they say it never rains in southern california, and for the most part, they are right.
but when it does rain, like every other 10 years or so, i’m like a kid in the candy store because i get to wear my rain boots! i get all geeked up and whip out my green kors boots and do a little happy dance.      

i think rain boots look adorable and quite chic and sexy too at the same time. you have to wear them with command – a lady like charm. so i should clarify and say that when i say adorable, i mean in an audrey hepburn kinda way and not dora the explorer way.

be sure to invest in rain boots to spare your pretty suede and leather boots. with the styles they come in now, they are worth the investment.

do you own any rain boots?

 

 

a) a jockey – as in horses, or

b) a hooker – as in hooking.

then along came the fashion tornado of the 80’s, and inside of the eye of the storm were mullets, acid washed jeans (which by the way have found their way back into our closetss) torn shirts and biking shorts that highlighted the crotchtorial area in flashing neon colors.

but among the masses and piles of grungy american wear, were pieces of solace. we were also loving long time, classic wardrobe staples such as diane von furstenberg geometric wrap dresses and gucci oversized boyfriend jackets, and tommy hilfiger high polished riding boots.

and ever since their introduction into the mainstream, they have always been the go-to boot for jockeys, fashionistas and soccer moms alike.

perhaps it’s because they are so classic and appeal to the all american side of life. i mean betting on horse racing is an american past time, no? but, seriously, what is is about riding boots that make us love them so?

i wear mine with dresses, pants, shorts + tights or no tights at all. i’m able to do this because the key is to invest in a pair that are not as trendy and fly by night as some boots come. you want them to be “trendless.”

this means leather instead of suede and little to NO embellishments.

where to buy: a great place to start is your local thrift store – salvation army, goodwill, etc.

if you don’t want to go vintage, be sure to invest in a good quality pair, like the ones below. dsw, bakers, nordies, loehmans and other big department stores all carry riding boots.

how to maintain: keep your soles looking new by finding a great cobbler who can reinforce your heels and also treat them yearly by waterproofing them. also, be sure to clean them with a little saddle soap and or leather cleaner in-between cobbler visits.

storage: when i’m not wearing my boots, i stuff them with old white tee shirts (so the legs stand up) and place them in the back of my closet. stay away from newspaper, as the ink can transfer and the paper also deteriorates over time. you can choose to store them anyway you like. some people like to just boot hangers and hang them in the closet. it’s all up to you what you do. just don’t throw them in a shoe bin where they will be all scuffed and bent. i used to do that in college!

if you own any riding boots, please do share!

where did you buy them?

how long have you had them?

do you consider them a staple wardrobe piece?

how many pair do you own?

>$250