Fall is finally here which means I can finally break out my boots for every day and not just for a costume.  Most of us have our fashion weaknesses and I’m perfectly okay with admitting that mine is boots.  (I started counting how many non-costuming specific pairs of boots I own and had to stop.  It’s an embarrassing number.)

If there is one item in your closet that I think it absolutely worth spending the extra money on, it is absolutely a solid pair of boots.  That brings us to anecdote time!

My college roommate and I had completely opposite views about fashion; mainly in regards to where to look for clothes and also how much to spend on them.  Getting her to spend more than $10 on an item of clothing was like pulling teeth although she was willing to maaaaaybe go up to $20 for a pair of boots.  To me, this was completely unfathomable.  Now I’m not saying that you should only buy full price designer clothes.  Obviously that would be silly and unrealistic since we’re not made of money.  But if you spend $20 on a pair of boots at Charlotte Russe, you shouldn’t be surprised when they fall apart after a season.

In my eyes, boots should be staples in our wardrobe that remain there for year after year that you greet fondly in the fall and bid a bittersweet farewell to in the late spring.  Everyone should have a nice pair of boots that they can wear all day year after year.  If you go ahead and spend the money on a pair of good quality boots, they will absolutely last you.  (To clarify, I’m not necessarily talking about the stiletto boots with leather soles.  While those are fabulous (and I’ll admit to owning a pair or two), they aren’t the sort of shoe I’m talking about there.)

Let me give you an example from my own closet:

I positively adore these BCBG boots.  I first purchased them from Nordstrom back in 2007 and have worn them faithfully every fall and winter since.  They set me back about $140 on sale but have been worth every last penny.  These are the boots that I can wear all day (and fit my arch supports much to my physical therapist’s delight) and don’t leave my feet aching.  These are the boots that have somehow managed to withstand all of the winter weather that three different countries have thrown at me and survived.  And why?  Because I put in the investment at the start.  On top of that, I honestly believe that nothing beats good quality leather.  Good leather not only feels and looks better than the cheap stuff but it is also far more durable and will last you much longer.

As I wrap this up, I realise that I’m starting to sound a little preachy but seriously, folks.  Invest in a pair of comfortable and great quality boots in a basic colour.  There are a lot of clothes or shoes that you can, without too much regret, veer towards the cheap and easy side but in my mind, boots are really not one them.  To me?  It makes much more sense to go ahead and spend $100 on a pair of boots once instead of $20 five years in a row.  Fashion may be an ever changing medium but there are some fashion staples that will never go out of style.  I promise you that you will not regret it when you’re still wearing them years later.