Cheryl Shops

For the first time in my life, I'm not freezing my ass off in January, and it's truly a beautiful thing. In fact, the temperature has been pushing 70 this week in San Francisco, which leaves me in an I-have-no-idea-what-to-wear situation. The short answer here is usually layers, but when it comes to my lower half, I'm discovering bare legs with knee-high boots is a good balance. My problem, however, is that I got rid of most of my boots before I moved here, so I have very few options (five, to be exact). The other day I wore a navy, silver, and white outfit with taupe buckled boots and I just felt wrong all day. I've concluded I need a pair of pure gray boots, cool in tone and maybe a little slouchy in shape. Good news: I found the perfect pair. Bad news: They're $1,250. And while I am trying to buy fewer but nicer things, I don't think these (gorgeous, gorgeous) Marsell boots are quite in the cards. Which is too bad, because with their cool, cone-like 2.5-inch heel and neutral greige color, they're pretty much perfect.


So, by comparison, these Sergio Rossi boots, at $400, seem like a veritable bargain! They're also more classic, with an almond-shaped toe, stacked three-inch heel, and higher shaft. The color is a bit darker too, which is probably more practical in the grand scheme of things.



I am also considering these Frye Deborah boots, but I worry the shape is a bit too western for this city girl, and while the 1.5-inch heel is probably the best choice for tackling San Francisco's hills, I tend to prefer something higher (especially since I live and work in rather flat areas). I do, however, appreciate the pre-aged effect.



As for budget contenders, these Zara boots are just $99.99, and in spite of the fact that they have a subtle zipper (in case you haven't figured it out by now, I hate boots that zip), they look equally sleek and sturdy. Which means not exactly slouchy, but for $100, I'm not going to be too picky.