On a personal level, I have very mixed feelings about cowboy boots. I’m from the South, where they’re somewhat indigenous to traditional culture, and they simultaneously represent the regional charm of my home and the stereotypes that I feel as though I must instantly combat as soon as I tell anyone I’m from Georgia. They’re a reminder that fashion, above and beyond being an aesthetic pleasure, is a social language with which we give the world at large numerous clues about how we see ourselves. Cowboy boots: kind of fraught!

Which is why I don’t know what to think about the Michael Kors Leather and Calf Hair Cowboy Boots. They’re a beautiful pair of shoes, first and foremost; rich polished leather and spotted calf hair, simple-yet-familiar-structure, just the right amount of slouch in the shaft. Still, though, I’m not sure I could ever wear a pair of cowboy boots with a straight face.

I imagine that I’m not the only one who feels conflicted about the kitschy Americana of cowboy boots, but they can be fabulous in their own right. Many traditional boots are handmade with fine leathers and meant to be worn for years, which is a commitment to footwear that I think most designer shoe fiends can appreciate. Would you buy cowboy boots? Do you already own them? You can grab this pair for $1295 via Net-a-Porter.