I recently asked about shoes for work, and am awaiting the Rockports I ordered. In the meantime, I still have a shortage of comfortable work footwear, especially now that the weather has cooled off a wee bit.

Yesterday, I surrendered. I don't know why I continue to fight so hard when things seems hopeless; my 12 step recovery proves that surrender opens the door to winning. I was trying on shoes for work, trying to find something that went with my outfit and allowed for socks (the mosquitoes at work are eating me alive). Firewood sales are starting to pick up, and firewood adds additional scratches and abrasions to any and all exposed skin, so I wanted footwear that allowed a sock. Even my wide width shoes didn't feel right or look right with the clothes I had on. The outfit was a dusty dove/lavender pair of AG jeans that I love so much but the length is weird so I have trouble styling them. I pulled them out of the consignment pile and called them work jeans (burn the $30 candle, right?). I had on a navy blue tank top, so almost any footwear would "go" with the outfit (I can be so clever like that sometimes LOL). I put on my Chippewa boots (find) but they felt like too much for the warmth of the afternoons right now so they came back off. I thought about putting on my Sorel ankle boots but the wedge concerned me because the ground at work is treacherous in flats, and I do love them so wasn't sure about sacrificing them. Those Sorel boots are major fun, and go so great with slightly dressier fits to give them a RATE edge, so I decided against wearing them.

I sat on my porch and stared at my Ariat cowgirl boots. I love them dearly, they're wide width, they have arch support, they're fairly comfortable for the balls of my feet. I was very resistant to the idea of throwing them under the bus. Then I thought about how I got them on end-of-season sale for a song and a dance, and I heard my own voice in my head telling women that they should wear the nice stuff and burn the $30 candle because they're worth it and I surrendered. Those Ariat boots became sacrificial lambs along with those hard-to-style AG jeans, and I have no regrets. They should serve me well as work boots, and work will add character to them that will give and extra RATE feeling to off-duty outfits. Added bonus? Ariat footwear is Goodyear-welted, so I can have them resoled easily when the time comes.

Sometimes, i just have to get out of my own way and burn the $30 candle. Pic of the Ariat boots added to honor their sacrifice. No pics of the fit or jeans because I am not pulling those dirty jeans out of the laundry bag. Now, I'm off to do that laundry. When I get home, I'm burning a $30 Lavender Vanilla Yankee Candle. Because I'm worth it.