You Can’t Always Get What You Want (Even in New York)

I give up. I can’t take it anymore. It’s the first week in January, everyone’s having a sale and I can’t find a goddamn pair of black boots to save my life. Not that they’re not out there. But it’s just that I’m looking for the perfect pair of black boots. And so is every New Yorker, at least according to the overwhelming number of responses to our Fall Fashion Survey from readers with their own vision of the right black boots.

When No White After Labor Day sent out our 10-question survey in October, readers responded that they were looking for…
“Flat black boots. They have been my holy grail. But I think I saw my pair today at Camper. Maybe. Otherwise, the search continues.” Ideal outfit for said boots? “Tights, corduroy skirt, sweater vest, button down.“ Two months later, our friend never found such boots. “Either they were too expensive and they weren’t exactly what I wanted for the money, or they just weren’t ‘it’…So you could say I shifted my focus to cowboy boots, which were easy to find on eBay.”

Another reader said she felt it was time to say good-bye to her black leather pointy-toed boots. What did she eventually pass them up for? A pair of pointy-toed brown embellished cowboy boots found on eBay.

And to quote another: “I’m searching for a pair of black boots with a slight heel – maybe one or two inches – that come up to just an inch below the knee, fitted around the calf. I think they’ll look great paired with gauchos or long skirts. Yes, a good pair of black boots…I’m still on the search for them!” Two months later… "I found a decent pair at Aldo's…. They are still maybe not my dream pair of black boots, but I may be getting closer to finding them. They were only $100, which isn't bad for a good pair of black boots. Aldo actually had a good selection when I was there. I was opting for the nicest pair at the cheapest price.”

Here’s a sad tale from another New Yorker on a mission: “I buy a pair and wear them until they disintegrate on my feet. Last spring, my boots of the last four years broke and thus did my heart. If anyone knows where I can find black leather boots with about a two-inch heel, extra narrow in the foot and calf, completely original and high-quality (preferably Italian) and for under $200, call me immediately.” Two months later… “I still haven't found the damn boots. I feel vertically challenged and a little scruffy in my internally-shredded old Daffy's special (which were far from perfect to begin with, but how can you argue with $23 boots?!)”

These are just a handful of testimonials I’ve gotten from disgruntled boot seekers. And I remain one of them. I think one of the main problems people have with finding the right boot is the heel height. I know a lot of girls who are looking for flat boots that are still cute and feminine or one- to two- inch boots that aren't "biker" boots, for example. I briefly fell in love with the boots pictured above, but when I realized they measured higher than three inches, I knew it wasn't meant to be. I also had a decent Lord & Taylor special, which were also not perfect to begin with, but they served their purpose until a tragic accident involving a broken zipper, some fishnets, an overzealous Stevie Nicks fan and an impatient boyfriend who had to literally rip one apart to get it off my leg.

So, what should we do?

Aldo has a pretty wide variety of black boots this season but their sale prices are still starting at $100. Kenneth Cole has a brand new line called Tribeca that has some affordable boot options, but they’re hard to find. I’ve seen them on Zappos and macys.com.
Then, of course, there’s eBay, which we all know has its pros (great deals if you bid smart, totally unique finds) and cons (bitchy sellers, bitchy bidders, potential quality fraud and rules). And you may find the perfect boot, but what was a size 9 in the 70s may be more like an 8.5 today or you may get caught in a bidding war with shopgirl69 or something like that.
Or as my boyfriend suggested, “Go down to Soho with your credit card.”
“Not even,” chimed in my roommate. “I’m about to start jumping people for their boots.”
“What is the perfect pair of black boots anyway?” he asks.
“I feel like I’ll know them when I see them.”
‘Nuff said.

Stay classy, ladies. To be continued…