A Little Bit of What You Fancy

Call me a cynic, but I find that if I want something I very rarely come by it. So when I decided that I wanted to find a down jacket that covered my bum and didn't make me look the size of a house I was sure that it was a quest destined for failure.

(Images via Comptoir des Cottoniers, Ecco)

And when I subsequently decided that I wanted a pair of boots that were warm, comfortable, water proof with a nice bit of foot support (that weren't hideously ugly) I was pretty sure that the fashion gods would be sat up Mount Fabulous having a good old chuckle at my gall.

But in your face! Because I got both, on one day. Yay!

Obviously I won't be shopping again for months because a) I have spent rather too much money and b) I have a feeling that a serendipitous shopping adventure like that only comes around once in a blue moon.

But right now I'm as happy as a clam and as toasty as, erm, a ... freshly toasted piece of toast...?

High and Dry

Now, I know this might be sacrilege to many of you, but I prefer a cold climate to a hot one. I don't mean that I like miserable weather, but a cold crisp day with perfect blue skies when you can wrap up warm and stomp about the countryside is my idea of heaven.

And maybe it is just that in my head I am fantasising about living somewhere cooler, you know, like Sweden, but I am becoming completely obsessed with boots that cater for weathers slightly more extreme than the ones I experience in the south west of England.

But seriously, all I want right now is to buy a pair of boots that is waterproof, warm and with really good grip.

Maybe I'm just getting old. They look really good, though too, don't you think? Particularly the Sorel ones. I love the wedges but they do definitely fall down on the practical side.

 Ecco above

 

 

Sorel below

Can I find anyway to justify buying a pair of boots that would be infinitely more suited to a life in Alaska?

I can, you say? Well, that's just marvellous!

 Toasty dry feet for all this winter.

Now I just have to pick which pair I want...

(Images via Ecco, Sorel)

Cold Comfort

It wasn't that long ago that the thought of comfortable shoes made me shudder. But I have come to the point where I have to admit defeat and say that when I buy shoes the comfort factor makes up any important part of the appeal.

Particularly when it comes to a shoe that will be worn for extended pedestrian jaunts in a warm country. You know, like when you are on holiday. Because there can be nothing more miserable than sore feet en vacances.

I have just about come round to the delights of Clarks (at least their cuter ranges) but have yet to be converted to other comfort over style brands.

That was, until this weekend.

My lovely friend Kate, the doyenne of comfortable feet, was in town and encouraged me into Hush Puppies. And do you know what? I was very pleasantly surprised. They have some real treats. Seriously, I do not tell a lie. In fact I bought the top pair and am now considering the sandals below them too. They could be cute, right?

And these adventures in comfort didn't stop there. Admittedly my style over comfort is still very firmly in place and I proved to myself that no matter how comfortable it is if I look like a four year old in sensible crepe soled sandals I will not be swayed. But on venturing into Ecco (not somewhere I ever thought I would admit to shopping) I realised that comfort does not always equal hideousness. Which makes me exceedingly happy because I am not ready to tip the balance. Not quite yet.

(Images via Hush Puppies, Ecco)