The Allure of Boots

I came across and interesting article the other day called "The Allure of Shoes: Why Do Some Need So Many", which caused me to do some great self-reflection... I'm not a "girly" girl by any means, although one could argue against that with my unhealthy facination with black eyeliner... however, I realized that I do have a little thing for shoes - I wouldn't call it a fetish, just a mere love for shoes, sandles and my weakness...BOOTS...

Anyway, after reading this article, I thought that I would personalize it - and by personalize it, I mean change every word "shoes" into "BOOTS"... thus, allowing me to further identify with the article. Be one with the article, be the article - THINK like the article... but of course subsitute "boots" for every "shoe(s)"!

So, that is what I'm going to do - I shall, for your reading pleasure, subsitute "shoe" for "boot". You'll positively love it. If you think that my spiffied up version is bullshit, then you can go read the original article - in which case "shoes" has not been subsituted for another type of footwear.
http://www.canada.com/topics/lifestyle/style/story.html?id=c36bde9d-51a8-4193-a1f7-159bc9cea7f8

So, here it is - MY interpretation of the article:

The allure of shoes: Why do some need so many?
'Boots shape the attitude of an outfit,' experts say -- and there's no guilt over sizes

Lorrayne Anthony, The Canadian Press
Published: Tuesday, January 31, 2006

TORONTO - What is it about BOOTS that can make a smart woman pay an outlandish sum for something she can only wear in good weather and when she doesn't have too far to walk?

"No matter who you are, (BOOTS) make you look and feel better," said Stuart Rice, marketing director for Browns BOOTS in Toronto, who has worn many hats in the BOOT industry for 25 years. "You can wear a pair of jeans and look like you are going shopping and I can take you and slap you in a pair of BOOTS with a high wedge with beautiful details... and all of a sudden you look dressed up and sexy.

"You put these BOOTS on and bang, you jumped up four inches in height, you lost 20 pounds, your legs look longer," he said. "You look hot. You feel hot."

Also, there is very little hassle with BOOTS; you don't have to get undressed and see your backside from all different angles, Rice said.

Rose Fuller is a sensible, yet BOOT-obsessed character played by Toni Collette in the Hllywood film In Her BOOTS, which also stars Cameron Diaz, her equally footwewar-fanatical sister, and Shirtley MacLaine as their grandmother. Rose has a theory to explain her love and need for luxurious and expensive BOOTS.

"When I feel bad, I like to treat myself. Clothes never look any good. Food just makes me fatter...BOOTS always fit."

Elizabeth Semmelhack, curator at the Bata BOOT Museum in Toronto, said that while there may be a preference for smaller feet for women, BOOT size doesn't come with the same baggage as dress sizes.

"There's no guilt associated with BOOT size, it's what God gave you," she said, adding that some people feel a thick waist is your own fault and there may be some shame when purchasing clothes in larger sizes.

Aside from fit and the transformation into a hottie, Semmelhack said BOOTS became increasingly important during the 20th century.

"Women's dress has become a lot more simplified. For example, we no longer wear hats," she said. "BOOTwear and purses, one could argue, have become incredibly important. They have to carry a lot of status information."

You can be wearing a Gap T-shirt with jeans and, depending on your BOOTS and purse, you could be a soccer mom or a Sex and the City babe, she said.

"BOOTS shape the attitude of an outfit," said Robin Keeler, fashion director at the Yorkdale mall in Toronto, adding a flat, a wedge, a stiletto, will give the same outfit a different character, "which is brilliant."

"But the wrong BOOTS just kills a look," she said.

There is no magic number when calculating the number of BOOTS each woman needs.

Keeler said it depends on budget, and advocates buying quality that will look good and be comfortable.

Brown's Rice said women can't get away with any less than five pairs per season: at least one athletic BOOT, something for the evening, something really sexy, something casual with jeans and something a little more tailored for work.

This spring's must-haves come in the shape of a wedge, with an embellished artisan look. Gone are the bubble gum casual flip-flops.

But Rice realizes there are those who can't feed an addiction wth only five hits: "I look at my wife's closet and I wish it were only five a season."
© The Edmonton Journal 2006

If you cannot already tell... I have a thing for boots... the mere thought of boots makes me excited, giggle and become profusely dehydrated after the subtle drooling... Mmmm, boots.