The concept of comfort food is a well-established one.  When we’re sad or hurt, we eat things that bring us joy like macaroni and cheese or the cookies we loved as children.  But does that extend to other areas apart from food?  For me it does.
 

I don’t know about you, but when I’m not feeling well or when something’s got me down, I gravitate toward certain types of clothing, specifically the softer, more comfortable pieces.  I know I’m not alone in this.  I’ve had it corroborated by others.  And, in a televisual example, powerful chick Buffy the Vampire Slayer always opted for loose, baggy clothes when she had something to be down in the dumps about.

Buffy is chased by high-powered assassins.	Buffy leaves home after killing her boyfriend.

(Screencaps from Screencap Paradise)

See… overalls… flannel shirts… comfort clothes.

As far as I’m concerned, I don’t opt for the baggy shapeless necessarily, but the soft and cozy is key.

But I’ve never really thought about comfort footwear in that same scenario.  The best I can come up with is Uggs.

There’s no way you can claim that this Ugg Sunburst Tall boot isn’t warm, soft, and cozy.

And at home, you’ve got the option for slippers,  which are definitely the mother of all comfort shoes.  Like these Ugg Roo slippers.

But for summer, this is a bit more challenging, since fewer things come in those soft and cozy trappings.  Ugg has a whole line of summer shoes now, which are lined in sheepskin, and which I must admit have been intriguing to me.  Like these Crawford loafers which are pretty classic and classy.

Or these Newport sandals , which would probably rub a lot less than your average leather-strap sandal.

 As far as other options of sheepskin-lined shoes, I can think of these Leopoldo Giordano wedges, which I saw on the street in another color and which are seriously adorable.  They’re still available at Bluefly in a US 6.5 or 7.5 for only $140, down from $350.

 What are your comfort shoes?

1 Comment »

Well, where I live, winter has set in in earnest. It hasn’t been one of our worst, that’s for sure. But it’s no picnic either. We just got our first real accumulation of snow, which has now turned to the obligatory slushy, dirty, semi-melted/semi-frozen mess that happens when snow falls in a city. I’ve been living in my trusty Ugg’s, which are quite literally the only shoes that keep my feet warm in cold weather (damn you, poor circulation!) But I’ve also been looking around me at what footwear other people are turning to to face not only the cold, but the wet, slushy ground, as well. And what has amazed me is that I’ve actually seen very few solutions that seem feasible to me.

To me, a shoe for this kind of weather needs to be several things:

• durable–a non-slip sole with some treads is a must for not falling on your butt on icy sidewalks (your worn-out leather boots from a few years back might be OK to get slushed-up, but their smooth leather sole isn’t going to do you any favors on slippery terrain)

• water-resistant/waterproof–you don’t want the slush seeping into your shoes. Sure, my Uggs aren’t waterproof, but they are water-resistant and naturally wicking, which takes any water that may get in away from my tootsies

• high-rising–I’ve seen so many people walking around in Merrell slip-ons (seen here), which are definitely a good solution as far as the first two variables go, but when you’re climbing through mounds of snow at the crosswalk, your ankles are a vulnerable target for wetness and cold

I have to say that for this kind of shoe, I pretty much give up on fashion. Mostly they’re being worn from one door to the next, and then being taken off just inside the doorway so they don’t track dirty wet slush around inside. Here’s a prime example of where comfort and function is going to come before style almost 100% in my book. All those ladies traipsing around in their high-heeled Timberland boots in the snow are beyond me. If I can find a nice-looking boot, great! But if it comes down to one or the other… function is where I’m going.

So, with those variables in mind, here are a few prime choices (in my opinion) for people who live in places where this sort of weather pops up from time to time.

The Merrell Spirit Tibet high boot: Thinsulate, waterproof seal, traction sole–and cute, too! $125 at Altrec.com

The Sorel Teslin boot: waterproof, Thinsulate, fleece lining, bungee cord collar, rated to -25 degrees F (-32 C) In black for $112 at Backcountry.com, white for $139 at Lord John’s Footwear or honey or brown for $144 at Zappos

The Ugg Adirondack II boot: cozy sheepskin lining, Gore-Tex upper, Vibram sole (an excellent non-slip material) $189 at Zappos

With any of these boots, you should be able to navigate the treacherous slippery apres-snow city streets with ease, warmth, and comfort.

1 Comment »