Winter boots practicalities

Carol

For people who need warm, waterproof boots in winter. Do you wear practical boots on your commute, then switch to lighter shoes at your destination/work?

Or do you buy a pair that is also fashionable, that you can wear all day?

2 years ago

Dressing

22 replies

Latest reply was from Joy

Runcarla

Veteran

Back in the day (before retirement) it was a bit of both. I needed a winter boot I could walk in (lower heel) and something that was warm and weatherproof for a train and pedestrian commute. Sometimes the boot worked for the type of weather and was suitable for indoors, but most of the time I had a stash of ‘office shoes’ and would change out of winter boots. Chelsea boots are an example of boots that did double duty, as well as dressy high boots.

These days if I’m going somewhere where I might spend some time indoors, I pick a boot that is suitable for the weather and the indoors place. Usually my commute in those situations is door to door by car and I can get away with less substantial boots, or make a mad dash in shoes. I only tote a change of footwear if I’m going to the gym.

Boots these days are pretty utilitarian, and needed for 4-5 months of the year. I feel like I should have a pair of dressy high boots, along with a dressier long winter coat, but so far I haven’t managed to address that wardrobe hole

2 years ago

Carol

(website)

Veteran

Wow, Carla--thanks for the tips and pictures. I am utterly confused as to what to do this season and will probably throw my trusty old Uggs on and change to Toms at work (I do retail). But I love the idea of a boot that will do outdoors and indoors--just totally overwhelmed by finding one.

2 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Bitd, I had an incredible pair of Sigerson Morrison rainboots that I wore all day. Red, slim fitting knee highs. They were high fashion. I also did commuter shoes on non-rainboot days. But I now work in the rough and tumble bakery, which has no heating or cooling. I wear puffer boots and puffer sneakers in winter AND stick toe warmers in them. Ha!

2 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Maybe it’s because I don’t live in a terribly snowy/slushy area, but I’ve never switched boots from outdoor/indoor. I just don’t wear delicate boots like suede when the weather turns nasty. I just wear my usual winter boots out and about. See Finds below for examples. Admittedly, my lifestyle is casual and I don't have to worry about looking terribly professional on most days, so I can stick with my rugged nasty-weather boots for regular outfits.

Of course, I would stick with the sturdier styles and lug soles for weather than actually involves risks of slipping.

Zappos

SOREL Explorer II Joan

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Nordstrom

Vicar Water Repellent Studded Bootie

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Dalaran Bootie

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Frye Frye Allison Combat Boot (Women) | Nordstrom

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Zappos

Botkier Texas

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Nordstrom

Frye Demi Rebel Zip Bootie

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Amazon

FLY London Women's Suzu Boot

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Nordstrom

Alexander Wang Alexander Wang Kori Block Heel Bootie (Women) | Nordstrom

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Anthropologie

Seychelles | Anthropologie Seychelles Floodplain Booties

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Nordstrom

MARC FISHER LTD Wanya Boot

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2 years ago

kkards

Veteran

Yes…where I live we get snow, but not a lot, mostly we get wet. So for just wet days, I will generally wear water proof/water resistant boots all day. For actual snow days, I wear Sturdier boots and change
Finds 1-2 are all day shoes, that are wet only days. Find 3 is also an all day shoe and works for actual snow days. Generally 4-5 are for snow days or really cold days and I change into different shoes at my destination

Nordstrom

Aquatalia Aquatalia Carie Weatherproof Bootie (Women) | Nordstrom

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Sam Edelman Lex Boot

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SOREL Lennox Lace-Up Bootie

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Ross & Snow Emilina Genuine Shearling Lined Weatherproof Bootie

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L.L.Bean

Women's Bean Boots by L.L.Bean, 10" Shearling-Lined

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2 years ago

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

It’s hitting 90F this week in Atlanta, but I’m still watching, because I’ll be in NYC and Oshawa/Toronto in December!

Y’all, I am in love with your boot collections. Janet, I am especially sighing over the Fly London petrol boots!

2 years ago

Anonymous

I've never changed shoes upon getting to work, when I worked in an office. I just wear refined boots!
We also don't really get snow most years, though occasionally we'll get 2 feet at once

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2 years ago

LJP

Veteran

I live in the Cdn Prairies, where there is always snow in winter and usually a lot of it . I always switch out of my snow-appropriate boots into whatever I'm wearing for the day when I get to work. If I wore my "nice" footwear outside in the winter, they wouldn't look nice for very long My commute consists of walking through a parking lot from my car to the gym so I absolutely don't care about creating some sort of "look " with my winter boots. It's also considered kind of "impolite" if you will , to carry on wearing your outdoor boots inside a place of work here - tracking sand, snow, and general muck inside is kind of gross. The young guys do it here - they wear sneakers in the coldest snowiest days anyways and then proceed to track the crap all over the floor behind our desk/centre of operation . I spend half the time sweeping up after them like I'm their mother. Anyways....

2 years ago

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I don't change my boots, and neither do women in Berlin. Some wear fairly utilitarian boots, others tend towards Janet's collection and Carla's red boots, which I would wear with skirts and dress pants. These are some of mine. The white ones are most expensive, warmest, and appropriate for snow and for "nice" outfits, imo.

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by Stagiaire Fash

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Yoox

PIAMPIANI Stiefelette

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Seychelles Offstage Boot

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SOREL Lennox Lace-Up Bootie

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2 years ago

Roberta

Veteran

Ha, all of my female coworkers had a drawerful of work shoes. I occasionally wore tall boots with nonslip soles all day (with a winter dress) but if it was really wet or snowy (Chicago resident) I would wear my Baffins and change into loafers or oxfords at work. I could tuck pants into those so they wouldn't get wet.

My last work winter never got enough snow to wear my Baffins at all. They're ten years old and I suspect they will last me the rest of my life at this rate.

2 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

I rarely wore boots at the office because it was always too warm. I don’t work now, but I do go places in bad weather. I have some Blondo booties that are perfect unless it’s dumping. And if it’s dumping, they usually cancel everything, anyway.

2 years ago

LJP

Veteran

Lol, Americans in snow

2 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

Lisa, they don’t even trust us in the rain - this was on tv yesterday.

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2 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

It really depends on climate and workplace, I think. If you live in. cold climate with lots of slush, snow, and salt or sand, it's best to change them out if you can for comfort and also so as not to ruin workplace floors and rugs.

I live in the Pacific Northwest and I have both types of boot, depending on the weather/ situation. I would definitely change out footwear in some situations, but not in all. For example, last year I taught in a different building from my office space and I had to go back and forth during the day. So I tended to wear boots that would work inside and outside -- weather proof booties, mostly.

Nordstrom

Bronx Lace-Up Platform Boot

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by Suz

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Aquatalia Aquatalia Carie Weatherproof Bootie (Women) | Nordstrom

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Elvina Waterproof Bootie

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2 years ago

Dee

Veteran

Another Canadian here, and my boots tend to be on the practical side due to our weather so I do change them out of for the exact reasons LJP explained, plus my feet just start to feel too hot and sweaty staying in boots all day no matter how fashionable they are.

2 years ago

celia

Veteran

One more Canadian here.When commuting by car even if I had to cross the parking lot it would depend on the amount of snow and the amount of salt trown into said snow, or if I had to go to meetings outside.
I would keep at least a pair of pumps (usually go-with-everything black) at the office . If I had meetings outside I found that a good grip mid calf boot like the black ones below would work well with pants.
The two tone high heel tall boots are actually incredibly warm and nice to wear with skirts and dresses inside as the suede part of the boot(the navy ) would make them softer tosit down with.

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2 years ago

Carol

(website)

Veteran

JAileen, I don't know how much time you've spent in LA, but this is a classic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?.....eRefresh=1

2 years ago

Carol

(website)

Veteran

Thanks everyone--I have boot envy from many of the pictures. I will probably end up changing into lighter shoes at work, like some other people. Then I don't have to buy a whole new pair of boots--I can use the functional ones I already have.

2 years ago

Indigoprint

Veteran

I live in rural Wisconsin. I mostly choose sensible but stylish ( to me) boots as I provide home visits so need to be prepared for any weather/ road/ driveway circumstance. BUT many of my collegues who only travel to and from the location they stay all day have travel /snow gear and change into other footwear in the building.

2 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

Carol, thank you posting the link to the video. It’s just like here except here they measure rainfall in hundredths of an inch. Yesterday we got 0.04 of an inch.

2 years ago

CarolS

Veteran

Another one chiming in from the Canadian prairies. For the commute to the office, warmth trumps. I've always had a pile of shoes that live at the office at least five months a years. I do like to have one winter boot option that can 'pass' as sort of dressy to go out to dinner or attend an event. I am not hauling shoes to a restaurant or concert. On the coldest days though, I only care about warmth1

2 years ago

Joy

Veteran

I tend to wear the boots all day except when they need to be removed inside, but so would shoes. Then I often wear Smart Wool footies on the floors or the socks I wear in the booties.

2 years ago

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