WIW yesterday: RATE and bedhead/also a K/R Sorels

Yesterday was a day of errands and cleaning up after my family left... These are Gap Really Skinnies size up twice, with a thrifted cashmere sweater. Wore my burgundy Docs out of the house. Bonus authentic bedhead!

Interestingly, I think this is an outfit I would have worn at any point in my life: high school, college, law school, and on through to today. Distressed denim and a black topper are apparently a lifetime formula for me.

The Sorel boots are a K/R Christmas gift. Rae tried these and they looked fab on her though the forum agreed they are gear. Are they too much gear for me? What do we think of the shaft height? They will definitely be useful year round here. They are comfy but because there is no zipper they are a little bit of a pain to get on and off with the laces. However, I think that's the tradeoff for being fully waterproof.

Feedback welcome!

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13 years ago

JuneBug

Veteran

I would say these boots are still gear on you, but the shaft length looks fine to me! Black on denim is an errand staple for me too and I change up my footwear depending on how much I want to amp my look- slight heels to a departmental store, flat riding boots to the grocery or driving around. Your bedhead is pretty sleek!

kkards

i like the boots. Yup, they're gear, but they are fashionable gear. actually, when i think alaska, this is part of what i picture. and i would think that waterproof would be huge for you.

Anonymous

Shaft height looks fine -- they look like a sleeker version of my Cate the Great Sorels.

Love the skinnies and half-tuck sweater.

Kristin SF

I love those boots! Shaft height looks great to me!

Amy

(website)

I can't imagine living in Alaska and not having boots like those! I always had a pair of sorels when living in Wyoming and Montana. Snow, slush, mud...whatever. You need good boots that keep your feet warm and dry. Those are also rather cool looking boots. KEEP

Thistle

Love the skinnies and sweater. Looks amazing on you, and so comfy and cozy.

I am going to go against the flow here and say return the boots. In a previous post, you mentioned how you did not much wear your boots that laced IF they didn't have a zipper once you adjusted the laces. You were in a hurry in th emornings, and tended to bypass antyhing that was difficult or time consuming to don. Based on that, I do not think you will wear them much.

That said, I love my sorrels (wore them into the office today and changed my shoes once there). Only you know if you will go through the process of putting them on often enough to make it a good purchase. Other than that, I would vote keep.

rae

I still love the boots, and I would have kept and worn as a fashion-gear crossover if I lived where you do!

catgirl

Rae, what did you think of the on/off ease with lacing them up? It's the only reason I have not worn them out, I'm trying to decide if it's a total pain. Thistle makes a good point. Once they are on, they'd be on for the day!

Tricia

yeah, given where you are, I think fashion-gear crossover works. I like the outfit!

Glory

I love your style. The boots are fab but the lace up would be a deal breaker for me. I live in a very cold and snowy zone. Winter boots have to be easy on and off for me because of the frequency of use.

Transcona Shannon

What Amy said - just subsitute Winnipeg for Wyoming!

So, Shannon and other winter climate folks, do you prefer zippers, lace, pull-on or some combination? I find that true gear boots either lace or pull on (to avoid water influx)... I think laces are easier than buckles, but zip-off most convenient.

My true winter gear boots are both - one is zippers and one is laces. I always think of skates when I'm doing up the laces version. I absolutely prefer the zippered pair for quick and easy in/out but don't mind the laces. For me personally, buckles would drive me crazy.

Hm, I did not notice any difficulty getting them on or off at all. On me, the laces loosened very easily and on their own after the top was untied... they kind of like... depressurized and sprang open. Not like a boot with normal eyelets, where you have to pull at the laces several times to get on and off. I think if I had to do all that I might have been irritated.

Chiming back in from the snowy climates. I have several gear boots. My sorels pull on but also have a bungee style lace if you want them tighter (high snow). these are extreme boots and go to -50 degrees. I wear them when I need to be outside for several hours at a time. Then I have a pair of Columbias which are shaft height with a side zipper. These are my most frequently used boots to run around for errands, pick up kids, take them to sports, go the gym. I also have an in between pair from Pajar which are leather, sheepskin inside, but they lace up. They are very warm but honestly I rarely wear them because of the lace. You would not be able to keep boots on indoors here as the weather is too sloppy. I think that is why I need the easy on/off,.

Suz

My only true winter gear boots are a short pair of Salomon hiking style snow boots, so they lace up, but they don't come up so high. I don't mind the laces at all - they're easy to do, like skates.

I have a pair of insulated Clarks knee high boots with a zip that are for town walking in the snow. And an uninsulated but waterproof pair of Timberlands that are knee high, plus a pair of Blundstone's that are pull on chelsea style.

My next gear boots I think will be something like what you have there. As well as a pair of true rainboots (another wardrobe hole). Hard to say if the on - off will bother you a lot, but you might try it a bunch of times in the house to get a clearer sense of that.

Day Vies

Hair color -- very cute. I used to have that color and I so miss it! Boots also cute in a tough kind of way. I like how it plays nice with the belt. I'd wear it to run errands and straighten up.

Karie

I love the boots, but having to lace them up would mean I just wouldn't wear them that much. I prefer pull on - easy to get on, easy to get off.

Makrame

I cannot wear boots that don't zip up or pull on easily. I bought Sorelia Earheart boots last year that have a side zipper - love them (had to add a shearling insole from Zappos to make them warmer).

ManidipaM

Take this with a smidge of salt because I *know* I'm projecting a grass-is-greener vibe on to you here: While I'll leave you to wrestle with the laces and decide if they're worth it, I think with your shapely calves, I wouldn't want the horizontal bands to obscure that shape and would look for something with the colour running differently. (But then, my chunky cankles are what I have to dress around and wish I could wish away, hence the warning at the start.)

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