I've been eyeing Red Wing boots for the longest time.
I've never had high-quality boots and thought it was about time I got one. And yes, I'm the kind of woman that fantasizes about her dream boots instead of a pair of stilettos.
So, I walked into my local Red Wing shop, wearing my cheap beat up burgundy H&M Doc Martens knock-off boots, and cautiously eyed all the boots on the walls. I picked up one and felt the weight — these guys are heavy. Yep, real leather and thick rubber will do that.
As much as I liked the look of the brown leather pairs they had available, my staple color is black. Most of my clothes are black and I couldn't really see myself in brown boots — so I ended up trying on the Classic Moc Boots in Black Harness Leather.
I wasn't used to the stiff leather, waxed laces, and thick soles. I felt like I was walking around with big clunky feet. It even sounded like it. But nonetheless, I fell in love with the style, looked at myself in the mirror, and thought about how great they would look after a few months of rough love and adventures.
As I sat there, in the shop with both boots on my feet, the old cheap pair I arrived with laying on the floor, I knew that I was literally stepping into something great and there would be no turning back.
I joked with the manger saying that I couldn't wait to "style it with a skirt" while secretly thinking about all the cute new OOTDs I would take in my new boots.
Then I felt silly. Because sitting next to me were grown men. Men that were buying their boots because they needed it for their constructions jobs. Men that came to pick up their re-soled boots because they had worn them to the core while performing whatever work it was that these boots were originally designed for.
So there I sat, tapping the heel of the boots on the carpet, thinking about how they were going to change my life. Yes, pretty heavy stuff for a pair of shoes right? I went from feeling silly to being empowered. Just because I didn't operate a tractor, forklift, or whatever, it didn't mean that I didn't deserve to have a good quality pair of well made boots.
I will wear them when I'm out shooting, when I'm hiking, or when I travel. I'll make sure that each crease on the leather was created because I took steps in pursuing my passion. I'll tie the laces knowing that I'm securing a future that's full of adventures and exciting uncertainty.
I recently committed to making smarter choices about the things I buy. These boots were the first step in that direction. They didn't come cheap, about $350 after tax and a starter kit of cleaning products. But I know these will last me for many many years to come.
Give me a few more months, we'll see how these guys have broken in. For now, I'm enduring the blisters and foot pains because I'm in it for the long haul.
Red Wing Shoes Daly City
227 Westlake Center
Daly City, CA 94015
*Red Wing shoes doesn't make women's size. I normally wear a size 8.5 in women's shoes — I got size 5 in these boots. They feel tight right now, but will loosen up as I break them in.
This post wasn't sponsored by Red Wing. I just really really like them.