I'm so sorry if this is weird but I first came across your blog in 2012 when I got into ASOIAF/GoT fandom, and back then, I was like, a sad and melodramatic 17-year-old who genuinely thought I'd be dead long before I could legally rent a car. Now, I'm 2 months from turning 30, the proud owner of a cat named Esther, gainfully employed and in love, and getting married. There isn't really a huge thesis to this ask I just wanted to thank you for continuing to stick around here since blogs like yours got me through the worst of it and if you want, you can post this publicly to let your followers know that well, the darkness eventually lifts.
Oh my goodness, thank you so much! No, it's not weird at all, and very appreciated, both for my followers and me as well. 💜
My troll anons are generally speaking insecure twerps, so I assume “look mean” to actually be “they are extremely good at their jobs and unashamedly confident and happy with their lives”, which for pathetic creatures like the sad wretches who lurk on my blog and send anons like the one earlier is the worst thing a woman can be.
Hi!!! I'm asking this publicly so you can make a post (when you have time ofc). You gave me such a good rec last year with my riding boots so I'm wondering if you have any good recs for ankle/chelsea boots under $200? I'm also a 5 in women's so if the sizes stop at a 6, I'm screwed lol. Thank you so much in advance!!
Hey @dhaaruni! I'd love to help you out in this regard!
Everything I wrote in my post last year still applies this year, meaning that all the websites and brands I mentioned in my previous post are still my go-tos. So rather than repeating all of what I’ve already said - that I love La Canadienne, that 6pm is a bomb option for finding discount leather boots, that Zappos/Nordstrom Rack/Shoes.com are also excellent, etc. - I’m just gonna go forth and list some of the specific boot options I’ve found for you in my search.
A couple of things I want to address before I do that, though:
1) Something I didn’t mention last year: Poshmark, eBay, and Depop are your friends!!!! I’ve found some beautiful, lightly used boots on those websites for a fraction of their original retail price. I didn’t go searching for boots on those websites for this specific ask, but I’d highly recommend that you take a look, especially on Poshmark and eBay, to see if there’s anything appealing in your size. My guess is that there will be!
2) All of the options I’ve listed below are carried in your size, a US women’s size 5. In my search, though, I was disappointed to find that Blundstone, one of the quintessential makers of chelsea boots, doesn’t really carry below US women’s size 6 in their adult boots! HOWEVER. What I’ve realized - which is something you’ve probably already thought of - is that you could probably fit into kids shoes from certain brands! That’s an advantage because often times, kids shoes are the same quality as their adult counterparts, but they’re just priced much lower. I don’t know how kids sizing works, especially for Blundstone, but I do know that the brand does carry youth chelsea boots. If you’re interested in any particular model, I think it’s totally worthwhile to send an email to their customer service to see if they carry what is the kids equivalent of your size. (Here’s a helpful page on Blundstone sizing.) Lastly, this work around of buying in a kids size would absolutely work for Dr. Marten as well. Although Dr. Marten does carry a US women’s size 5, their children’s shoes are about half the price of their adult versions, and I know that the kids version of their classic lace up boot has a nifty zipper on the side too!
You didn’t specify heel height or boot color in your ask, so most of my picks happen to be black with little to no heel! I did try to add in some color where possible, though. I’ve commented on some models I’ve listed here; for others, I don’t have anything to say, so I’ve just listed the information about the boot. Also, $200 is a really generous budget for ankle boots, so there are many different options at your disposal. Because this is such a long list*, I’ve put it under the cut. I’ll get on with it then!
*Make sure to read to the very bottom because at the end, I’ve added a glorious pair of tall boots that don’t match any of your criteria but that I just had to add anyway. :-)
Mackay by La Canadienne - $149.05
Probably my top pick for what you asked. These guys are beautiful chelsea boots with a stylish chunky heel/slight platform. I really love them, personally speaking. Also, very importantly: they’re WATERPROOF! All La Canadienne boots are waterproof, which is a huge, huge plus for me.
Calahan by La Canadienne - $214.50
I actually own these boots and love them, LOL. They’re a bit higher than ankle boots, but I thought I’d include them as well because I think they’re gorgeous and badass and very, very comfortable. They’re a little out of your budget, but I thought that if you loved them, the $15 difference wouldn’t necessarily make or break your decision to buy them.
Sailor by La Canadienne - $125.10
My last La Canadienne pick, I promise! I just think these are really cute, and I like the stud details.
Cate Buckle by SOREL - $92.50
I love the SOREL boots I own, and these are another pair that are also waterproof! I think the stacked heel is very cute without being too high and therefore uncomfortable, and I think the light tan color is a nice change from all the typical dark colors of winter boots.
Wylie Bootie by Cole Haan - $190.00
These stunning, water-resistant boots are available both on the Cole Haan website (in the link above) or on Zappos. Check out both links to get a sense of which colors are carried by which websites! I think they’re very elegant.
Addie Bootie by Cole Haan - $110.00
When suede is done right....... [chef’s kiss x 1000]. Alas, I don’t think these are waterproof or water-resistant, and if you’re dealing with inclement weather, you need to be careful with suede. (You can buy waterproofing sprays for your suede shoes to help you out in that regard.) Also, I’m a total sucker for burgundy boots, and these guys definitely scratch that itch.
Royal W4D-8614 by Pikolinos - $210.00
Another pair that are slightly out of your price range, but I thought to include them anyway. I don’t have any experience with Pikolinos shoes, but the reviews look promising! I also appreciate that they’re water-repellent.
Aspe W9Z-8699 by Pikolinos - $100.50
These guys come in either burgundy or dark green, and I’m not sure which I like better. The Pikolinos sizing looks to be a little bizarre - they’re European size 35, which is supposed to translate to a US women’s 4.5-5 - but if you know which European size you most often are, that would clear things up a bit.
Cate Pull-On by SOREL - $174.95
These SOREL boots are really cute and have a slight cowboy feel to them, which is very in style this season! They’re also waterproof!
Catria by GEOX - $180.00
I LOVE GEOX boots! The stock that is available in the United States is kind of limited - I’ve gotten most of my GEOX boots either from Canada or Europe - but they’re a great brand. And this particular model, which is available in the US, I find to be really cool! Because these boots are part of their Respira line, I think they’re also waterproof.
Godiva Chelsea Boot by David Tate - $119.99
Bethany Bootie by Vionic - $159.99
This guy is also waterproof!
Happily Bootie by Franco Sarto - $99.99
Becky Bootie by Musse & Cloud - $79.99
Again, I am an absolute sucker for a burgundy boot!
Bowery Chelsea Boot by Coach - $134.98
These guys don’t look remotely waterproof or water-resistant, but God they’re beautiful.
Lyden Bootie by Coach - $195.00
Halford Ankle Boot by Franco Sarto - $69.97
Camden Leather Ankle Bootie by MADEWELL - $119.97
Flora Chelsea Boot by Dr. Martens - $119.97
The Citywalk Lugsole Chelsea Boot in Leather by MADEWELL - $198.00
The Ainsley Chelsea Boot by MADEWELL - $198.00
The Regan Boot by MADEWELL - $178.00
Legend by Thursday Boot Co. - $160.00
It’s definitely worth checking out all the designs at Thursday Boot Co.! I don’t own any boots by them, but I have been eyeing them for years.
2976 Smooth Leather Chelsea Boots by Dr. Martens - $90.00
2976 Alyson DM’S Wintergrip by Dr. Martens
Rometty Faux Fur Leather Chelsea Boots by Dr. Martens - $170.00
Rometty II Vintage Smooth Leather Chelsea Boots - $160.00
Cadence Leather Heeled Chelsea Boots by Dr. Martens - $160.00
BONUS BOOTS:
Ombre Heel Boot by Coach - $159.98
Okay, okay, these are absolutely not what you’re looking for. But they’re so pretttttttty!!!!!!! That color! That suede! That price! And because you’ve had good luck with Coach boots in the past, I couldn’t resist adding these to the list. If you’re in the market for a pair of absolutely stunner dress boots, and you can walk in a 3.5 inch heel, I would jump on these immediately.
you’re so smart you intimidate me (and flatter me by being a mutual)! you’re one of the very, very few people on here who understands data and policy and the value of nuance, and you take great pictures.
Biden and Warren (and Klobuchar and Buttigieg) released letters from their doctors and medical records for the last decade! I think it's hugely invasive that we expect presidential candidates to do that because it places people who've had abortions or have attempted suicide or take mental health meds etc. at a huge disadvantage but I also think that when every other candidate has done it and Bernie's press secretary is on MSNBC lying about it, it's shady af.
We could perhaps make the regulation be more toward “medical records pertaining to major health incidents/general health” rather than full disclosure. Though I can see an attempted suicide in the recent past being a major concern just as Bernie’s recent heart attack is. Of course, we do have a mental health stigma that we need to continue chipping away at. So I’m not sure what the right answer is here and am willing to concede that to folks that are far more knowledgable in that area than me. Idk, long story short, I’m sure there’s a framework we could create and standardize that balances concerns and still gives voters information that they need/want. There’s also the argument that the Presidency being an office with such incredible power, that the argument of privacy is not of concern. Idk where I stand. But there are definitely ways we can think to improve this in the future. For this election, though, Bernie did promise to release them so It’s a fair thing to ask of him, even if in the future we do adopt a more nuanced framework. And yeah, his campaign in general is shady af to me.
The idea of Lysa and Cersei being forced into a friendship (of sorts) makes me wonder if Lysa might have known that Cersei and Jaime are hooking up before Jon Arryn did given she knew Jaime when they were kids and Jaime and Cersei say stuff to their enemies like "When they told Jaime he was not allowed in the birthing room, he smiled and asked which of them proposed to keep him out." Like, the idea that Lysa might have kept twincest a secret to thwart her husband is sort of funny to me.
Passive-aggressive Lysa is a gift that keeps on giving TBH. I generally see their interactions as very superficially well-mannered but full of deep disdain on Cersei’s side and a whole variety of evolving emotions on Lysa’s side. But Lysa is in a way easy to underestimate, so her knowing about the twincest all along while at KL is a great AU scenario. SOMEONE SHOULD WRITE IT.
