Happy Feet

I’ve been worried about my boots. Years ago I bought the fanciest pair of cowgirl boots I could find just to celebrate the irony of owning a useless work boot. I do capricious things like this sometimes, but it turned out that cowgirl boots are so comfortable I want to wear them everywhere. This works out well, because wearing dress boots with suits is de riguer for displaying high plains chic. I've worried, because I don't want to get them dirty on the farm.

I certainly have hiking boots for mucking around, but they aren’t nearly as comfortable and they are much harder to put on in quickly, like when I have to run outside after my Chihuahua because I let him out without realizing there’s a fox in the yard. Oh, Fiddlesticks! I have to run out in my socks.

Of course, all divas know there is a shoe for every occasion and I have found the perfect solution to my mucking-around-boot dilemma: decorative cowgirl wellies. While the shoe crisis has been resolved with the acquisition of these beautiful, yet practical boots, it does make me think that we should review the gear that a farm diva needs, starting with the shoes.

In the Office
These are my favorite dress shoes for work by Söfft. I have spent as many as five consecutive days on my feet for thirteen hours a day in these shoes. I love them. I also have a pair of black Easy Spirit pumps with a two inch heal and a pair of black pumps by Enzo Angelini with three inch heals for impractical occasions. While I do have some strappy shoes in my collection, I tend to be very pragmatic about protecting my feet, so most of my shoes will cover my toes and heals. I’ll pay extra for comfort too.

Around Town
These are my dressy boots by Dan Post. On casual work days and weekend shopping, I wear them with dark jeans, a silk cardigan set, and pearls. For regular business attire, I wear them with dress slacks, a light tunic sweater and a pashmina. It took me two years to find these when my last pair started to fall apart. Since I wear them with pants over, the presence of the inlay pattern across the vamp is very important. The inlay is also what makes them utterly useless as work boots, which is what I love.

Over the River and Through the Woods
My hiking boots are pretty standard. I can hike long distances, but I’m not particularly sure footed, so it is important to have some ankle support. They do the job, but I don't like them much. They are a pain to lace, and if I’m going anywhere before or after hiking I have to take an extra pair of shoes in the car. I hope I never die while hiking, in part, because I will have been caught dead in these ugly things.

As A Last Resort
I have sneakers for practical reasons, but I think they are even uglier than the hiking boots, so I won’t show them at all. As yard shoes, they just get filthy and can’t be cleaned.

Let's just move along...

In the Yard
These are my brand new Nomad Yippy rain boots for mucking around in the yard. They are easy to put on and easy to pull off. They can be cleaned with a hose. They have a pretty paisley pattern. They will probably be the first impression that informs my new neighbors that I am completely out of my depth on a mini-farm.

Around the House
I wear my Icon mules featuring Gustav Klimpt’s Lady with a Fan when I want to wear shoes around the house. I am quite serious that they will never touch asphalt or grass or dirt of any kind. I never, ever wear these outdoors. They are far too pretty to risk exposure to the elements.

Whenever I Can
Most of the time, though, I don’t wear shoes in the house, and just run around in my slipper socks. As a rule, I avoid wearing matched socks unless they look horrible with the shoes. I don't have to waste time pairing socks, and I get more "smilage" out of them. 

Clearly, I have more shoes than feet, but it's important to be prepared with the proper accessories for every occassion. They keep me warm, protect my feet and they make me happy.