Quick Review: Blundstone women's high top in Pearl - YouLookFab Forum

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Quick Review: Blundstone women's high top in Pearl

CarolS

Veteran

I was intrigued by this boot, thinking it looked white or off-white on the website. It's actually more of a beige, leaning toward pink.

Brought them home to test anyway because my options are pretty limited and I'd really like some light-coloured boots.

I think the colour could probably turn out to be more versatile than I thought at first, but I'm not sure how one polishes and keeps colour fresh on a boot of this colour? (I know the basic polish colours and that's about it....???)

Also, after wearing for a few minutes, I noticed the leather creasing where my ankle bends. I'm ok with that in something I can polish, but less sure of this. Breaks in the leather of my coloured Docs are pretty much permanent -- I can't polish them up -- and I wonder if these would be the same.

Comfort wise, they seem pretty good so far -- even for my wide foot.

My verdict -- unless someone here can give me great confidence in caring for the leather (and I don't want to have to be fussy with such expensive boots -- I want to be able to LIVE in them) -- I will probably return in favour of another colour. I've ordered the steel grey chisel toe, but might also consider the women's high top in antique brown (which is not the weird mottled Blundstone brown, it's a more traditional looking mid brown leather!).

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BLUNDSTONE FOOTWEAR Water Resistant Chelsea Boot

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41 replies

Latest reply was from Stagiaire Fash

Suz

(website)

Veteran

They look really great on you! But yeah, that would give me pause about the care. I honestly have no idea!

My current Blundstones are the nubuck so I don't polish them at all. But in the past when I had leather, I did polish.

CarolS

Veteran

I haven't polished my current pair much, but at least I can if I need to. I'm all about low maintenance!!

Runcarla

Veteran

The Blundstones I’ve seen IRL all look pretty beat up, and I was wondering if that was part of the charm? Kind of like a battered leather jacket, or favourite worn and distressed jeans? Of course that wouldn’t be too fab with light coloured footwear, would it?

I use mink oil conditioner on my red boots, since there doesn’t seem to be a proper red shoe polish or shoe cream and the leather was variegated in the first place. It keeps them water resistant, supple, and shiny. I do however have some discoloured spots just the same. Oh well…

The light coloured boots look like they would be perfect for my cream capsule, but would give me pause as a true winter boot workhorse, IYKWIM.

CarolS

Veteran

You're right Carla. In fact some finishes are highly pre-distressed, which is quite ugly to my eye, yet when I tried that finish on, I really liked the look in the mirror, so go figure. My black ones are not particularly distressed, but can be polished.

I think the finish on my yellow Docs is probably different than the finish on these and you might be right about mink oil or similar being enough to maintain these. I can picture living in beat up brown or grey boots. I'm just not sure what 'beat up' cream/beige boots really look like and whether they will have the same charm as something that is more akin to 'natural' leather.

(The yellow Docs seem to be 'coated' - and once it cracks, no amount of polish or conditioning is going to bring it back. Lesson learned there.)

kkards

Veteran

Omg I love these boots. So if we need to figure out how to keep them looking good let’s figure it out lol

CarolS

Veteran

Kkards -- "enabler"!!!! I'm hoping the ultimate maven of light-coloured footwear will weigh in with some wisdom.

At almost $300 CAD all-in, I want max versatility of whatever I end up with.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, the white boots I have on in my latest WIW might have to go back, but I like the look so much I’ve ordered a couple others. The ones I’ve got are not real leather. Two of the potential replacements are:
Sorel Lenox (ordered from the Sorel site)
Nina by Sam Edelman at Nordstrom Rack https://www.nordstromrack.com/.....proddescr1 (These are likely to be too refined for me, but I’ll put black laces in them & see what I think).
I’ve also ordered some from Dr Scholl and from Esprit that are some new-fangled materials.

I mention them in case you’re looking for different white boots. Then again, they are lace-ups, not Chelsea’s, so not quite the same track as you’ve been on.
The not-leather ones I have do wipe off incredibly easily, but I note that the material is not likely to ever mold itself to the shape of my foot like leather does (incl the Joseph Seidel newsies). I treat real leather shoes with water-proofing spray at the beginning of each winter, and again part-way through. For white shoes, I should wipe off any marks after each wear—we’ll see if I actually do!

LaPed

Veteran

The colour is gorgeous, IMO, and I suspect they’ll develop a nice patina if you clean and oil them every now and then. I’m so tempted by this color myself, but apart from a couple of scarves I just don’t have the support act for cream/white boots, and I don’t want to divert my budget into building a whole new outerwear capsule. I hope you keep so I can enjoy vicariously!

BTW, I have this model — the women's hi-top — in black, and it’s my most versatile pair of boots. I really like the extra coverage at the ankle to extend the season of pants with shorter inseams. They’re five years old now, and at somewhere around 400-500 wears they’re a little bit beyond “patina” at this point.

Anonymous

I really wish I could wear Blundstones - well these ones anyways - because these are so great . I’d not one for beat up anything though , but I understand that’s part of the Blundstone appeal . Which leads me to the whole point here - what are these going to look like after one of our filthy winters ? I’m at the point now where I refuse to wear any of my good boots outside and am that odd person who changes out of boots into other boots at work - lol. The creasing issue you mention could be so unpredictable . Hard decision to make but for that price they have to be perfect , I agree .

lozz_oz

Veteran

Gosh they look great on you! I hope the white boot brigade can offer you maintenance tips, as I can see these would be a fab addition to your wardrobe.
Of course, I know absolutely nothing about Canadian winter weather

Irina

Veteran

They look so beautiful. But difficulty with light color boots is the reason why I don’t have any. I like my shoes to look polished and afraid that I will get cream boots scratched almost immediately. In my case, it might be paying $$$ for one season only. I don’t know any solution here

Anonymous

Check these out . Synthetic uppers which will be a whole lot easier to keep clean .

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CarolS

Veteran

Irina -- I hear ya! I'm ok with some patina, but I want appropriate patina, iykwim -- not "oh gosh that woman's a slob".

Lozz and Lisa - you raise another good question. Since these aren't a warm lined boot, they would not really see outdoor use in deep winter or slushy conditions. I have been wearing my Blundstone chisel toe boots out and about with heavy socks lately, but this is the first year I've done that. When I worked in an office every day, I would wear a warm winter boot for the commute to work and change into my other footwear when I got to work. I can't see wearing these out in slushy, sandy, salty conditions like we have today (icy/snowy roads and sidewalks are treated with sand/salt to help provide some traction!) They'd most likely be an indoor and fair weather boot -- especially for the first couple of years. That said, I have no idea yet how much time I might be in the office in the New Year.

Thanks for the testimonial, la Ped! That bit of extra height appeals to me for the same reason. As much as I like this colour and want to jump on team light coloured boots, I have a feeling I'd get more use from the Antique Brown colour, or from the Steel Grey chisel toes.

Thanks for the suggestions, Stag. I'm not opposed to a lace up boot, but it's a matter of finding one that works for my foot. Most brands are just too narrow for my foot. When a brand that fits me has an option that comes close in colour, I feel compelled to explore! I actually tried a pair from Esprit in the fall, but they were narrow, not real leather and not comfortable at all.They were cute, though.

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CarolS

Veteran

oh, those are cute, Lisa!

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

My feet are wide too, especially the one that’s shorter. Too bad I didn’t hear that about the Esprits earlier. They’re already on their way to my parents’ house. I wonder if they’re the same ones you tried. All the ones I ordered have black soles. Here’s one more I could barely resist, but between the price tag and the 2” heel, I decided no. But I love the zebra patch!

LisaP, how do you keep synthetic uppers clean? I mean, these have a really slick, pseudo patent surface, so they’re easy to wipe off, but if the imitation leather is imitating regular, non-patent, not suede leather, then what do you use on it? With leather I use saddle soap or other conditioner—does that work on synthetics?

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Anonymous

Damp cloth works for me . I just did my daughter’s faux leather Chelsea boots yesterday and actually used shoe cream / polish on some really scuffed spots , not expecting It to absorb , but it did .

I know nothing about saddle soap , sorry .

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Thanks. Idk why I’m so skittish of shoe Creme on synthetics. Glad to hear it worked for you.

CarolS

Veteran

Oh yes! The boots with the zebra patch are very cute, Stag, but not so fun if both heel and price are outside your comfort zone!

Based on your ability to wear Seibels I am guessing our feet are dissimilar enough that the Esprit could fit you. Seibels have never worked for me.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

KILLER ON YOU! Love the way they look and match your hair

I wear white boots and shoes all year in our wet and grotty Seattle weather - WITH protective spray. Wiped and cleaned VERY regularly. Some pairs are fleece lined and very warm.

That said, only you will know if they will work for your Canadian Winters though! Our Seattle Winters do not have as much ice and snow.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

They look smashing on you! But they might not be the right white boots for you, because, as many have already mentioned, Blundstones are for roughing it. I think you need light boots that are maximally cleanable - I have white boots that I lemminged off Angie years ago and do not wear them in the rain. On the other hand, if I lived wear you do I might have a pair of Blundstones in several colors and live with the roughness - but that is me.

CarolS

Veteran

You're right, Shevia -- I still kind of wish they were white or cream but the colour is growing on me and I like the idea of having a light boot for some variety.

At the same time, I have to decide if another colour would be more versatile at this stage of building my wardrobe from nothing. I might have to toss a coin!

CarolS

Veteran

Thank you so much, Angie! These are not a warm boot so would mostly be used for fall and the dryer part of spring. We tend to get a very unpleasant period in early spring that is very mucky and gross as melting snow combines with a winter's worth of salt and sand that has been put down for traction. It's not pretty and I don't think I would subject a light boot to that.

If I was working in the office, they would be primarily office footwear, so use would not be limited by outdoor weather. I'm not as sure how much "office only" or indoor only footwear I'm going to need anymore, but I will still need and want boots for those shoulder seasons.

Seems silly to buy now, but because I have so few footwear options, I feel like I have to be opportunistic when I find something that might work!

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Here’s a brand that doesn’t work for me but might for you. https://jana-shoes.com/de-DE/
https://jana-shoes.com
I’m soooo tempted by the lace-ups, but none of their shoes has ever worked for me. They have cream-colored leather Chelsea’s with a high shaft for €80, but if you’re feeling adventurous, check out the florals (and I’ll admit idk if they’d work with your colors)

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lyn67

Veteran

Aesthethically I love these very very much on you, you've styled them great-and they are looking on trend, crisp and different to any other "color" to say it frankly-but I know I seldom wear my white boots as they are not very practical.... Not much help from me. -so you'll have to decide by your very own...and I will be curious!:-)

RobinF

Veteran

I love these on you! But you have to love them, especially since they are a bit pricey. I don't polish any of my shoes. I wipe them clean (one of those Mr. Clean erasers works pretty well) and pre-treat but that is about it. But I don't mind being a little RATE.

CarolS

Veteran

Thanks, Stag. That's not a brand I've ever seen here.

Lyn, I know what you mean. I like these, too, and it is fun to feel a bit trendy, but it would be easier to keep them if they were less expensive.

CarolS

Veteran

Thanks, Robin! I don't mind being a bit RATE either. I guess the unknown here is just how RATE these word get. My dark boots stay pretty acceptable to me without a lot of fuss.

RobinF

Veteran

True about the RATE-ness of Blundstones. The ones I see around do look pretty beat up.

Laurie

Veteran

Well, they look just great, thanks for modeling. Let's see what you try next!

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