Study of Shoes and Stilettos

Cream and white cowboy (cowgirl?) boots with feather/flame-ish detail.  I was never the type to always want a pair of cowboy boots.  I grew up in the Wild Wild West geographically, but my town was just a quiet little town.  Sure, we had a rodeo every summer, and I was a bit obsessed with horses as a girl–what girl wasn’t?–but my horse dreams always involved riding bareback in the circus and not becoming a rodeo queen, thus no boots.  (Note: while both circus performers and rodeo queens both wear sequins, I think it’s pretty obvious which version I lean towards.)

These beauties were a gift from my amazing Aunt Mouse (not her real name, don’t worry), she and I used to be the same shoe size, but then her feet tragically grew about a half-size and she gifted me several pairs of shoes, including these boots.  I was looking around the Interwebs at cowboy boots, and they are expensive, yo!  Seriously, most pairs are $200-$300, and some go up to $800!!  And that was just a preliminary search!  I was baffled.  I had no idea they were so expensive!  I went to Toronto a few months ago and–among other things like visiting a SHOE MUSEUM–found a row of cowboy boots in a thrift store, I admired them and took an artsy-ish photo, but what I should have done is buy a pair at those low prices (and with Canadian money it’s like it’s free–their dollar bills are pink and purple, which seems like monopoly money to me.  I heart Canada!).

Here are a few pairs I found for under $100, enjoy!

Coconuts By Matisse, Burgundy Gaucho Boot (red cowboy boots?  Sold.)

Groove Kick Knee-High Boot (these come in purple AND red AND tan! Love!)

Western Cowboy Lizard Boot (a sleek, shiny option)

MIA Traill Western Boot (I love these.)

Western Cowboy Firewater Boot (turquoise flames on boots?  Rawr!)

Sharon has this incredible sense of style I have admired since we met, and I am so glad she graciously volunteered to guest post for me!  Today’s lesson: thrifting shoes.  This is something I’ve never been brave enough to do, so I will be taking good notes here.

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There is something great about second- hand-shoes.  Before they came into your life, they had a completely different existence full of adventure.  Although you may never know their past stories, that doesn’t mean you can’t add a few more chapters to their lives.  Here are a few of my favorite second-hand-shoes.

These boots were purchased at Deseret Industries for $7.00.  Before they came to me I believe they belonged to an Almost Rodeo Queen. You know, the one with blonde, curly, way-too-poofy hair. She probably only won Miss Congeniality (pity award) in her local city’s rodeo and gave up on Rodeo-Queening for good.

I scored these duds at my favorite thrift store, St. Vincent de Paul, for $3.99. I think an older lady, probably about 63, had these before me. Her name was Bonnie and she was still hip in her older age. I am also guessing these bright, salmon colored shoes were only worn for mall-walking or getting the mail. They were in mint condition when I got them; luckily for them, I wear them all the time.

I actually do know the story behind these lovely, lovely rain boots. I found them when I was helping my husband’s grandmother clean out her attic. I tried them on and asked in my sweetest voice if she was planning on keeping them. She told me they were hers when she was my age, and she wore them every day. She grew up in Finland so they truly have had an adventurous life.  I am so glad they are mine now, and get a lot of use in this rainy, rainy, state (Washington) I live in.

XOXO

Second-Hand-Sharon