Cement Shoes

No, I didn’t get nabbed by the mob – though doing something to deserve cement shoes would be pretty exciting (I think).

I’ve wanted a pair of lace-up, flat boots since my grunge-laden grammar school. I must have begged my Mom 5,000 times for a pair of 16-hole Doc Martens. Any pair of lug-sole, knee-high boots would do. I think tried to justify a purchase of combat boots because… I had to be in a wedding and “they would go with my dress”…? As one can probably imagine, I lost that valiant battle to a pair of white, strappy Steve Madden wedges. Sigh.

But alas, my knight in shiny matte, grey armor arrived the moment I received a box from Wanted. A child’s dream fulfilled has never been so beautiful.

16 eye, four hooks, beautiful waxed laces and a cap toe. What more could a girl ask for? Meet the Wanted Akira boot.

No, they’re not black. They’re not my teenage dream… But they are my mid-twenties dream. I’m thoroughly in love with grey, in case you’re new to the site, and it’s my hands-down favorite “color.” These boots have almost a suede finish to them, but are anything but fake.

I was honestly concerned when I got them because – due to 10 years of rigorous soccer and baseball – I’ve got some killer calves. So when I read “14 inch calf circumference”, I got a little concerned. I have 16″ circumference calves but, Lord bless the lace-up nation, these fit like a dream. I typically wear a size 9-9.5, and I snagged these in a 9 – they fit perfectly. I can wear them with thick, over-the-knee socks and they are not only comfortable, but cozy. I live on a huge hill in Seattle, and I walk up and down that hill in complete comfy bliss.

It’s starting to get might cold in Seattle and I can definitely see myself rocking these boots as often as possible. Because of the side-zip, I’ve found myself throwing them on quickly over leggings just to take out the trash. You wouldn’t think that 16 eye boots would be “convenient”, but they totally are. Wanted really impressed me with the quality of the shoes. I tend to really wear my shoes, and already these have had about 6 miles of walking on them, two entire moving days, and been in the presence of kittens and their appearance mirrors the day they arrived.

Oh, and the grand finale – these boots retail for $89.99. That’s it. $89.99 – and they also come in the coveted black, cognac, brown, and… navy blue. Seriously.

Coat, Vertigo Paris via Marshalls, $39.99
Scarf, Cashmink courtesy of Fraas, 19.95 €
Boots, Akira courtesy of Wanted, $89.99
Jeans, d.jeans via TJ Maxx, $16.99