Cinched

Sometimes I fantasize about a life in which I get up in the morning, pull on my boots, and head outside to feed the horses.  Then I’d have eggs and fresh-picked apples for breakfast before riding to the market to buy the groceries I couldn’t grow in my garden.  Then I’d prepare for an evening performing in the circus.

I didn’t say it was a well-thought-out fantasy.

I find myself attracted to anything that reminds me of the early 1900s and, specifically, anything that reminds me of those hard-working women who often threw on a pair of durable boots over their negligee before running out the door to catch the postman, or the milkman, or a rogue child trying to avoid doing his chores.  I love the idea of a disheveled, unassuming beauty that doesn’t need four-inch heels or waxed legs.  Just some silk, a cinched waist and the ability to ride at a gallop.

Vegan shoe company Wanted sent me a pair of their Stirrup Boots to review, and I instantly fell in love.  No heel, no non-functioning zippers or decorative buckles.  Just a simple, classic-looking boot with a stirrup for pulling them on and a wooden base to help keep your feet out of the muck – or in my case, the early-winter snow coming through Seattle.

The more I wear them, the better they look.  They’re wearing down like real leather, and the 14.5-inch calf circumference is perfect: just small enough to wear alone, just big enough to layer with tights and thick socks.  My hands were freezing as I took these photos, but my legs were quite warm.

Wanted offers these – let me say it again, vegan – boots for $79.99.  They come in grey, brown and black, though only the gray is available on their site at the moment.  They’re quite popular, and for good reason!

Dress: Voile, Marshalls, $15
Jacket: Doki-Geki, Nordstrom, $50
Necklace: Madras 641, gift
Boots: Wanted “Stirrup” in brown: $79.99, gift