the Dalaverse

Y'all, I might have to sleep with a pair of boots tonight. Or, not WITH them in like a porny way - wearing them. Or possibly using them as a pillow.

I've been meaning to buy a pair of knee-high boots for a couple of years now. Being done with schooling for the foreseeable future, I finally feel like enough of a grownup to make this a priority. I went to the mall after work because I knew they'd have Columbus Day sales going on. It might surprise you to know that Dad is my constant shoe shopping companion - he used to sell shoes and so can always vouch for quality and fit. And while my mother and I have learned to simply not ask each other's opinions, Dad and I share almost the exact taste in women's footwear (Dad: 'Despite the fact that I don't wear it. Well, only on special occassions'). I knew exactly what I wanted because I don't do heels, fake fur or slouch. This basically left me with leather riding-style boots with a nice 1 - 1 1/2 inch stacked heel. Cuts down on running the sales person back to the stockroom.

So anyway, there's not a whole lot of options in the ever-sketchier Lakeforest, but we exhausted every one. Sears didn't have a single non-synthetic shoe that I could see. I tried on a couple of pairs at Penneys: one was really comfortable, but they were about three-quarter-calf-length and too informal. Lord and Taylor had some pretty boots, but they were all far too expensive with insufficient sale incentive. So I went with a pair of black Bandolinos at Macys - these, actually. I wasn't perfectly happy in the store because I was afraid they gapped a bit at the top and I need a sole insert, but by the time I got home I was in love.

They're pretty, and sexy (not as sexy as the ones with sky-high heels, maybe, but I prefer not to invite disaster to my bad feet and weak ankles). Plus they match my black leather jacket (which - Mom and I spent ten minutes arguing over whether it was black or very dark brown, IT IS BLACK OKAY). And OMG they smell SO GOOD. The smell of leather does things to me, man, with or without the faint afterscent of saddle soap. I keep rubbing my cheek against them. Is that weird?

Next up: perfume. Or cologne, whatever, I don't know the difference. I rubbed some Chanel No. 5 from a magazine ad on my wrists and it smells pretty tasty, but I'm keeping my options open. Maybe something with a hint of butter-soft leather?