the view and see if it’s for you.
