I never meant to wear my old, ugly boots this winter – and certainly not every day. In fact, I meant to buy new ones last year and then again, this fall. Of course, I never did (I’m easily distracted) and before I knew what was happening I was knee-deep in the winter from hell. The driveway needed shoveling and the old girls were available if not, indestructible. Awkward and sort of pillow like they were also a fashion statement that cried function over form.
But then, slowly, painfully and in plain view my whole wardrobe has deteriorated into an eclectic mix of anything warm and reasonably clean. From the ground up, puffy and formless, I have lost all sense of pride and frankly, the orange fleece no longer clashes with the burgundy hat. The jolt of color helps to break up the black on black on black. I look like the Michelin baby gone wrong.
Snow shoeing has replaced running. And this is where the ugly boots really excel. They don’t budge out of those straps. And they almost kept all the ice cold rushing water away from my feet when I stepped into the stream. Almost.
Responding to an email ad, I’ve started buying sandals because apparently, Nordstrom still believes that spring will come and that one day, I will walk out into the sunshine and not step in a pile of slush. I’m looking forward to putting my ugly boots into the back of my closet again. I still believe that I will buy new boots but, I’m going to wait until the fall. What’s the rush?
Lori Spechler 