Wearing cowboy boots in many of her styled fashion posts, southern fashion influencer Alice Kerley shares her everyday outfit inspiration and style tips when slipping on cowboy boots. Alice inspires many of her followers by sharing her favorite fashion finds and Lucchese collection. She stated, “From blue jeans to shorts and sundresses, cowboy boots go with pretty much anything and everything.” Alice describes what it means to her to put on a pair of Lucchese boots as her admiration for it was truly ignited once she moved to Texas.
Tell us about yourself. Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. I would describe myself as always optimistic, an adventure seeker, and I love to continuously inspire myself by traveling far from home and trying something new. I moved to Texas after college with my husband. We spent almost a decade in the Lone Star state and welcomed our daughter there, too! Now we’re back home in Memphis with another little one on the way.
What led you to become a fashion influencer?
When I was younger, I always loved trying on everything in my closet just for fun. Getting dressed up for the day is truly a joy to me and I have such fun mixing different styles to create my own. I majored in journalism in college, and progression into blogging felt natural. When I started my blog, I’m not even sure the term “influencer” existed yet! The industry has definitely evolved in recent years, and it has been a treat to go along for the ride.
Walk us through a day in the life as a southern influencer. What does your day-to-day look like?
Right now, my day-to-day is a little bit different due to staying home and social distancing. Most of my activities center around my toddler daughter as she’s home with me. We’ve certainly made the most of quarantine together, going on walks around our neighborhood and admiring the different architecture of the beautiful southern homes that surround us. We’ve also planted dozens of flowers and watched them grow in our garden. I try to bring the colorful highlights of my current day to day to my blog and Instagram through imagery of both mine and my daughter’s outfits and adventures. I definitely miss the hustle and bustle that was life before COVID-19, and I know we will get back to exploring our hometown and hopping on airplanes for those impromptu family getaways soon enough.
You have quite the cowboy boot collection. How do cowboy boots play a big role in your life? How have you continued to emphasize western wear in your personal life?
I sure do love my cowboy boots! Growing up in Tennessee, it was very common to see cowboy boots out and about. I wore mine to pretty much every University of Tennessee football game back in college, too. I also have a very well-worn pair that I donned under a ballgown on my wedding day! My dad is very into “cowboy culture,” and his love for all things western has spilled over to his children. My brothers both frequently boast bolo ties because of him, too! I’ve always been inspired by western culture and my admiration for it was truly ignited once we moved to Texas.
Western accents such as tooled leather details, sterling silver and turquoise just seem to speak to me!! I love wearing pieces that tell a story or remind me of a place I’ve visited and loved. Many of my cowboy boots were purchased at or for a specific occasion in my life, and whenever I slip back into a certain pair, I’ll have memories of a night out at rodeo or a special time gone by.
You encourage many of your followers to look into southern/western fashion. Can you share with us your take on how to wear boots? How do you like to style your outfits when you put on a Lucchese boot?
My favorite way to wear my boots is definitely with loose and flowy sundresses! I adore the juxtaposition of a stiff and tailored cowboy boot with a long flowy bohemian dress. I feel like my best and most confident self in some sort of version of this outfit! I have several pairs of Lucchese, and the quality and style of these boots truly stand out in my collection. They are the ones I gravitate to wearing the most because I know they not only look great with whatever I pair them with but that I’ll be comfortable out and about any adventure with them too.
Lucchese boot: All-weather ladies waterproof garden boot
Where do you get your inspiration to create new and trendy looks?
My inspiration seems to come from all over the place. Movies and television shows inspire me the most right now. I can’t recommend Roswell, New Mexico enough — Yes, the story is great, but the western-inspired outfits are just so so good! I also am a history buff and love anything Jane Austen. Victorian-inspired styles seem to speak to me too. I’m no stranger to pairing a dress that looks like it could belong in 1799 with the latest iPhone and my cowboy boots!
What kind of feedback do you get from your followers about your boots?
I have followers reach out about my cowboy boot collection quite frequently! Many ask for tips on finding the right size or how to best style my statement pairs. I also love that I am able to share insight on how to style this popular shoe in new and different ways with them. I hope that I’m able to get some people out of the comfort zone a bit and try a new trend with their most beloved boots.
What’s the most important thing to you when you’re putting on boots? What do you look for when you shop for boots?
I have my basics covered in my boot collection, a pair of black and cognac leather Luccheses that I will cherish forever! When it comes to buying new boots, I look for anything retro-inspired that has something extra or special to it that you don’t see everywhere else. I’m all about embroidery or unique leather cut out details in different colors these days.
Tell us about your Lucchese boot collection. Which is your favorite pair and why?
My favorite pair is the most traditional pair in my closet. I believe it is the women’s black goat snip toe western boots — it has been years since I bought them, but they are a gorgeous shade of shiny black, have beautiful embroidered details and are so broken in that they feel like butter on my feet! I particularly love this pair because I know it will go with just about everything in my wardrobe, plus it perfectly matches one of my go-to wide brim wool hats!
Lucchese boot: Women’s black goat snip toe
Lucchese boot: Women’s black goat snip toe
What do you think about the Lucchese casual collection? Tell us about your garden boots and saddle shoes.
Lucchese’s casual collection is so much fun! I slip on my Lucchese garden boots just about every time I head out into my backyard. Let’s be honest, I don’t enjoy when my beautiful cowboy boots get dirty in anyway. Having a designated pair of Lucchese garden boots designed for adventures in the mud & dirt gives me a bit of relief and lets me enjoy whatever activity I’m wearing them for all the more.
Lucchese boot: All-weather waterproof rain boot
I am always inspired by pieces that have a nod to vintage styles and Lucchese’s saddle shoes remind me of a pair of vintage bowling shoes except these shoes have that added element of western influence. The suede star details truly make these shoes stand out!
I think the fit of the shoe is great and is perfect to style with a sundress for a busy day. I’m a mom to an on-the-go three-year-old and having comfortable stylish shoes is a must in my book.
The fact that Lucchese introduced them piqued my interest in the first place. I was so excited to see a pair of saddle shoes designed by one of my favorite bookmakers and this pair did not disappoint!
Lucchese casual shoe: Saddle shoe
What do you feel every day when you put on your Lucchese boots?
There’s no better feeling than heading out the door to someplace exciting in a pair of cowboy boots. I love that many of mine make a statement and can often act as a conversation piece too. Making new friends over a mutual love of boots is the biggest treat of all!
For more information about Alice and her style, visit her website or follow her on Instagram @alice.kerley.