Putting Rubber and Cow Hide to Good Use

R: Having been at Whitman for three falls, I’ve come to understand the seasonal weather patterns that affect the Valley.  I realized this a few weeks ago when the October rains began shifting our sunny warm days into the sort that make you want to curl up in bed and watch Gossip Girl all day.  While part of me loathes the Seattle-ish weather that befalls Walla Walla this time of year, I delight in the fact that I’ve developed a deeper understanding of the way this side of the world works.  But this blog isn’t about philosophical musings or shitty weather.  Rather, I want to note the foot fashion that accompanies rain and gray skies.  Rain boots or when the rain isn’t too persistent, leather boots, have been steadily on the rise in the past weeks.  A certain Kappa junior has impeccable red galoshes that she aptly sports with black leggings.  Others chose a more subdued route and bust out the black or navy rain boots, but I prefer patterned or colored ones.  Tights and a skirt paired with galoshes add an impish twist to an otherwise drab day.  However, too much pattern can be a bad thing.  A colorful umbrella, dress, and rain boots all at once is overkill.  Pick one focal point, and I’ll be less inclined to ridicule you. 

Leather boots, while great for any and all cold weather, merge utilitarianism with fabulousness.  The trend has been slowly on the increase the past year and a half, peaking, this fall.  Hopefully the trend will hang around for a while since boots are not only expensive but also endlessly chic.  The sound of boots on a wooden floor is the sound of a confident woman on a mission.  It’s music to my ears.  The boots I sport most often and the ones that align most closely with the equestrian influence of this and past seasons are actual riding boots.  I rode horses for eight years before coming to Whitman.  Alas, riding was not an activity I pursued at college, but I did bring my tall black field boots with me as a nod to my past and as a cheap and more authentic alternative to the equestrian-inspired boots inundating department stores.

On cold rainy days, any form of motivation helps.  For me, the excitement of wearing galoshes or leather boots gets me out from under the covers and ready for the day at hand—with style, of course.

(Photo: Me rockin’ the aforementioned black riding boots back in 2003.  Now, you are far more likely to see me wearing them with tights and a dress than with a horse in hand.)