In Which I Buy More Shoes (But Not Loafers, This Time)

Since Winter will be here ANY MOMENT (I'm told, although it was 80 degrees in Chicago on Monday), I need, as usual, more shoes. Perhaps "need" is too strong of a word; perhaps I'm looking for something like "hankering for" or "appetency". Anyway, I found these on eBay: only $50! Which is good in these times of economic uncertainty, right?



I am also havering over these, which are a LOT more expensive, but still cheaper on Amazon than anywhere else:



And what seems like months ago, but was only weeks, I'm sure, I bought these, also cheap ($80! For leather boots!) on eBay:



The calves were a bit too snug, but that's no problem -- I took them to my shoe guy and he put little gussets in on either side of the zipper. It took him about a week (plus I had to go in for a "fitting" once he had the new bits inserted, to make sure they were exactly right). Now they fit perfectly, and it was only $50 to get them that way. Considering I've never, ever seen black leather boots I liked for under $250 (and thus have never, ever bought any) I feel pretty good about these!

All of these have heels under about 2", which is good, walking-wise ... since, after the collapse of civilization (ANY DAY NOW) I will be walking southward to avoid the zombies and/or cannibals.

So with one new pair of black shoes (okay, two pairs -- I bought a pair of Faryl Robins on sale at DSW -- marked down to $40! -- that I haven't taken a picture of yet), possibly one pair of wine, and a pair of black boots (plus I have brown J. Crew boots from last year that I bought at a thrift store for $7) I should be all set for autumn (if it ever gets here) and winter. So don't look for any more shoe posts from me until AT LEAST April. Right? Right.

Posts about *tights*, though ...


More sale notices: Holly at Lucite Box Vintage is having a sale: 10% off anything until October 20th with the coupon code ATCOLORS. Holly (or rather, her adorable apartment) is ALSO featured on the magnificent blog Apartment Therapy, for their Fall Colors Contest -- click here to check it out (and leave a comment)!

Pants at Boots

Reader Susan emailed me to ask how to choose the right boots to go with your dresses, and I had to admit to her that I am (as the Brits say) pants at choosing boots. I have boots, certainly, but I don't have any boots that I consider successful, where "successful" means that I wear them constantly (and am always looking for more excuses to wear them).

In fact, I think the last pair of boots I bought that I felt that way about were some brown Knapp farm boots that I saw in a spread in Jane magazine back in the grungey 90s. They looked great with vintage dresses, especially if you were nineteen.

(Of course, in my opinion, that was the last time a fashion magazine was helpful about boots: what is up with the current craze for deranged-elf ankle boots worn with jersey mini-dresses and all the jewelry you own, plus a knit scarf? Yes, Lucky, I'm looking at you.)

Anyway, not only am I pants at boots, I have realized that I'm pitiably one-track with other shoes, as well -- check out what I found when I tidied up my closet:



Yep, that's roughly a dozen pairs of round-toe ankle-strap heels. And I'm not even showing you the picture that's all flat black penny loafers!

It might just be that there aren't any boots that look "right" with 1950s styles, other than those plastic rain boots they used to advertise in the back of Parade, the kind that come with a matching bonnet to protect your hairstyle. So I throw the question open to you. What are the best boots to wear with vintage dresses?