The winners

Well, it's too late for you to protest now, because I've already taken them out of the box and worn them outside, but the boot winners are ...

The Corso Como Rhonda.

They are almost perfect. In a universe ruled by me, the shaft could be a nudge higher and the heel could be a tad chunkier, but they fit like they were made for me and I love the color and the asymmetrical top and, really, everything. And trust me, I tried on just about every other pair in existence for Fall 2010.

I hesitated a long time over the Lucky Brands, but ultimately, upon trying them on for the third time, came to the conclusion that 17" shaft or no, they were simply too bulky and wide. From some angles they looked great and from others (for instance, my own vantage point looking down) it was as if my leg was swimming in a sea of leather. Wearing them, I felt like I could jump into a barn and start shoveling manure. They'd be great boots for a long country walk followed by a frolic through the sheep pasture. Which, while it sounds amazing, isn't exactly my current lifestyle.

This long, protracted(, and ultimately pretty silly) boot hunt made me realize that there are two kinds of riding boots in the world: equestrienne and rugged. The ones I wound up with were, surprisingly, the former; surprising because all along it was the rugged that appealed to me. But it's all good. I'll wear these into the ground for the next several years. And then ...

... dark brown or black, what do you think?
(Just kidding, husband!!)