Mexican pointy boots (Spanish: Botas picudas mexicanas) or tribal boots (Spanish: botas tribaleras) are a style of pointed fashion boots made with elongated toes that were a popular footwear for men in parts of Mexico. The boots were commonly worn in an ironic and comedic way by males involved in the tribal music subculture that thrived in the early 2010s.

A red Mexican pointy boot

Origin and expansion

edit

The boots originated in an unknown location sometime before 2002 and were used in Mazatlan, Sinaloa during carnival by many performers. Following their creation, the trend had expanded to parts of the United States, particularly in Dallas, Texas, but also in Tennessee, Mississippi and Oklahoma.[1][2]

Design

edit

The pointy boots are made by elongating the toe of normal boots by as much as 5 feet (1.5 m), causing the toes to curl up toward the knees. The boots are then further modified according to the wearer's personal taste. Alterations incorporate paint and sequins and can go as far as adding flashing LEDs, disco balls, and mirrors.[1][2]

Dancing

edit

The appearance of the pointy boots has coincided with the popularity of "tribal guarachero" electronic music, hyphy tribal or tribal. Tribal music has been described as "a mixture of Pre-Columbian sounds mixed with fast cumbia bass and electro house beats." Boys and men that wear the pointy boots have formed all-male troupes (Group dance teams) to compete in danceoffs at local nightclubs to tribal music. Participants in the contests spend weeks choreographing their dance moves and fabricating their outfits which commonly include "matching western shirts and skinny jeans to accentuate their footwear." In Monterrey, prize money ranges from $100 to $500. The prize often includes a bottle of whiskey.[1][2]

The dance troupes have reportedly become so popular that they are being hired to entertain "at weddings, for quinceañeras, celebrations of the Virgin of Guadalupe and bachelorette parties" and there is even one report of a crew entertaining after a funeral.[1]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d Olga R. Rodriguez (16 May 2011). "Mexico Town's Mutant Pointy Boots Create a Craze". The Salt lake Tribune. Archived from the original on Jan 22, 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  2. ^ a b c Esteban Sheridan Cárdenas (March 2011). "LOOK AT THESE FUCKING BOOTS! Mexican Footwear Finally Gets to the Point". Vice. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
edit