please do a collab with a snow boot company and design us a boot that stands up to the elements!!
sincerely,
stylish women everywhere
~~~
...so i posted about this issue last year, but found no solution to the conundrum. after the east coast blizzard two weeks ago, i finally caved and decided to give the Sorel caribous a try. various stylish bloggers like jennine and anabela have posted about theirs, and though i initially wanted to get a pair of LL.Bean duck boots, they're backordered in my size until late February (!), which annoyingly has been the case every year around this time when i break down and contemplate purchasing an unattractive pair of snow shoes. i have a pair of no.6 shearling clog boots, which are warm and comfy and perfect for rainy/chilly days, but the inflexible wooden clog sole is problematic (read: potentially ankle-breaking) for snow/slush/ice.
today the Sorels arrived. i ordered a size 6, a half size down from my usual 6.5, and i have to say they fit quite comfortably and aren't as stiff as i expected. the insole is really cushy and after walking around my apartment with these laced up i feel like some hybrid snow monster-astronaut. i was considering the chic and sleek Loeffler Randall rainboots on sale at a mano that Nanashi posted about, but reconsidered after deciding that the minimal treads weren't heavy-duty enough to really trudge through truly nasty slush/ice. i'm leaning towards keeping the Sorels, as they keep my feet toasty, are waterproof, look well made, and are a good value for the $110 price, but i'm still adjusting to how massively WIDE they are.
which returns us to the eternal question: why are real snow shoes so ugly?? what are your go-to snow boots? how do you get around the style issue? do share!
vogel10 cami, american apparel winter leggings, alternative apparel vest, yaya aflalo leather jacket, adrienne landau fur vest, sorel caribou boots, dunlin lafayette crossbody bag
all i can think of when i look down is...snow monster snow monster astronaut feet! parisian gamine vibe these do not exude.
I was *just* having a conversation about snow boots earlier today. My philosophy is that you just have to embrace the ugly. I got a pair of duck boots back in November and do not regret the purchase. I think the Sorel boots are cute. More importantly, they look warm...much warmer than the duck boots.
ReplyDeleteAlso, perfect timing for your boots to arrive!
I have both LL Bean duck boots and these same Sorels. During last year's snow storm here in D.C., I thanked god everyday I had the Sorels. I walked 6 miles in the snow with them and my feet stayed toasty and comfortable while my friend, who was wearing my duck boots, got blisters and generally raw feet. Sorels also have better tread than duck boots which are better suited for just rain, in my opinion. So, good choice!
ReplyDeleteIt's surprising someone wouldn't come along and make a "chic" utilitarian rain/snow shoe. Cool leather jacket though.
ReplyDeletejennifer: haha! it's a perennial conversation topic because for some unknown reason, the only good options *are* still so ugly! :( sigh...i mean, this has GOT to be higher on the desginer collab priority list than Jimmy Choo x Uggs...but no!
ReplyDeleteAM: ooh thanks for your comments - this is super duper helpful and may totally sway me to keeping the Sorels. i DO love that the fleecey inner boot is really insulated. i guess that's why the entire boot is super wide...
pre a porter: thanks! i know, right?...my trusty leather jacket makes even clunky snow boots look a little better :D
I had the same dilemma as Chicago winters truly suck. My choice to combat this and still stay stylish is the Hunter Original gloss boot (http://www.zappos.com/hunter-hunter-original-aubergine). I got the black, of course, though I've seen quite a few in gray walking around. I added the Hunter sock and it makes them really warm. They are taller than the Sorels(which I love!), so snow doesn't get in over the tops. And the soles are really cushy, but go down a size or half b/c they are wide. They have a fleece sock, but i felt it was a little too "Santa" cuffed over the boot, so my sock is plain tall crested one. I love them, for me they were the buy of the season (excluding my Frye Cindys), especially as they get all dirty and British looking...Hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteMy new snow boots are the La Canadienne Tabitha's - they're shearling and insanely warm and cozy. They're also not so ugly, as long as you wear them with slim pants tucked in. Otherwise, very clunky looking uppers...
ReplyDeleteLove the boots!
ReplyDeletehttp://ladulcivida.blogspot.com/
I think they look fine, if they are up to the NY sludge challenge and keep you toasty I think you should keep it. the other way to think is to play with the contrast and go for super chunky boots (made me think that way since Rick Owens does that contrast with his streamlined items, his boots are insanely big no?) instead of looking for small ones, you have really skinny legs so it won't make you look like an elephant. (or so goes the theory with whether or not to wear super loose chunky socks among Japanese high school girls---looks cute on skinny girls but if the girl got radish legs then they look like elephant)
ReplyDeleteI've always wondered what people wore on their feet in the city when winters got extreme. I guess until something better comes a long, practicality trumps style. Think you made the best of it though with your outfit!
ReplyDeleteargh! i am having the same problem in chicago. i've been wearing my frye shearling ronnie boots, which are okay, but still too clumpy and wide for my liking. i am awaiting a pair of the no. 6 shearling clog boots, but those will be saved for very cold, dry, slush-free days. we don't usually have a ton of snow to deal with- slush and that damnable ice are the problem.
ReplyDeletei think i might order a pair of grey bogs rider boots. they look a lot like the hunters, but are (supposedly) warmer. sigh. at least we have the relatively warmish AA winter leggings, yeah? i've been wearing mine every day, sometimes with wool tights underneath...
Alisa: your Hunters sound quite up to the task! i had a pair of hunters too several years ago, but i bought the wrong size and it was always too big on me, so i ended up selling them. i'm really loving the fleece inner boot on the Sorels though - i'm confident my feet won't be cold!
ReplyDeleteKristin: ah, yes, i know you love your Cannadiennes :) i've never seen a pair on sale so for now i guess the Sorels are a great value for the price.
dulci: thanks :)
Nanashi: your comment totally made me laugh out loud. elephants! haha :D but yes i know what you mean. but yeah i think i'm just getting used to the look of the Sorels...when it really gets snowy and nasty out i'm sure i'll be VERY grateful for my new snow boots!
lin: i think i'm lucky that i don't live somewhere where the snow REALLY gets extreme. here the plows usually clear up the sidewalks and streets within a day or two so it's really just having shoes that can keep a steady tread and withstand slushy 'lake puddles' on the street corners.
ms. wendi: oh i think you're going to love your no.6s! but yeah my no.6 shearling clogs are basically my go-to rainy/chilly day option. the shearling is pretty good at being water resistant. and yes, i swear by my AA winter leggings - i think it's one of the best pieces in AA's entire line.
Just a thought-- I don't own any, but maybe check out Ilse Jacobsen boots? I saw some at Le Train Bleu last year that looked great. Gimmeshoes.com has them this season...
ReplyDeleteveuve: thanks for the recommendation! i've seen these too at various online boutiques - hmm. for now i think i'm keeping my Sorels. they've grown on me since i've wore them around the apartment. with the recent snow i think i'm going to take the Caribous out for a test drive this week :)
ReplyDeleteI have had great luck with my Frye harness boots. I waterproofed them, wear with thick wool socks and tuck in my skinny jeans. Perfect. Although I rarely trudge THROUGH the snow, they seem to work just fine ON the snow, with some coming up on the sides.
ReplyDeletelabellafigura.net
kristi - i had a pair of fryes like yours and i believe it! they're great rugged boots that will surely last for years and years. :)
ReplyDelete