When I placed this order, I wanted a pair of black ankle boots to wear with skirts & tights, to replace the single pair of black suede ones I have now which I like but do not love. I ordered five options expecting to keep one. These styles could also work with slim slacks or jeans. They do not specifically need to handle snow/ice conditions although I do need footwear for that, but I don't require that every pair of boots I own are good for that.
As I was trying them on, I realized that I need to review my entire fall/winter footwear collection AND my overall wardrobe before I decide what footwear to buy. I don't want to slip back into my old random purchase patterns that I've been working so hard to change I also purchased a few too many pairs of spring/summer shoes this year (meaning some I don't love or didn't really "earn" a spot in my wardrobe) so I want to be a bit more careful going forward. It's been so hot lately that I can't bear the thought of doing the fall/winter wardrobe review just yet
I was able to give a thumbs down to a few of these booties and will return them now, and will keep the others a bit longer. Thank goodness Nordstrom takes returns for a very long time after purchase!
Note: I have very low volume feet with a very narrow instep, average width ball of foot area, slightly narrow heels, and average length.
One other thing - I now know what a boot "shaft" measurement is!
Ones I will return now
1 - Blondo Nivada - this brand is new to me, extremely well made, great style and feel good on the foot. However the heel is too high. On the website it is shown as 2-1/2" for a size 8 but it is really just over 2-3/4" for a size 7. Heels over 2-1/2" put stress on my hip and knee joints even when I am standing still, so I don't go there. I will look at this brand again later in the fall, but right now there are only four choices at Nordstrom.com and none of them interest me.
2 - Eileen Fisher Even - these are also a new brand to me, very well made, but I don't like how high the vamp comes up on the ankle or the overall shape. They have very interesting angles/lines, kind of an architectural feel, but it's really not me. The 2-3/4" heel is also a bit too high.
3 - Franco Sarto Garfield - I often love this brand, but not this time. The vamp comes up a little too high and the leather is fairly stiff so it rubs on my ankle. I'm not crazy about the visible buckle, not sure why. And there are some loose pieces of leather right under my toes, too far into the boot to see them or figure out how to cut them off etc. If I liked the style I'd look for a different pair.
Keepers for now
4 - Dolce Vita Sierra - another brand I've not worn before. These are really comfortable and I like the look. The leather is nubuck. The toes are very pointy which seems a bit hard edge to me, but they could be very versatile. They also come in a darkish grey, which could be a great color for me, and cognac, which I already have covered in a very similar pair.
5 - Naturalizer Kepler - I was surprised at how much I like these. They are super comfortable, the ankle straps are a nice feature. The toe is a bit round or maybe what's called "almond" which I often don't like but I do like these. They are sold out now in black but also come in a cognac that is called "brown".
