Durability of Frye's Melissa line? - YouLookFab Forum

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Durability of Frye's Melissa line?

E

Veteran

I'm currently on a quest for a basic leather knee high boot (my only current pair are wool lined, which makes them cosy in cooler weather but not quite as versatile). Amazon recently had an incredibly good deal on the Frye Melissa Button Back Zip boot (say that five times fast), so I ordered a pair to try them. I love how they look and feel, so I'm considering keeping them, but first I'd like to hear about others who have owned Frye boots re: their durability.

I know that Frye's reputation as long lasting & high quality, but the Melissa line apparently uses softer leather than some of their other styles. So if you have a Melissa boot of any type and have worn it for a year or more, what has been your experience? I currently live in a mild climate that's not tough on boots, but I'm hoping to move to upstate NY, which has lots of snow and presumably salt. I'd be getting around on foot and via public transport too. Is it unrealistic to expect to wear these boots on an average winter day? (My wool lined pair are weather proofed w sturdy rubber soles & I have a 'rain boot' as well, so I wouldn't wear these to shovel snow or go wood tromping or anything. Just to walk around sidewalks and, knowing me, park paths.) They have leather soles, but I'd get a cobbler to add rubber I think for the extra protection (feel free to weigh in on that too!).

Basically, I'm looking for boots that will last at least 5 years, as long as I take care of them. I'm happy to do an annual cobbler visit/wipe them down after wearing them/condition them regularly/etc. But I can't afford to allow anything too precious for daily wear into my footwear collection.

Thoughts?

P.S.: If you wear a 5.5, 6, or 6.5 and are looking for burgundy boots (darker than the website pic shows), the deal's still on: $120/pair here.

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22 replies

Latest reply was from E

April

Veteran

I recently consigned a pair of Frye Melissas because I wasn't wearing them often enough to keep them. While I had them, though, I thought they were very well made and would have held up to heavy use.

For me, Fryes are not particularly comfortable. I know people swear by them, but my fussy feet aren't happy in them.

As far as wearing them in winter -- I have yet to find a non-winter boot that felt warm enough for winter. If you have very slender feet and could fit a good merino sock inside the boot, they might be okay. But in general, I find that my feet are cold in ordinary boots. I'm in the Philadelphia area, so it's cold but not quite upstate NY temperatures.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I've never owned Melissas, but I have had several pairs of Frye boots, and they have worn extremely well. Better than most, I'd say. Mine are all over four years old and barely show any wear. Now, I'm not wearing them daily, but enough that I see heel wear but nothing else that would indicate a problem with durability. In fact, I may be passing along one pair just because the heel is a little high and they're not getting a lot of wear anymore, but they're in great condition, so they'd probably fetch a decent price at resale.

E

Veteran

April, thanks so much for weighing in! Maybe I should be thinking of these as Texas winter/NY fall/spring boots? Both of my current knee high boots leave me plenty of room for multiple layers of socks and tights, but the Fryes would only allow for one not overly thick wool sock (unless leather stretches gradually over time). I've lived in cold places before and could wear regular boots in them without too many problems, probably because I live in my silk long johns in the winter. But my feet do run cold, I think colder than they used to.

I got the Frye carson lace up ankle boots last fall & found them very comfortable, but I have better luck with lace ups than other shoes (high volume feet), so that's something to consider too. Usually I wear shoes around the house for a few days to decide, but I'm afraid I'll scuff the leather soles on the non-carpet flooring so can't stride around as much as usual to test them. Hmmm.

Thanks Janet! I was doing some quick internet research on getting rubber soles added to shoes, and these websites made it sound as if any leather shoe is going to die early in a regular northern winter between snow and salt, which left me feeling rather terrified. I always alternate my shoes and to be honest don't leave the house every day anyway, so I wouldn't be wearing them daily at least.

MuseumGal

Veteran

I have a pair of Frye Engineers, and while they are very tough and durable, they are absolutely not winter boots in the sense that they are not appropriate for snow and ice. Even Ceit, who pretty much lives in Docs and Fryes all winter, keeps them in her office and wears a pair of snow boots for the commute, if I recall.

shiny

Veteran

Fryes are the type of boot that looks better as it weathers and ages. The weathering adds character. My daughter goes to college in upstate NY. I bought her Frye's. She tromps all over campus through snow and salt in them, and probably does not take care of them like you will take care of yours. As a result, they look fashionably weathered after two or three years, but are still going strong, unlike her other shoes, which seem to need constant replacing - she is very hard on all her shoes.

She also has snow boots and rain boots too. You need a lot of different boots if you live in New England.

I'm with April however; I love the look of Frye's and would add a pair for myself in a heartbeat, but often find they are stiff, heavy, uncomfortable or too tall. I suppose they are like cowboy boots and have a "breaking in" period. I am testing out a pair of Frye booties I ordered recently (photo below) and not sure I'm going to keep them. It seems the arch is in the wrong place, OR it's similar to cowboy boot in that it has that arch piece (forget the term) that is supposed to mold perfectly to the foot with wear?

April - I wear cashmere-blend socks under my boots, layered over tights if I'm wearing a dress. I buy these socks at Target or Marshall's or TJMaxx. The cashmere makes them lightweight and thin enough for boots while adding warmth. Too much cashmere and they shrink in the wash. I have some merino wool socks too, but find the cashmere-blend warmer.

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shiny

Veteran

MuseumGirl has a point - can you wear Frye's in snow and ice? Yes. Should you? Probably not.

That said, walk around any college campus here in Boston, and you'll see most of the women are wearing Frye's. Maybe not right after a fresh snow fall (which calls for "real" snow boots), but once the sidewalks have been cleared, they are back in their Frye's.

In the spring when the snow melts and there's slush everywhere, the college women switch to colorful rain boots with inserts to keep their feet warm.

JAileen

Veteran

I have three pairs of Fryes - two pairs of Melissa button boots, and a pair of Campus boots. The quality is great on both styles, but I tend to wear the Campus boots the most. If it's really wet out I hate wearing the Melissas because of the leather sole. The Campus boots have a lug sole, perfect for when it's icy. I wouldn't wear them if if were really snowing because they're not waterproof, but the traction is great on patches of ice that linger.

Beth

Veteran

I have a pair of Melissa lace ups that are going into their fourth season this fall. They're very well made and have worn beautifully. With the exception of ankle creasing and a few dings in the toes, they still look new. I have no worries wearing them on cleared sidewalks but wouldn't tromp in snow or slush in them. That's what LL Bean duck boots are for.

pastrygirl

(website)

Veteran

I have four pair of Frye boots and I don't wear them when there is snow and ice (or salt/slush) on the ground. I wear "real" winter boots on those days, which is most of Jan-April here. I consider my Fryes fall boots only.

E

Veteran

I love tapping into the collective wisdom of YLF!

MG, I imagine I’ll be buying a pair of snow boots too (hopefully via ebay) for fresh snowy days.

Shiny, thanks so much for all of your info! It’s incredibly helpful; even though I’m past college age, my life is quite casual, so college stuff is still relevant. And I already have rain boots (a knee high version of these, so durable and generally awesome) & the wool-lined leather boots that are advertised as water proof (these, which I wore a lot on rainy days this past winter here & they still look pristine). That combo would work great/be pretty much sufficient in Colorado and even Illinois (both places I've lived), but considering upstate NY is part of the snow belt I definitely have money earmarked for a pair of true snow boots after my move.

Anyway, these Fryes are right on the border of too tall for me & I’m 5’3” so I imagine it’s even harder for you. My mom is 5'1" and prefers an 11" shaft: my sister and I got her some La Canadiennes for Christmas (thanks to a post-Thanksgiving Amazon super sale) and luckily that's all she needs in this climate. I have a high arch & high volume foot, and I had really good luck with the Frye Carson bootie (lace up), but cow boot styles are tricky on me too. That area (where the seaming is) definitely feels a touch snug in the Melissa’s on me, although not enough to be uncomfortable.

Re: socks, if you guys can find them (my dad buys them from a local alpaca rancher, she might have a website, I can ask if you’re curious), alpaca socks are super warm and lightweight and not easily shrinkable (I wash mine in the machine but dry flat). Get ones with some elastic added to the ribbing, as they don’t have as much elasticity as wool, but nothing’s cosier!

JAileen, I’ve been eyeing the campus options too: both of my current knee high boots have a lug sole (is that the thick, textured rubber kind?) so I thought it might be best to get a more refined option as well. But you know, the thick soles are incredibly useful in my day to day life. Lots to ponder.

Thanks Beth! That’s the kind of use I was envision for these. I *love* the lace-ups; if they came in grey or taupe I’d happily save up for them. But it’s too much money for me to spend when I’d be compromising on colour (the black & chocolate brown are too dark to bookend my hair and the cognac is too warm to go with my wardrobe).

Thanks PastryGirl!

Just wanted to say again how grateful I am to everyone taking the time to share their experience & knowledge! It helps so much as I debate such a big (for me) purchase.

Diana

Veteran

Hmm, I don't have Melissas. I do have Veronicas though, and have owned other frye boots in the past. I would say that the leather uppers tend to be extremely durable, and like someone said above they look better with a little wear anyway. I do wear my Veronicas in yucky weather sometimes, although not when there's a ton of ice on the ground, since they can be a bit slippery. They are actually pretty much waterproof. The soles still look good after a couple of years although soon I will need to replace the heel taps (which is true of almost all shoes for me, but it's an easy fix at the cobbler). HOWEVER, the Veronicas, although they do have a leather sole, have rubber at the heel taps and forefoot and the leather sole is thick. This definitely helps with durablillity and weather resistance. If you're looking for a truly durable Frye, I'd look for something with the rubber bits on the sole like the Veronica. (Or as Jaileen suggested, the Campus, which has a super durable sole.)

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

I have two Frye Melissa laceup boots in black and brown and they have held up very well over the last 2-3 years. We don't have snow here so I can't comment on that, but they are very well made.

cciele

Veteran

I have the same experience as Diana, although I live in a mild climate. I've had my Frye Veronica Slouch boots for over 5 years now and they've held up wonderfully. I wear them in the rain and also in light snow conditions. The height is really good for shorter folks, too (I'm 5'3", like you).

I haven't seen the Melissa's that you are considering in person. But if the leather is soft and buttery like the Frye Rory Scrunch, I would definitely not wear them in rain or snow. Also, from my experience I think they will be too tall for you, unless you are long in the lower leg

Frye Women's Veronica Slouch Boot

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E

Veteran

Thanks Diana! Do you think getting the cobbler to add rubber bits would help or are they not as durable as the ones that come attached from the manufacturer? (I don’t have any firsthand experience with that stuff.) Anyway, I noticed the campus lug boots were available for 50% from Amazon right now so I ordered one to try and compare (I worry the heel will be too high and the colour too warm).

GP, I love you in your Melissa’s, so I’m very glad you weighed in. You get a lot of rain, don’t you? Do you ever wear them in the rain? (Why do I feel like a Dr Seuss character all of a sudden?)

CCiele, they definitely come up almost to my knee, but the height feels fine when I’m walking and sitting, so I don’t think they’re too tall (very close though). I like the colours the Veronica Slouch comes in, but I can’t usually get boots on and off unless they have laces or a zipper. :/ My foot gets stuck. However, they were over 50% off in a colour I liked in my size on Amazon (they must have too many size 7 Fryes?), so I just ordered one to try one just in case it’s the exception.

So both of the other pairs I ordered are set to arrive on Friday. I'll take photos, and we'll have a Frye boot off.

cciele

Veteran

I love it that Amazon has free returns for clothes and shoes Can't wait for the Frye boot off!

E

Veteran

I love that too! I especially love that my mom has prime, so I can use her account and everything arrives so quickly.

JAileen

Veteran

I can't wait for a Frye boot off, too!

Incidentally, I just ordered another pair of Fryes. I blame you, E! I've been stalking grey western boots and Zappos finally had my size in stock. I hope they work. Grey is my new favorite neutral. I should get them Thursday.

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UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

Shiny, I was interested in those Reina boots, too, but they sold out in the black with black heels that I like. But I've always had troubles with Fryes being too big, and now that you say they are stiff, I think I'll just give up.

And in general, I wouldn't wear that sort of boot for winter in New England (or likely upstate NY either.) It's pretty much all La Canadienne, all the time. I just wish they would start making pointy toe boots!

claire

I have three pairs of Fryes, the Melissa, Veronica slouch and the Engineer. For what it's worth I'm on the west coast so not a lot of snow but lots of rain and we do get a bit of snow, more the slushy type and I wear my Fryes in all weather, the engineers especially, and they just look better the more worn they get. I added toppy (rubber) to the soles (except for the engineers, they have a thick lug sole already), and they are all pretty much waterproof and weatherproof. I wear rain boots in extreme rain, but after literally living in the engineers almost every day and "saving" the others, I just started wearing them in all weather and they look better and better as the leather gets worn and weathered. I'm in a milder climate but I wear cashmere socks in the winter and I'm warm enough (and dry)!

E

Veteran

Jaileen, grey is my favorite neutral & I've been looking for a pair of grey knee high boots for ages. Sadly, cowboy boots don't work for me (stylistically or physically), but I'll admire yours!

Ummlila, I'm beginning to think I should have said knee boot weather instead of winter...I'm used to Texas where winter=anything below 65 degrees. lol I looked up the yearly averages for where I'd like to move, and it looks as if snow doesn't usually begin until November and really picks up in December, while temperatures must start cooling off in September (for me I can wear unlined leather boots in 65 or below without issue). Then it snows a lot through March, with the snow tapering off in April, and the temperature staying in 'boot' territory until June. So that means even if I didn't want to wear them in the super snowy months, they'd work for 4 months of the year, correct? Do Northerners have fall/spring boots as well as winter boots (the way I have summer and high summer categories), and I just wasn't aware of this? I'm learning so much from this thread! What would be the bare minimum for a New England boot capsule (because NE's weather is more extreme, so what works there should work in NY)? I hope you don't mind answering my follow up questions! If you don't have the time/inclination though I understand.

Crackers, we cross posted, but thanks so much! And I'm thrilled to hear from someone who's gotten the rubber bits put on them & found that they help (I suspect my questions are not free from observer bias...these are very pretty boots...).

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UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

Where I live, in southwestern New Hampshire, we can have snow between October and April. But it is not usually on the ground all that time ... I count on snow or at least ice and slush on the ground from December to April.

I love heels and fancy shoes but don't get to wear them much in the bad season. I am always cold.

My basic winter footwear set is:

Gore tex running shoes
Knee high black shearling lined boots to wear with skinny jeans - waterproof la canadienne
Short black shearling lined wedge short boots- waterproof la canadienne
Black waterproof insulated suede short boots with a 2.5 inch heel - la canadienne, really need replacing.

Can you tell I am a fan of La Canadienne? My second favorite is Aquatalia though I don't have any at the moment.

And I need some gray winter boots.

I do have other shoes I wear in between, but only if I am pretty sure I will not encounter anything wet or salty. Salt is the shoe killer. It is the little death. (Okay, that was the Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear. I will stop now.)

My daughter the prep school kid is satisfied with LL Bean duck boots all winter; hers are insulated but not shearling lined. She even wears them with dresses. She's a native New Englander though, and doesn't feel the cold like other people.

Another time I will sing the song of praise for The Patagonia Tres Parka (my most expensive by price yet probably cheapest cost per wear garment ever.)

E

Veteran

Oh thank you for going to the trouble to list all of that out! My lifestyle doesn't require heels, but it sounds as if I'm going to want snow-appropriate, salt-safe (lol @ your description) boots in two heights. Funny you mentioned duck boots: I just noticed that have a navy/navy shorter pair right now made in the USA that I'm hypothetically finding very tempting (navy's one of my neutrals & I love lace up boots), hehe. They've got Thinsulate but no shearling, but I have a ton of wool socks, so perhaps it would work. And if I don't end up moving, shearling-free would be more versatile. Hmmm. Funnily enough (for someone who grew up mainly in Texas and southern England, neither of which really get snow), I don't get too cold easily either: I went through 4 Midwest winters without ever needing a parka. And that was before I had discovered thrifted wool sweaters and taken up knitting! I'm actually hoping to move because of the climate: I really love winter. If I do get cold though I'll look into that Patagonia coat.

My mom is a huge fan of her (unlined as we live in Texas) La Canadiennes: if they came in colours other than black and super dark brown, I'd definitely be trying them out (let me know if you come across a grey winter boot, as that seems to be a HEWI of mine; I think Suz has a pair of grey La Canadiennes, but she got them in Canada, not the US).

Anyway, I have to get to bed! But thanks again for all of the helpful info, and I'm sure I'll have happy dreams about winter wonderlands tonight.