September Theme: Boots!

It's the first of the month folks and you know what that means? Sophistique Noir's fabulous monthly theme, of course! Last month VictorianKitty had her readers vote for September's theme and the winner was BOOTS! Ah yes, a subject near and dear to every Goth's heart!!! In this scene, footwear can make or break an outfit. It can propel you onto the dance floor in stompy goodness, or can cut a sultry figure as you slither along to a good old fashioned tune from Siouxsie and the Banshees. From towering bouncy platforms to old school combat boots, boots are simply an intrinsic part of a Goth's wardrobe.

Le Professeur Gothique's Pride and Joy

I remember when I first saw this style of boot. I was still in grammar school (1985 or 86) and buying Tiger Beat magazine every month. At that time Tiger Beat was a great magazine because it predominately featured punk rock and new wave bands like Siouxsie and Sigue Sigue Sputnik. I believe that it was either published in London or its editorial vision was to cover the new British invasion. Needless to say, it was Tiger Beat that introduced me to many bands that I would have never run across at such a young age. This magazine, MTV's 120 Minutes, and an all important trip to California to visit an older cousin molded my musically tastes for the rest of my life. Anyway, there was ad in Tiger Beat for a shoe company that specifically made what they used to call Creepers -- the boots you see above. I really don't know when Creepers became those Rockabilly shoes, but for me, Creepers will always be these boots because that's how they were introduced to me. Goddess! I wanted them in the worst way. Mom said no, they were too expensive. I would have to wait until I made money of my own, etc. Once I did I bought my Creepers. Granted, I opted for the men's boots instead of the women's because they are better made and much more comfortable. You'll notice that I don't wear heels much. Between an arthritic big toe and the impatience for teetering on heels I mostly avoid them save for a few.

Close-up of the bat buckles

Of course, my favorite part of these boots are the straps and bat buckles! 

Summer-weight Docs

Let's be honest, Docs are probably the most comfortable of all the boots out there. Sure, their sizing is always screwed up, but nothing a squishy insert couldn't fix. I saw these in a store along Broadway in Manhattan and was thrilled to discover that the leather is a softer, thinner summer-weight. I've had them for a little over a year and the printed leather is surviving nicely. These always look cute with shorts, a short skirt, or jeans.

Brand new Life Strides

These are the newest addition to my boot collection. I know I just said that I avoid heels, but these are so comfortable that the heel really doesn't bother me. They are made by the same company that makes nurse's shoes, which is probably why they're so darned comfortable. I'm starting to gravitate towards certain brands of shoes lately -- Life Stride, Clarks, Anne Klein, Sofft -- simply because they're comfortable and extremely stylish. These boots remind me of a Victorian leather buckle boot.

In honor of VictorianKitty

I barely wear the boots in the above photo -- the heel is just too high for me -- though they do come out for dinners with the hubby and social events that don't require tons of dancing or walking. These are completely covered in velvet (including the heel) and are "tied" with a satin ribbon. You'll notice that they are a side zip boot, making it unnecessary to unlace and re-lace the ribbon. I show you these in honor of the beautiful and super-stylish VictorianKitty, of whom the boots remind me.

RIP: my Fluevogs

Last but not least, I leave you with my recently departed, patent leather, 12 hole Fluevogs. *sniff* I'm going to miss you old friends! You kept me comfortable on the dance floor and kept my feet happy as we bounced around together. So sad.

The Run Down:

Creepers: bought at Trash and Vaudeville, NYC

Flowered Docs: bought at Shoe Mania, NYC

Life Stride boots: bought at DSW

Velvet heels: bought on-line from Newport News

Fluevogs: bought in Boston, Newbury Street Fluevog store