Ryan the Girl: Happy Feet

An alternate title to this post could be: "How I Justify Spending More Than My Monthly Car Payment on a Pair of Shoes."

Ack!

So, I've been looking for a pair of boots for the fall/winter. And I'm INSANELY picky when it comes to what I wear (that is not to say that I'm fashion-conscious... it's more to say that I know what I DON'T like, which is a lot).

I've essentially been scouring the internet for a pair of lace-up combat(ish)/workboot(ish) brown boots. And again, that's not to say that I knew exactly what I wanted, but I certainly knew what I didn't want. This does not make it easy to find good boots, folks. And I started reading reviews of some that I liked the look of that were reasonably-priced, but most of the reviews said things like "cheaply-made," "the soles starting falling apart after two weeks," etc. Plus, the idea of buying shoes without trying them on makes me want to vomit a little- it's too risky.

The other thing about me is that I expect a lot out of my clothing. I envisioned this pair of boots as wearing many different hats (ha!). I wanted to be able to wear them to work under my flared jeans, and I wanted to be able to wear them with skinny jeans and skirts/dresses for gigs. I also wanted something that would keep my little toes warm when it's cold, and I wanted something that would hold up in inclement weather. I also wanted to be able to try on a pair before taking the plunge. And I wanted all of this for around $50.

Well, I was walking around the shopping area near where I work on Tuesday before dinner with a girlfriend, and then I saw them: THE boots, in the window of a local shoe boutique. They were beautiful, and they looked like the boots of my feet's dreams. But, I was sure the local boutique was expensive (they all are around here), so after several minutes of drooling, I walked on my way, in my boring, cheapy shoes. But, I passed them again on Wednesday, and I contemplated walking in to try them on, but, I knew I needed to get home to workout, shower, and eat before heading to band practice. So, once again, I left them.

On Thursday, while out for a walk on lunch, I meandered my way towards the boutique, and, to my horror, the boots were no longer in the window.

That got my butt through the door. And there, on the shelf, were THE boots. I picked up the one on display and noticed that they were lined with wool (mmmm, toasty toes!), that they were waterproofed (wearable in inclement weather), and that they looked killer. Plus, they were made well (something I'm not always used to, as I'm cheap). I spoke with the sales lady, and she went back to get a pair for me to try on (only two pairs in my size were left!). And I put my foot in the right one and laced it up, and good lord, it was comfortable. And you can either wear them all the way laced up or fold the top part down (apparently, this is stylish). I spoke with the saleswoman about how they would last for years, and then I looked at the (ack!) pricetag. Ack! These boots were worth a pretty penny (although, I noticed that there were boots in the store twice as expensive!). So, I told the woman about how I got paid on Friday and I left the boots there.

Today (Friday), I went by after having asked for my mom's advice (she said to spend the money if I will wear them for at least two seasons), my sister's advice (she reminded me of the Friends episode where Monica HAS to have a pair of boots and then they are so uncomfortable she can barely walk, but then encouraged me to treat myself), and pretty much anyone else who would listen to me (I did not have one person advise me not to buy them!) and bought them! Yay payday! Yay new boots! I'm very happy with my decision, to say the least. Talk about a pick-me-up after a long week! These boots are Scrumtrulescent!

Check 'em out: