Death by Clogs: Ugg Abbie

Taken from my blog on life, love and other adventures: http://sherninasblog.blogspot.com - not a shoe review per say, but general thoughts on clogs. 

One of my students commented on my cute clogs (the pictured Ugg Abbie) this morning and I responded,"Yes, they are cute, but I've almost died twice today!" This led to a series of embarrassing shoe-related stories. If you know me, you know that I am a shoe fanatic. If you don't... I am a shoe fanatic. As a kid, I remember watching my dad polish his shoes every night and somehow, I knew there was something special about them and even then, I felt a draw to fine shoes. I guess I should clarify that by fine, I mean what I find to be fine. I couldn't name more than a handful of shoe designers and own no designer shoes. Growing up in Malaysia didn't really fit in with my love for shoes. In school, you are required to wear white tennis shoes (then they were mostly canvas) and every weekend, kids would scrub their shoes and put them out to dry so that they would be clean on Monday morning. I don't think I ever had to be reminded to wash my shoes. I loved having clean shoes, even if there was nothing unique or appealing about them since everyone had them. The other shoe of choice for kids in Malaysia: flip flops... and no, not the sequined or patterned kind. Plain Japanese slippers. You could pick between green soles or blue soles. I don't remember owning any other shoes, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I didn't... I do remember that every year I got a new, shiny pair of shoes for Christmas, and until I could have a say in it, they were mostly black patent shoes. I also remember hiding my shoes one year because I simply hated them and didn't want to to wear them out in public. Fast forward a number of years later: I would proudly sport black patent shoes... not the mary jane kind I was forced into as a kid, but give me a pair of black patent heels and I would wear them anywhere (can you see me in the garden with my black patent heels? I don't really go anywhere exciting...). Now, my love for shoes is both a hobby and a curse. Sometimes the price of fashion (both literally and figuratively) is high. Most of my shoes are expensive, but I convince myself that it is a lifetime investment. This didn't work so well once I had my first kid and my shoe size went up a 1/2 size. However, for the most part, I wear my shoes carefully, keep them clean, and have enough to rotate through that none of them will ever wear out in my lifetime. I plan to include them in my will. Dave, on the other hand, buys one pair and wears them until they self-ventilate through the holes in the soles. Rainy days are tough for him, and though he complains, it doesn't bother him enough to actually purchase a new pair. During my first year as a teacher, I got a pair of Danskos and absolutely loved them. I had a professor in college who used to wear clogs and carry a big stick. Kids used to joke about Professor Johnson, but I now know why clogs and long sticks go hand in hand. Unfortunately, I have learned the hard way that wearing clogs is sometimes a dangerous venture (though it should be noted that this discovery has not actually stopped me from wearing them... or buying more of them). When I was nine months pregnant with Hanna, I lost my balance stepping off of the curb and fell face first onto the street. I had pavement in my teeth and my face was completely bloody and scraped. To add insult to injury, my neighbor was on her way to her car and witnessed the whole thing. Quite embarrassing. Not the picture of grace I was going for. Fortunately, since my face broke my fall, the baby was fine. My shoes also came out unharmed. It is not even 10:30 am and my ankle has already turned twice this morning wearing my clogs... that doesn't bode well for the rest of the day. I can't tell you the number of times this happens when I wear clogs. It seems to happen almost randomly; my ankle buckles under me and my whole body almost collapses like one of those dolls you push on from the underneath and they fold over at the joints... Most of the time, I manage to recover quickly, and hope that no one notices, but there have been times I know that people have had to stifle their laughter (sometimes unsuccessfully) at my trips and falls. But what is a girl to do? The shoes are stylish, cute AND comfortable (albeit dangerous). When I am not walking, they seem to be the perfect shoe. So, perhaps the solution to my woes is to continue to invest in cute, pricey shoes, but not walk... or to walk and carry a big stick...

Ugg vs. Emu

As a common practice, before buying shoes and boots, I do my research. The problem with the internet, (and I have found that this applies to other things as well: miscarriage, illness, etc.) is that there is often no consensus. For shoes, some people love em', some people don't. They last for years for some users, but fall apart after just a few wears for others. We are all made different, have different shapes, arches, etc. so it is hard to take someone's word for it. I read the reviews, add some salt, and go with my gut. If possible, I buy from places that will take returns, even if the shoes are worn, which I hate doing, but I also am a firm believer that if you invest in good shoes, they should live up to the price. In some cases, you just can't know how your feet will do in the shoes until you have them on and have worn them for a bit. Eddie Bauer is great about this, no questions asked. So in some cases, I will try to buy Keens, Clarks, Borns, or some other brands they carry from them. Sadly, they know me by name at our local store.

Unfortunately, Ugg style boots are not sold at Eddie Bauer. Endless.com had some Emu boots for sale and I was torn between going with those or investing in another pair of Uggs. I bought the short classic Uggs a few years ago, and was torn between sizes. The 7 felt snug, which the 8 fit okay... I went with the 8 and after a few wears, they felt sloppy. So, lesson 1- when buying boots lined with wool, go with the snugger fit and know that once the wool compacts, they will give a little. Uggs are also not waterproof, so if you plan on wearing them in any sort of precipitation, you'll need to treat them first. I did, and the suede never looked the same again- however, I will fully admit to the possibility of that being a user error:).

I bought several pairs (different size/ color combinations) of the Emus from Endless.com with the intent of trying them on around the house and then sending the rest back- gotta love free returns! I slipped them on and could feel the difference the in sole/ support right away. They felt more substantial and like more of a shoe than a slipper. I am all for slipper-like comfort, but I do like to feel like there is some padding between the street and my feet (and no, that was not an attempt at poetry). The insole is also removable so if you need any special orthopedics, these are the ones to go with. Or if you wear your boots without socks, at least you can replace the insoles when they get funky (no judgement there). The material says something about the boots being "double stitched"- I am far from being a craftsman (or craftswoman for that matter) but I assume that to mean that the stitching is stronger than if it were "single stitched" (yes, genius reporting over here) and that it holds up better over time. The boots stand up well on their own (though I always store them with the cardboard it came with to avoid the wrinkling on the sides) vs. my Uggs that had a tendency to flop to one side when standing up. I also like that the Emus are treated to be water-resistant during the manufacturing process itself, not sprayed on afterwards. It is actually snowing today, with a chance for freezing rain by the afternoon, and I didn't even think twice about wearing my Emus. Why buy cold-weather boots if you can't wear them in cold weather? I took my Emus to Canada over Christmas and wore them frequently in a foot snow- I never felt any wetness through the boots and because I am overly freakish about clean shoes, I wiped them off while the outsides were damp to remove whatever salt residue was on there- they still look like they are in perfect condition! My sister, who has been a long time Ugg owner, commented on how much she liked the Emus... a possible convert?

Long story (or review) short (though I fully realize that this review is anything but short), I sold my Uggs on Craigslist and bought another pair of the Emus... in eggplant! (Insert "oooooooooo" sound here). They are my "feel good" shoes for those cold days when I just don't want to get out of bed, but then think,"OK, at least I can wear my purple boots today." Yes, I am dorky that way, but hey, at least I am honest with myself!

Side note: The soles of the Emus are made up of two parts, and for the sake of honesty, I will say that mine came apart- I was playing indoor soccer with these boots (dumb- me, not the boots) and ran into a metal basketball post in the gym- it was a somewhat comical sight, but I am pretty sure I would have broken my toe if the boots hadn't taken the brunt of it (boots vs. ER visit???)- so as far as gym shoes, there are probably better options out there, but for normal boot use, this should not apply! I used liquid nails to reattach and so far, all is good.

Now I will say that Emu has two (now maybe three) lines- the Emu Bronte line is not the same as the Stinger line (which are the ones I bought). I also have no idea about the Ukala line, but my guess is that they are, again, not as good as the Stingers. So make sure if you go with the Emus, you get the Stingers, not the Bronte or Ukala- you will notice a big price different between the these two and the Stingers. The Stingers are priced around the same as Uggs, and for that being equal, I think Emu just offers a better product. I now own two and love them- won't go with Ugg boots again (their clogs however, different story!).

Happy to answer questions if I have not addressed them!:)

Merrell Apex Encore Boot

I bought these Merrell Apex Encore boots shortly after realizing that my Solomon Emmy's were not cutting it in the cold. We were up in Ottawa, Canada for the holidays and after about 30 minutes outside, my feet were numb. My sister had purchased these and seemed content so I added them to my collection, waiting for some snow so I could test them out myself. Well, so far, not a ton of snow, and St. Louis doesn't really have the same temperatures as Ottawa, but here are my general thoughts on the boots:

- Style wise: cute- I wanted something that I could wear with skinny jeans as well as bootcut/ flare jeans and these look great with both. They were a tad to furry for me (my sister, on the other hand, loves the fur) so I took some scissors to them shortly after they arrived. Hey, at least now they are "one of a kind"... or I suppose "two of a kind".  There is a drawstring across the front that runs the length of the boot- theoretically, a nice thing to have to adjust the tightness, but when you pull it, the lining underneath puckers and looks strange. Then you also have the long elastic to tuck under so it isn't flopping around. Good idea, but really, I just leave mine alone and think of it as an addition to style, vs. function. 

- Temperature: the insulation feels almost identical to my Emmy's- something called "opti-warm 200 gram insulation". I suspect that if I wore these in single digit temps, I'd have to wear some thick wool socks, possibly from the Survival line by Under Armor. I do get cold feet easily so this may not be a problem for some.

- Water-proof-ness: reports on this online are somewhat conflicting. I have yet to submerge my boots in water or stand for prolonged periods of time in tall snow, but I have to think that like any other porous material, if you are in either snow, slush, etc. for an extended period of time, water will get through. If you live somewhere where this will be the case, brands like Pajar, Sorel, and Baffin may be better ones to consider. Those are made for that, whereas these, I feel, are made more for casual trekking around in the snow- something I can wear to work when it is snowing outside or to play in for a bit with the kids. The Sorels are way too heavy for me to wear to work and the insulation is thick and warm- again something that wouldn't work well for me to wear if I am going to be mostly indoors. 

- Traction: seems fine- but if there is slick snow or ice, I'd recommend using grips over them. Better safe than sorry!

- Overall: a stylish boot to wear in the winter. Not necessarily something to wear in extreme temperatures, but for most of us, it will do the trick:). 

Shoes I love... and those I don't...

I will admit this up front. I own too many shoes. It is an addiction that I am completely aware of and have no desire to change. And as fate would have it, I am married to a man who owns ONE pair of dress shoes that he wears to work EVERY day and has owned for the last five years. At this point, they have a hole in the sole which is, according to him, only problematic when it rains or snows. I have a suggested a plastic bag on those days only to be shot a dirty look. I don't get it. OK, we are not swimming in wealth over here, but I own close to 100 pairs of shoes and the thought of "hole-y shoes" is just beyond me. Really??? For crying out loud! I have tried buying him shoes thinking that perhaps anything would be welcomed at this point, but I underestimate men when it comes to shoes. On one of our rare date-nights, we hit the mall with the charge of buying some dress shoes. Epic fail. Almost all the shoes were identical, but none were "right". I stared blankly at the saleslady who said,"You'd be surprised how picky men are about shoes!" I suppose if you are only going to have one pair for the next decade, you want the right ones. That does up the anti.

At this point, I know the brands I trust, but am by no means closed off to others. Some of my favorites are: Dansko, Sanita, Keen, Chaco, Jambu, Ugg (clogs, not boots... perhaps a review for another day), Merrell, and Birkenstock. I don't own a lot of heels (I am almost 5' 10" to start off!), but may throw in a review here or there. Before buying almost any shoe, I scour the internet for reviews. Sometimes I find them, sometimes I don't, sometimes they help, and sometimes they don't. My hope for this blog is that I can put my thoughts out there and maybe it will come in handy to someone. If you have any questions, feel free to post them and I will see what I can do:)! One step at a time!