Any ideas for stylish winter boots? Difficulty -- pregnant lady.
October 24, 2013 8:19 AM Subscribe
I need a new pair of stylish, warm boots that can also carry me through late pregnancy. Any ideas?
Hi! My usual "uniform" for the fall/winter is a dress with tall black boots. My black boots just died on me though, and it's not worth saving them.
I'd love to get another pair of boots for the winter. I'm pregnant though (due in early spring), and I'm hesitant about getting a fancy pair of tall black boots like these which otherwise look perfect, but they're expensive and I don't want them to stretch as my legs get bigger. Also, I'm not sure they'd be easy to get off in later months.
I've been toying around with getting these because they look comfy, weatherproof and warm, but I guess I couldn't wear them with a dress? And maybe they're too casual or too ugly? I live in a cold (often snowy) climate & I'm not sure how well they would work.
Anyway, anyone have any ideas? Shorter boots are fine, but I'm looking for something comfortable and stylish that can also carry me through late pregnancy.
Thanks!
Hi! My usual "uniform" for the fall/winter is a dress with tall black boots. My black boots just died on me though, and it's not worth saving them.
I'd love to get another pair of boots for the winter. I'm pregnant though (due in early spring), and I'm hesitant about getting a fancy pair of tall black boots like these which otherwise look perfect, but they're expensive and I don't want them to stretch as my legs get bigger. Also, I'm not sure they'd be easy to get off in later months.
I've been toying around with getting these because they look comfy, weatherproof and warm, but I guess I couldn't wear them with a dress? And maybe they're too casual or too ugly? I live in a cold (often snowy) climate & I'm not sure how well they would work.
Anyway, anyone have any ideas? Shorter boots are fine, but I'm looking for something comfortable and stylish that can also carry me through late pregnancy.
Thanks!
Your legs won't necessarily get bigger unless you gain weight in them, but your feet and ankles are likely to swell. I couldn't fit in any of my shoes in late pregnancy. So, no guarantee that any boots you buy in your size will continue to fit all winter. You may need to get a larger size at some point. Also, keep in mind that it will get very hard to put on shoes towards the end, slip-ons are easiest.
posted by amro at 8:36 AM on October 24, 2013
posted by amro at 8:36 AM on October 24, 2013
My mom's feet never went back!
I thought that was the norm and it appeared to be the case for me, so I sold off a tremendous raft of lovingly collected beautiful shoes, and sadly started re-accumulating in the new size. Three-odd years after the pregnancy, I went back to my old shoe size. @#$*
The Madewell boots are lovely classics and thus not what I would invest in for pregnancy given the lack of foot predictability. The Toms boots are okay but they look sort of chintzy? Like they'd be scuffed and falling over and slouching in ways they weren't meant to after a couple of months. I'd look for something on eBay if you decide semi-disposable is the way to roll (and that may indeed be a good option given the snowflakes here)
This boot thread from a couple of days ago has some excellent suggestions for mid-to-higher-end boots. Sorels are very roomy; I've worn mine in both phases of foot size. The extra room provides a little cushion of warm air, I find (some boots are actually sized large to leverage this effect).
posted by kmennie at 8:45 AM on October 24, 2013
I thought that was the norm and it appeared to be the case for me, so I sold off a tremendous raft of lovingly collected beautiful shoes, and sadly started re-accumulating in the new size. Three-odd years after the pregnancy, I went back to my old shoe size. @#$*
The Madewell boots are lovely classics and thus not what I would invest in for pregnancy given the lack of foot predictability. The Toms boots are okay but they look sort of chintzy? Like they'd be scuffed and falling over and slouching in ways they weren't meant to after a couple of months. I'd look for something on eBay if you decide semi-disposable is the way to roll (and that may indeed be a good option given the snowflakes here)
This boot thread from a couple of days ago has some excellent suggestions for mid-to-higher-end boots. Sorels are very roomy; I've worn mine in both phases of foot size. The extra room provides a little cushion of warm air, I find (some boots are actually sized large to leverage this effect).
posted by kmennie at 8:45 AM on October 24, 2013
It's not taking them off that will be hard, it will be getting them on (i.e. fitting your swollen foot through the bend of the boot's ankle) -- but that should only be in the last month or so anyway, when it's starting to warm up. No reason to miss out on 4 months of boot weather for that! (yes, everyone's body handles pregnancy differently and some people go up more than one shoe size, etc etc)
If you're concerned, I'd look for ones that zip all the way to the heel for easy of on-and-off or ones with an elastic back. You could also buy a half size up and plan to wear them with thick wool boot socks for the months that your feet aren't swollen.
posted by melissasaurus at 8:48 AM on October 24, 2013
If you're concerned, I'd look for ones that zip all the way to the heel for easy of on-and-off or ones with an elastic back. You could also buy a half size up and plan to wear them with thick wool boot socks for the months that your feet aren't swollen.
posted by melissasaurus at 8:48 AM on October 24, 2013
Yeah, not to be all YOUR QUESTION IS INVALID, but buying in early pregnancy to suit your late-pregnancy needs is almost always a terrible idea. As others have noted, you may grow a size (or more) in any (or none!) of your feet, ankles, calves, etc. Your structural architecture will also change a ton, so you may develop weird back/hip aches and pains that are exacerbated by the biomechanics of walking in the particular boots you've chosen. Finally, you may find that your preferred clothing styles change a lot, based either on your shape, the availability of 3rd-trimester maternity styles, your changing hot-cold thermostat, etc. My rec would be to buy boots for the next month or two, concentrating on styles that you know you'd continue to wear post-pregnancy. And maybe focus on elastic-sided boots or other relatively forgiving, comfy styles.
posted by Bardolph at 8:48 AM on October 24, 2013
posted by Bardolph at 8:48 AM on October 24, 2013
Nthing the advice to wait, and to invest minimally in pieces you will be wearing during pregnancy. My experience with my first pregnancy (delivered in January) was that there was no change in my feet or legs outside of one single day of swelling. I wore my same old shoes and kept doing so after delivery. I just delivered my second two weeks ago, (3rd trimester during the hottest part of the summer) and by the end of that pregnancy my feet didn't look very swollen but they did swell enough that I was down to a pair or two of flats that were the only things that didn't make my feet feel miserable by the end of the day. My mom's feet grew over 1 size between 3 pregnancies and never went back. My sister thought her feet grew but they're now back to pre-pregnancy size two months later.
There is so much that is unpredictable about what your body is going to do, it's best to just wait and see as much as possible.
posted by goggie at 9:28 AM on October 24, 2013
There is so much that is unpredictable about what your body is going to do, it's best to just wait and see as much as possible.
posted by goggie at 9:28 AM on October 24, 2013
Also note that sometimes it's not that your shoe size changes, but that the width of your foot changes, so if you're currently a 9 narrow you might end up a 9 wide. Feet change in all kinds of weird ways during pregnancy. I went to the Goodwill and found something that fit, sometimes they have nice stuff so definitely take a look there if you can.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 9:51 AM on October 24, 2013
posted by rabbitrabbit at 9:51 AM on October 24, 2013
These are very popular with the ladies in Alaska. There is also a tall version, though I've never seen anyone wear them.
posted by Alaska Jack at 11:31 AM on October 24, 2013
posted by Alaska Jack at 11:31 AM on October 24, 2013
As for cheap and good, Costco has their version of Uggs in the warehouses right now, in black and brown as I recall.
posted by FergieBelle at 11:39 AM on October 24, 2013
posted by FergieBelle at 11:39 AM on October 24, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks so much everyone, this is so helpful! I may indeed delay, though I'm not sure how much longer I can wait.
posted by caoimhe at 11:43 AM on October 24, 2013
posted by caoimhe at 11:43 AM on October 24, 2013
These are super-comfy and you could adjust the buckle at the top if necessary. And basically disposable if they don't fit after this season.
http://www.6pm.com/christin-michaels-amanda-wide-calf-black-burnished
posted by pyjammy at 12:23 PM on October 24, 2013
http://www.6pm.com/christin-michaels-amanda-wide-calf-black-burnished
posted by pyjammy at 12:23 PM on October 24, 2013
(The boots I linked to are very roomy in the ankle and calf, and you could wear thick socks with them. But considering I could only wear crocs ::shudder:: at the end of my pregnancy, you might not want to take advice from me.)
posted by pyjammy at 12:25 PM on October 24, 2013
posted by pyjammy at 12:25 PM on October 24, 2013
I just made the rounds looking for something similar for similar reasons and ended up buying a pair of slouchy boots from Target that will work with tights or leggings. They were comfy, have a little room in them, but otherwise fit fine, and will do well enough for $35 boots. I'm setting $$ aside to treat myself to a nicer permanent pair next winter.
posted by bizzyb at 1:09 PM on October 24, 2013
posted by bizzyb at 1:09 PM on October 24, 2013
How about a pair of the warmest, most all-terrain boots you can get? We got these for my wife when she was pregnant: Sorel Carubou
You'll have admirers in people who know how to dress for winter.
posted by PSB at 3:27 PM on October 24, 2013
You'll have admirers in people who know how to dress for winter.
posted by PSB at 3:27 PM on October 24, 2013
I dunno. I bought a pair of non-uggy uggs 2 summers ago when I was early pregnant and wore them throughout my pregnancy. They zipped on the sides, were about the height of the Toms you linked, and always worked fine. I think a pair of boots with fuzzy lining will be fine for you, because boots like that tend to have a lot of give, so even if your feet swell you might be ok.
posted by ch1x0r at 5:44 PM on October 24, 2013
posted by ch1x0r at 5:44 PM on October 24, 2013
If you want to be conservative and not spend a fortune, I have been seeing a lot of ads lately for JustFab, which is advertising boots for $39.95. I haven't shopped with them, so I can't comment further on service or quality (although I can't imagine they'd last more than a season).
On the other hand, Zappos has free shipping & returns; you could order a bunch and send back those that don't work.
posted by vignettist at 9:47 PM on October 24, 2013
On the other hand, Zappos has free shipping & returns; you could order a bunch and send back those that don't work.
posted by vignettist at 9:47 PM on October 24, 2013
these are my favorite boots that I wore last winter throughout my pregnancy. they're warm and comfortable, plus they're stylish!
the problem with uggs is that while they're warm, they don't have any arch or ankle support, so they're not so good for your feet, especially with the extra weight. these have the comfy fuzziness of uggs, but won't hurt your feet/legs/back. /
posted by sabh at 8:57 AM on October 25, 2013
the problem with uggs is that while they're warm, they don't have any arch or ankle support, so they're not so good for your feet, especially with the extra weight. these have the comfy fuzziness of uggs, but won't hurt your feet/legs/back. /
posted by sabh at 8:57 AM on October 25, 2013
If you're due in early spring, all the boots will go on clearance just as you'll need new boots. I'd wait and pick up cheap boots then that you're sure will actually fit. (I never buy boots in the fall or winter - it's just too expensive.)
posted by dekathelon at 9:40 AM on October 25, 2013
posted by dekathelon at 9:40 AM on October 25, 2013
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posted by bq at 8:36 AM on October 24, 2013 [1 favorite]