Cowboy boots are a specific style of riding boot, historically worn by cowboys. They have a high heel that is traditionally made of stacked leather, rounded to pointed toe, high shaft, and, traditionally, no lacing. Cowboy boots are normally made from cowhide leather, which may be decoratively hand-tooled, but are also sometimes made from "exotic" skins like alligator, snake, ostrich, lizard, eel, elephant, stingray, elk, American Bison, and so on.

There are two basic styles of cowboy boots, western (or classic), and roper. The classic style is distinguished by a tall boot shaft, going to at least mid-calf, with an angled "cowboy" heel, usually over one inch high. A slightly lower, still angled, "walking" heel is also common. The toe of western boots was originally rounded or squared in shape. Some claim that the narrow pointed-toe design appeared in the early 1940s, although it can be seen as early as 1914 (see photo of Lottie Briscoe at right).

The "roper" style is a newer design with a short boot shaft that stops above the ankle but before the middle of the calf, with a very low and squared-off "roper" heel, shaped to the sole of the boot, usually less than one inch high. Roper boots are usually made with rounded toes, but styles with squared toe correlate with style changes in streetwear. The roper style is also manufactured in a lace-up design which often fits better around the ankle and is less likely to slip off. Still, lacing also creates safety issues for riding. They usually have some decorative stitching.

Riding boots had been a part of equestrian life for centuries. Until the industrial age, boots were individually handmade in many different styles, depending on the culture. Early cowboy boot designs, along with other cowboy accoutrements, were also heavily influenced by the vaquero tradition that developed from a tradition that originated in Spain to the Americas, dating back to the early 16th century. The boots worn by Mexican vaqueros influenced cowboy boots, although the exact origin of the modern cowboy boot as we know it today is unclear. It has been suggested that during the 16th century, horsemen in Mexico wore cavalier boots, specifically those involved in the Chichimeca War, the majority of which were herdsmen (vaqueros). In the 18th century, many Mexican horsemen used a flat, heel-less shoe of indigenous origin, made of leather, called teguas and, to protect the calves, a set of leather or cloth polainas or gaiters.

In 19th century Mexico, the zapato de ala (winged shoe) or bota de ala (winged boot) came into use; a type of leather, heel-less ankle boots with the sides of the opening or shaft protruding to the sides. Wrapped around each calf, on top of the botas de ala, being covered almost entirely by them, the Mexicans wore their botas de campana or botas campaneras, a set of thick, deer or goatskin, leather wraps, intricately embossed and tied right below the knee by laces known as ataderos. When worn, they gave the impression of being bells or bell-bottoms, hence the name “botas de campana” or “campaneras”, meaning “bell boots”. Botas de campana were also known as botas vaqueras or cowboy boots and within the folds, securely fastened, the Mexican Charros carried a knife or dagger, in easy reach when needed, specially when they needed to free themselves from enemy lassos. Some were made out of buffalo skin; the most expensive and sought after botas de campana were those made in Guadalajara, lined with gold or silver and silk ataderos. In the advent of Mexico’s Independence and the opening up of the country to foreign trade in 1821, the wealthy Mexican horsemen were introduced to the Hessian or Wellington boots, but the majority continued using the botas de campana and botas de ala. But by the 1870’s both traditional boots were falling into disuse, and by the end of the century were long forgotten. Towards the end of the 19th century and early 20th century, the Mexican rancheros were generally wearing a type of Wellington boot, known by the Mexicans as botas federicas, later becoming known as botas jaliscas in the 20th century, which are now mainly used by females in Escaramuza charra. They also wore boots that merged or combined the designs of all three previous types, retaining the intricate designs of the botas de campana.

Americans most likely adopted some aspects of these type of boots via Northern Mexico, with military boots designed for cavalry riders probably also having an influence, thus giving birth to the cowboy boot. The original boot called “cowboy boot” was specifically from Texas and was seldom seen east of the Mississippi. They were extremely tight fitting, peaked boots made of leather, with narrow soles, an eight inch leg and an extraordinarily high heel, partly to prevent the foot from slipping through the stirrups; the boots were what the cowboys were most proud of.

During the cattle drive era of 1866–1884, the cowboy was apt to ruin a good pair of dress boots while working, so some owned more decorative dress boots to wear in town. The basic style elements permeated working boots as well. Fashion magazines from 1850 and 1860 show the cowboy boot with top stitching, geometric or other natural elements cutouts, and underslung heel.^{[citation needed]}

The American-style boot was taken up by bootmakers in the cattle ranching areas of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Two of the best-known early bootmakers of the era were Charles Hyer of Hyer Brothers Boots in Olathe, Kansas, and H. J. "Daddy Joe" Justin of Justin Boots in Spanish Fort, Texas and later Nocona, Texas. After Justin moved to Fort Worth, where shipping was easier, the Nocona brand of cowboy boots was made by Enid Justin Stelzer, eldest daughter of H. J. Justin, who stayed in Nocona with her husband, and the couple continued the family business. After the couple divorced, the Olsen-Stelzer brand was started by Stelzer. The Texas Legislature designated the cowboy boot as the official "State Footwear of Texas" in 2007.