More often than not, you’ll find two staples in a Colorado woman’s closet: cowboy boots and clogs. I like this pair of Strathmore clogs from Ariat International since they combine the comfort of clogs with definite Western flair. Ariat is known primarily for outfitting equestrians with top-notch riding boots (both English and Western), and they put the same care into manufacturing casual footwear, too.

The Strathmore attracted me with its darling flower-and-clover pattern of brushed-nickel studs. The shoes are extremely comfortable with extra padding around the upper heel and the a strip of elastic on each side (cleverly hidden underneath the leather upper so the stretchy material isn’t visible). Ariat shoes feature all sorts of other high-tech, patented technologies that add to the comfort factor — but I just think they feel good on my feet. I also think the horseshoe-shaped rubber treads on the soles are cute.

While I’m usually a fan of double-duty shoes — i.e. wearing tennis or hiking shoes on the plane that I know I’ll use at my destination — these clogs have been my shoes of choice for my last two trips from cold Colorado to balmy Belize and Mexico. I had no intention of wearing the heavy, leather clogs in a tropical place, but I wanted a shoe that was easy to get on and off through airport security, sturdy for maneuvering through airports during tight layovers, and comfortable for a long travel day. I just packed my flip flops in my carry-on, and slipped off my clogs and into my beach shoes before I arrived at customs.

Back at home I wear the Ariat Strathmore clogs often, typically with jeans or flared pants. As the snow flies in Colorado, I may not be sporting them as often as boots in the coming months, but they indeed make a great fall shoe. No wonder my Colorado sister-in-law owns Strathmores in both brown and black!

The Ariat Strathmore, which I feel runs true to size, retails for about $120 on online sites like Endless.com.