I wandered into an Old Navy for a few minutes while waiting for the Mrs. There was a sign on the window that said "Everything in the store is on sale." I guess that's a good thing for some people, but since I can't get my gray undershirts there anymore, it didn't help me. And of course, the checkout lines were ridiculous. (What is it about that store? There can be three people shopping in the whole place, and you head up to the checkout and it takes ten minutes.)
Anyway, this is the post I was planning to do yesterday: fall is boot season. (Maybe not if you have to wear suits to work, although there are options that work for that.) I think I inherited my affinity for boots from my father, who was a motorcycle cop. He wore tall boots with breeches, always shined to perfection.
When I was getting ready to go to college, we went over to the local shoe repair place. The proprietor carried a small selection of boots, and I bought a pair of waterproof, insulated Herman Survivors, which were that wheat-yellow color that later became so popular. I didn't realize I was ahead of the curve at the time; I was just looking for winter protection. I had them for more than 20 years, and when I eventually donated them to a winter clothing drive, they still had useful life in them.
In the 80s I had an amazing pair of Zodiac boots that I bought at Urban Outfitters. They had pointy toes and angled heels like Beatle boots, and a thin strap that went all the way around with a buckle decoration. I wore them for years and years. I had them resoled a couple of times, to the point that the leather and padding under the sole inside had also worn away. At that point I had to get rid of them. Recently I saw a pair of the exact same style on eBay, but not big enough to fit me now. And I'm not sure I'd want them now anyway; they belong to my youth.
But I have plenty of other boots. Back at the beginning of the decade, you could get quality, Italian-made shoes at Banana Republic and J. Crew for very reasonable money, and they typically went on sale at the end of the season. That's how I got these great side-zip boots.
They were originally $150, but by the time I came across them at J. Crew they had been marked down to $100 and then again to $70. Usually by that point only the very small and very large sizes are left, but they had a good selection. I was working at Trader Joe's at the time and not making much, but I couldn't pass them up. Now, though, they don't fit so well anymore, so I'll probably be putting them on eBay. I tend to be more comfortable in wide shoes, and I think that's why. These only came in medium width, which is typical of J. Crew shoes. Now their $150 shoes are made in China, and they're making a big deal about a new group of styles that are made in Italy, and sell for $300.
Another style I've been wearing for some time is this work boot from Caterpillar (made by Wolverine under license). I got my first pair about ten years ago, and after I'd worn them to the point that they were no longer appropriate to wear to work, I relegated them to outside duty for things like snow shoveling and got this new pair. Because they are intended to be used as work shoes, they are very comfortable to wear for long periods, but these don't have steel toes so they are not as heavy as some others. (The logos are conveniently covered by my pants.) I like these so much, I got another pair in a different color:
A few years ago I was seized with the urge to get a pair of motorcycle boots. I must have seen them in a store somewhere, or maybe in a magazine. The decision came down to a choice between engineer-style and harness-style. I went with harness, mainly because of the more distinctive squared toe, which is called a "snip toe." Marlon Brando I'm not, but these are rugged and look good, and they are made in the USA.
Recently I had another of those urges, but this time for a Chelsea boot. I didn't want one that was especially dressy (this is what I was getting at above, to wear with a suit) because I don't dress dressy that often. Timberland (a company whose shoes I generally don't pay much attention to) has a nice style that is waterproof, runs wide, and has a lightweight, flexible rubber sole. I tried them on at a Timberland store, but I didn't care for their color choices. The brown was too dark, and the tan was weird--it looked too orange.
Later I found the same style online in a rich, beautiful darker tan that, for whatever reason, the Timberland stores and web site don't carry, so I ordered them. They arrived damaged--one of the leather pulls was torn completely off the boot at one end--and of course, when I went to return them for an exchange, they no longer had any left in my size. More than a month later, they still don't. But a couple of weeks ago, I found this pair of Cole Haans on eBay:
They are similar to the Timberlands, though the leather is a little darker and they are just a bit dressier overall. They have leather soles, but whoever had them before had rubber caps put on the soles and heels, and then didn't wear them. I had seen these in DSW for around $160 (from an original retail of $250) and thought that was too much; I ended up paying less than half of the DSW price, and still significantly less than what the Timberlands cost.
But what about when it gets cold? Around here you have to be prepared. The Caterpillar boots are surprisingly cozy, even though they are not insulated. They also are not waterproof. (I really need to invest in a decent product to prolong the life of my shoes and make them more weather-resistant.) When it gets down below 30 degrees or so, they aren't warm enough. I used to have a pair of insulated Orvis boots that I bought from Sierra Trading Post, but my feet were always cold when I was outside waiting for the bus, and then when I'd get to work they would be too warm, so I gave up on them a couple of winters back.
If it's cold but dry, I have these Banana Republic boots with a shearling lining that I got a couple of winters back at an after-Christmas sale for around 1/3 of their original price. Made in Italy, too. They are slightly "distressed," which I wasn't crazy about, but for the price I was willing to overlook it.
For seriously bad weather, I bought these Chippewa pull-on boots that are waterproof and heavily insulated. This was more about practicality than anything else (a pull-on boot is easier to deal with than a tall boot with long laces), but they look good enough that I can keep them on when I get to work.
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