These boots were made for walking...sort of

Since we started this blog, I have made the commitment to wear my clogs a lot less, resulting in (I am sad to say) aching back and hip. Damn you, comfy, ugly clogs.

I do like these boots I got while back at Target:

This begs the question of budget over quality, but seriously:

Frye Harness boots $218 or Target boots (hello!) $49

But if I find that by next year my Target boots have fallen apart, I might regret not ponying up the money for boots I could have forever.

If You Show Me Yours...

(So you don't get bored of us, every week we post something sent to us by a reader or coerced out of friends and family. Could be a question, a letter, a poll, a picture...we're flexible. See below for this week's If You Show Me Yours post, and see the sidebar for info about how to participate!)

Dear HHAA,

I'm in the market for a good pair of winter boots that can withstand Chicago winters and look somewhat fashionable. I noticed some fellow commuters wearing Bogs. Even though the neoprene reminds of the bag I use to carry my daughter's bottles, I like the fun designs. I got hesitant, however, when I saw some tweens wearing them.

So I'd like your sartorial verdict on Bogs: Are they age-appropriate for a 36-year-old working mom with a size 8.5 foot?

Signed,

Getting the Boot

P.S. Here's a no-risk alternative, but where's the fun in that?

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Hey there, Gettin' the Boot!

We did some on-the-ground research about your question, as we have had a rugged winter ourselves and could certainly benefit from good boots that cover for rain and snow. (I personally think they're fabulous - but I frequently find myself wearing the same shoes as my 17 year old babysitter, so what do I know?!)

Amazingly enough, we found an entire family of Bog-wearers in our town - both parents, and both kids. They agreed to take the boots out for a spin on a wretchedly rainy day so we could not only document the style, but also the function. They stood in puddles. They jumped in the rain. They walked in mud. They went ankle-deep in a flooded river.

They were dry. AND, they looked good.

Wear away, we say! And go for the tall ones, for sure. We'd wear them with a short skirt and good tights, and would crow to everyone about our dry, warm feet. However, we would follow the advice of this family - make sure you don't match designs with any children or tweens in your circle.

Let us know what you decide -

The HHAA Ladies

On the Hunt

I got these boots one winter in Maine, when I was on a focused and frenzied hunt for the perfect boot. (If my husband were allowed to write here, which he isn’t, he would add that every winter I am on that hunt. But he would be wrong, terribly wrong.) They were just under $100 which is, for me, fairly expensive for shoes. I am generally an excellent customer of Payless and Target, but I loved these. I thought they might fill the void, the un-fill-able boot void, and they did, for a bit. Now they are on back-up status; I wear them when I have worn my new boots too frequently, or when I see them peeking out from the back of my closet.

The zip up the back still steals my heart, as so does the color. I wish I could wear them and my blue striped knee socks with the stars up the back along with shorts so it could all be fully appreciated. Feels a bit wasted under pants, sort of like fancy undies under sweatpants. But at least I know they’re there.

If You Show Me Yours...by KATE

So over here at Hip, Hot, and Age-Appropriate we're going to have other voices and faces post occasionally, so no one gets tired of us showing ours! It'll be called IF YOU SHOW ME YOURS and our first one comes from dear friend Kate, who on a recent rainy day sent us a picture of herself in her favorite rain boots. We wanted more, and so spent a frigid morning with her last week taking photos. See below for her and her post:

*Send us you in your favorite things and chime in! Email address on the sidebar--->*

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Channeling Diana, Cheap

Boots, Bare Feet Shoes

It should be noted: these are $30 knock-offs of Hunter wellies. I wish I had Hunters, but for $115...well, I think I have something better to do with the $80+ additional it would take to get the branded ones.

When I wear them, in my imagination, I am awesome like this:

Next up, I'm going to find one of these and TOTALLY wear it:

Though I'll skip the peter pan collar and ribbon tie.

(Check out more of Kate and her Diana fantasies at her blog, The Economics of Soup)

Eeek! More Boots

More new boots?! How did this happen?

I blame Steve Madden.

To be totally fair and truthful, I spent hours of good sleep time festering on Zappos and other such sites, looking for casual - yet cool - brown boots. High enough heel to lift me out of the boring range, and low enough that I could chase and carry kids in them easily. And, of course, the type to go well with jeans tucked it to them. But that brings us to the hunt for skinny jeans, which is a topic for another time.

Here's where they are (oh, I must not be the only one, they're hard to find these days!):

Avensis Boots

One pair too many? Or do I know how to pick 'em?

Call It!(surveys)

Making Peter Pan Proud

Saw these while ostensibly Christmas shopping for others...walked by twice before shame-facedly sneaking in and purchasing, egged on by an eager teenager behind the counter.

Here they are: Sudler Boots by Spring

(and don't forget to CALL IT right below...tell us what you think!)