In Which Frye Makes Me Cry (Not Really, But It Was Close)

I go through a lot of boots. I mostly wear dresses, and as I walk everywhere and therefor can't wear heels most days I pretty much live in tall boots. I wear them fairly hard too. I have a weird heel wear pattern and rarely get through a season without having to get a zipper replaced. I blame the zipper issue partially on my chubby calves, which cause a little buckling around the ankle, which is where the zip eventually fails.  And it's not that I'm buying cheap boots either. I do, however, balk at spending over $300 on footwear. Which is why I've been having a quarter decade unfulfilled love affair with Frye.

 Frye Veronica Slouch

Frye boots are amazing. Sadly they're also hella trendy and everywhere now. And by everywhere I mean I've seen them at Winners. Not the styles I'm particularly smitten with, but still. I've had my eye on the Veronica Slouch for years, but haven't been happy with the brown the past few seasons. They've been doing a weird distressed thing, which I can't get down with (not apparent in the photo above, but super obvious on the physical beast). Whaddup with that, Frye? But these bad boys accommodate my monster calf and don't have a zipper, so booya, boots that might see a few Septembers. I've been patiently waiting for the right brown to come about, using that time to convince myself that I'd be better off dropping a short stack of Borden's (like Benjamin's, only Canadian) on one pair of boots with workmanship that will get me through a few seasons.

And then ....

I found these.

Frye Melissa Riding Boot

That's right, a Frye boot named after me. Well, maybe not named after me, exactly, but c'mon, there's a kinship there. Sort of like how I felt about Melissa Gilbert and Melissa Sue Anderson (Laura and Mary Ingalls to you). And come to think of it, these boots would have looked quite at home in Walnut Creek.

But I digress.

I've been seeing these everywhere, it's like they're stalking me. On many of my favorite fashion blogs, (see, Jessica at What I Wore knows what's down) on a lady on Fort Street I chased down to ask about them. She said it was her first day wearing them and she'd been comfy-cosy-no-sore-feet for eight hours. These, boots ... despite the terrifyingly narrow looking shaft, well, I had to swallow my pride and try.

So I went to Footloose today after work and, dear sweet baby Jesus (BTW - happy birthday!) they were on sale. Of course the lovely little pixie behind the till was wearing them. Tease. So I tried them on, and for a moment there was hope. Then horror of horrors ... wait for it .... my calf ...

My calf had a muffin top.

That's right. They didn't go up all the way because the gargantuan latitude of my calf prevented the sweet buttery leather from sliding up the full length, forcing some very 80s scrunching in the boot and some very unflattering flesh squeeze above it.

So no early Christmas present for me. No hints dropped to Hank that he can save himself the trouble of a ring and just offer these up with the promise of eternal love and stylish foot comfort. I'll stay just as I am, hobbling along on last year's worn-heel beauties, waiting for the right brown to come about in the Veronica Slouch.

Merry Christmas to Me?

I popped the heel off a boot yesterday. Now, this is by no means a tragedy. The heels and zippers had already been replaced once, and though they still look good, they're leaky in the rain. And it rains here. A lot. I've been keeping an eye out for a stylish-yet-practical pair of boots to replace them, as I rely pretty heavily on them for my on-foot commute to work. Tis the season for great prices, and I'm in the market. So what did I come home with today?

These. 

Jump's Bliss Boot. Indeed.

Ok. I may have missed the mark on practical.

But here's the deal. I saw them yesterday. I fondled them. I loved them. I did not try them on. I spent a good 30 minutes last night searching online to no avail (turns out I had the brand wrong). I went back at lunch today. They weren't on the shelf! 'Oh noes!' I though. 'Did I dream them? We're they at a different store? Was I high?' The I saw it. On the sale wall. $40 off. And only one pair in each of the colours. And both in my size. This never happens. I am an 8.5 or 9, which seems big, but is surprisingly standard. Usually last one left's are more in the range of 5.5 or 10. So see, it was meant to be. I struggled with the purple or black decision - black is so practical, but most of my shoes are black, and I thought I'd wear the purple ones more in the spring. So these entirely impractical purple boots now call my feet home, which leaves me with a small matter of replacing leaky day-to-day wear black boots to deal with.

I also picked up a new Moleskine day planner, which I will use to record lists and my one good idea, per the white person mandate.

Moleskine Large Page Per Day Planner

And because that wasn't enough giving to myself this holiday season, my A Year In Yes Calendar came in the mail this morning.

 Yes!

It actually came while I was reading Yes and Yes , which was kind of funny. I know I can be a bit of a cynic and don't usually go for inspirational type stuff, but most of it is garden variety kittens n' quotes and Chicken Soup for the Soul type scmaltz, and that shit straight up makes me gag. This little gem though ... it's so pretty and thoughtful and charming with a dash of irreverence. I may have teared up a little. It also came with a little handwritten note from the lovely Sarah Von, who I think I might be developing a bit of a blogger crush on. I think you should check it out. It's a lovely gift, for yourself or a bestie, and at $18 is on par price wise with the big glossies. And you get the satisfaction of knowing that your money is going to an actual person, who put time and effort and heart into making something beautiful and putting it out into the world.

Versatile Dress, with a Side of Boob

I love having boobs and curve and all that, but am a little jealous of more conservatively endowed women who can rock the no bra, super slouchy or super architectural and structured look. I've been mooning over this dress (found at Wear it Like You Mean It), but think it's more appropriate on a Kate Husdon type body. 

She sells some pretty sweet and very versatile peices on here on etsy. I love the idea of having a dress that can be worn several ways (and bonus, is reversible), and think this is so much more original and contemporary than the Infinite Dress, which may or may not be the same one I remember seeing as a kid on the Home Shopping Network. Donna Karen and American Apparel have versions of it too (and half of Craftster seems to have made versions) but they're basically just a jersey tube with two long, wide straps that can be wrapped several ways. Although the Donna Karen one does at least have some volume on the skirt part, which gives me more hope for the hips than the AA version, which has a so-3-years-ago asymetical raw hem or the the Infinite Dress, which screams Real Housewives of Orange County resort wear, and would go fantastically well with a Bumpit.

What do you think? Is there hope for a dress like this working on a girl that's packing heat front and back? Or is it the domain of the lithe, lean, braless wonders?