Can you suggest some designer boots for a present?
January 7, 2010 10:53 AM Subscribe
I am incapable of buying my girlfriend a birthday present because I know nothing about shoes. Please help!
So it is snowing in London, and my girlfriend's shoes are really not up to handling this kind of icy weather. When she gets back from her family holiday in sunnier climes, I want to give her a decent surprise for her birthday: a pair of designer boots. Something warming and fashionable, all in one.
My friend suggested the perfect present, a pair of Anna Sui Shakoha boots. I have become fixated on finding a pair (preferably in black) but no luck. Turns out they are limited edition and every pair sold out as soon as they went on sale. No!
I have tried a lot of sites but got nowhere. If anyone has suggestions of where else to try I would be grateful, but at this stage I am also shopping around for alternatives. Can anyone suggest something similar?
My budget is around £125. I work 10 minutes from Oxford Street and live 10 minutes from Westfields in Shepherds Bush. Surely, near me, there is a shop with the boots for her? I need something by Monday, when she gets back, or Tuesday when it's her birthday.
Many thanks in advance!
So it is snowing in London, and my girlfriend's shoes are really not up to handling this kind of icy weather. When she gets back from her family holiday in sunnier climes, I want to give her a decent surprise for her birthday: a pair of designer boots. Something warming and fashionable, all in one.
My friend suggested the perfect present, a pair of Anna Sui Shakoha boots. I have become fixated on finding a pair (preferably in black) but no luck. Turns out they are limited edition and every pair sold out as soon as they went on sale. No!
I have tried a lot of sites but got nowhere. If anyone has suggestions of where else to try I would be grateful, but at this stage I am also shopping around for alternatives. Can anyone suggest something similar?
My budget is around £125. I work 10 minutes from Oxford Street and live 10 minutes from Westfields in Shepherds Bush. Surely, near me, there is a shop with the boots for her? I need something by Monday, when she gets back, or Tuesday when it's her birthday.
Many thanks in advance!
Agreed. Take her out boot shopping. She'll love you even more.
posted by roger ackroyd at 11:02 AM on January 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by roger ackroyd at 11:02 AM on January 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
Whoa, you sure are generous for wanting to buy her designer boots. I'm with roomthreeseventeen: better to get a gift certificate to a local shoe boutique (or an outdoor store if weather-readiness is more important than a designer label). She's going to have to try on the boots for herself and see what she likes, especially if she's going to be stomping around in the snow in them every day.
You might want to include a pair of YakTrax with the gift certificate, since they don't need fitting and will further winterize any boots.
posted by Metroid Baby at 11:03 AM on January 7, 2010
You might want to include a pair of YakTrax with the gift certificate, since they don't need fitting and will further winterize any boots.
posted by Metroid Baby at 11:03 AM on January 7, 2010
Fourthing taking her boot shopping. Don't be like me, thinking that when the SO says "Next time, give me the money instead" that means buy the more expensive ones next time. Nope, that was not the answer. Learn from my mistake.
posted by forforf at 11:09 AM on January 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by forforf at 11:09 AM on January 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
If there is a really great boot or shoe shop in town where she is always looking longingly through the window, go in there and buy her something really outrageous -- like purple sharkskin boots with a fur cuff and 5 inch heel. Watch her face and then tell her that you have the receipt and they are returnable for something she'd really like to wear. Make sure they have a good return policy and DO NOT LOSE THE RECEIPT!
posted by amanda at 11:13 AM on January 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by amanda at 11:13 AM on January 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
The Anna Sui ones are lovely but very hard to find a comparable alternative, here are some I've found online:
http://www.office.co.uk/womens/ugg/gaviota/10/7433/19950/1?fs=7433
http://www.office.co.uk/womens/ugg/gaviota/10/7433/19951/1?fs=7433
http://www.asos.com/ [not just a link to the homepage but asos's links are long!]
http://www.dune.co.uk/catalogue/style.asp?r=43&g=41&s=114&y=S09LLE82LBC496L&pc=82
http://www.dune.co.uk/catalogue/style.asp?r=43&g=41&s=114&y=S10LSU46LBC529M&pc=46
Another idea would be to take a female friend who knows your girlfriend's style to Oxford Street and she can take you to some good shoe shops. I had a look at Westfield's website and the only two standalone footwear stores are Kurt Geiger and Emma Hope, neither of which had anything even vaguely similar. You may have some luck in the other stores, but as they are all high end designer, you would have to find boots on sale to get anywhere near £125.
posted by ellieBOA at 11:20 AM on January 7, 2010
http://www.office.co.uk/womens/ugg/gaviota/10/7433/19950/1?fs=7433
http://www.office.co.uk/womens/ugg/gaviota/10/7433/19951/1?fs=7433
http://www.asos.com/ [not just a link to the homepage but asos's links are long!]
http://www.dune.co.uk/catalogue/style.asp?r=43&g=41&s=114&y=S09LLE82LBC496L&pc=82
http://www.dune.co.uk/catalogue/style.asp?r=43&g=41&s=114&y=S10LSU46LBC529M&pc=46
Another idea would be to take a female friend who knows your girlfriend's style to Oxford Street and she can take you to some good shoe shops. I had a look at Westfield's website and the only two standalone footwear stores are Kurt Geiger and Emma Hope, neither of which had anything even vaguely similar. You may have some luck in the other stores, but as they are all high end designer, you would have to find boots on sale to get anywhere near £125.
posted by ellieBOA at 11:20 AM on January 7, 2010
Speaking as the shoe-addicted female half of my particular dyad, I would second (third? fourth?) taking her shoe shopping instead. Especially if the outing included a delicious lunch.
posted by kataclysm at 11:27 AM on January 7, 2010
posted by kataclysm at 11:27 AM on January 7, 2010
Yes, buying someone shoes sight unseen is almost always a horrible idea, and doubly so for women.
Women's shoes are sized even more idiosyncratically than men's shoes; there's no way of guaranteeing that a size 9 from Shoe Company A and a size 9 from Shoe Company B will fit at all alike.
Wearing shoes that don't fit properly can actually cause damage. Don't buy someone shoes unless their feet are actually present.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:34 AM on January 7, 2010
Women's shoes are sized even more idiosyncratically than men's shoes; there's no way of guaranteeing that a size 9 from Shoe Company A and a size 9 from Shoe Company B will fit at all alike.
Wearing shoes that don't fit properly can actually cause damage. Don't buy someone shoes unless their feet are actually present.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:34 AM on January 7, 2010
I got boots from my partner on my last birthday! And yes, we went shopping together. The store in question is fancy and ginormous and out of town, so we made a date of it, stopping at my favorite out-of-town coffee place beforehand. I got all giddy at the prospect of being able to get anything I wanted, and he got to watch me get giddy and be the source of much happiness.
Making a date of it is a win-win proposition.
posted by Madamina at 11:35 AM on January 7, 2010
Making a date of it is a win-win proposition.
posted by Madamina at 11:35 AM on January 7, 2010
I would just adore one of the pairs from ellieBOA's links, and the rest make me puke. Nth take her shopping.
posted by kmennie at 11:38 AM on January 7, 2010
posted by kmennie at 11:38 AM on January 7, 2010
Nth that you cannot buy her boots. Even if you took a friend who wore the exact same size as her, the boots would still fit your girlfriend differently.
That said, you are so sweet to want to do this for her. Make a day of it. Take her out shopping and for lunch. If you can't take her out on her birthday, make some kind of super cheesy certificate up on your computer and print it out to give her on her day. Something like "This Certificate entitles Amazing Girlfriend one Day Out with Marmaduke for the purpose of procuring one pair of Incredibly Stylish and Warm Boots in the style of her choice which Marmaduke will then cheerfully pay for. This day out must include Lunch at the Restaurant of Amazing Girlfriends Choosing (also paid for by Marmaduke), and may include as many shoe stores as it takes to find The Incredibly Stylish and Warm Boots." Then add some kind of fine print disclaimer that says that you will extend the day out if she doesn't find her boots on the first try.
It's really amazing that you want to do this for your girlfriend, but I'm afraid it is just too risky to do without her.
posted by TooFewShoes at 11:45 AM on January 7, 2010
That said, you are so sweet to want to do this for her. Make a day of it. Take her out shopping and for lunch. If you can't take her out on her birthday, make some kind of super cheesy certificate up on your computer and print it out to give her on her day. Something like "This Certificate entitles Amazing Girlfriend one Day Out with Marmaduke for the purpose of procuring one pair of Incredibly Stylish and Warm Boots in the style of her choice which Marmaduke will then cheerfully pay for. This day out must include Lunch at the Restaurant of Amazing Girlfriends Choosing (also paid for by Marmaduke), and may include as many shoe stores as it takes to find The Incredibly Stylish and Warm Boots." Then add some kind of fine print disclaimer that says that you will extend the day out if she doesn't find her boots on the first try.
It's really amazing that you want to do this for your girlfriend, but I'm afraid it is just too risky to do without her.
posted by TooFewShoes at 11:45 AM on January 7, 2010
It's a love at first sight thing, and the arranged marriage often does not work in this situation. Certificate or a romantic day of lunch and shopping.
posted by Vaike at 12:28 PM on January 7, 2010
posted by Vaike at 12:28 PM on January 7, 2010
If you would like to give her something physical, get a shoe box and put a picture of boots in it, with a gift certificate for "lunch and an afternoon shoe-shopping with me", or something like.
I'm nthing the idea that you cannot buy her boots or shoes without having her try them on first.
posted by jeather at 1:30 PM on January 7, 2010
I'm nthing the idea that you cannot buy her boots or shoes without having her try them on first.
posted by jeather at 1:30 PM on January 7, 2010
Just as an addendum to EllieBOA's comment - Westfield's website may not be comprehensive, it definitely has more affordable shoe shops than the ones listed there, including an Office, a Schuh, a Jones' the Bootmaker, a Terra Plana and a Camper store (just thinking off hand - can you tell I spend a lot of time there?) plus some other shoe shops.
Westfield would actually be the perfect place to take her shopping for boots as it's all indoors, and the place is toasty warm. I recommend Sacred (in the atrium) for coffee and Wahaca (on the Southern Terrace) or Tossed (in the food court) for food. But the bonus of living so close is that you can always just pick up some pasta from Waitrose on the way home if the shopping centre thing gets too much.
Good luck!
posted by featherboa at 1:55 PM on January 7, 2010
Westfield would actually be the perfect place to take her shopping for boots as it's all indoors, and the place is toasty warm. I recommend Sacred (in the atrium) for coffee and Wahaca (on the Southern Terrace) or Tossed (in the food court) for food. But the bonus of living so close is that you can always just pick up some pasta from Waitrose on the way home if the shopping centre thing gets too much.
Good luck!
posted by featherboa at 1:55 PM on January 7, 2010
Buying shoes for your girlfriend certainly carries some risks, but if you know her well it can be a pretty awesome gift. If you know her shoe size and are pretty confident she'll like what you pick out, go for it. Just be sure to make it very clear that your feelings won't be hurt if she'd like to exchange them for a different pair, so she's not saddled with a pair of ugly, ill-fitting boots that she has to keep in the back of the closet for fear of offending you. By the same token, if you think your feelings will be hurt if she doesn't like what you picked out, don't do it.
posted by electroboy at 2:06 PM on January 7, 2010
posted by electroboy at 2:06 PM on January 7, 2010
I took my wife boot shopping to Duo - pretty cool boots which can be made to any size if she has non-standard sizes.
posted by laukf at 2:06 PM on January 7, 2010
posted by laukf at 2:06 PM on January 7, 2010
Response by poster: Thank you one and all for the answers, I agree that the best possible thing we can do is make a whole day out of it with lunch and a movie afterwards. That's better than than me just giving her a a random pair of shoes and crossing my fingers.
Thanks again for the help!
posted by marmaduke_yaverland at 2:59 PM on January 7, 2010
Thanks again for the help!
posted by marmaduke_yaverland at 2:59 PM on January 7, 2010
Thanks featherboa, I've never been to Westfield, but am now tempted!
posted by ellieBOA at 3:20 PM on January 7, 2010
posted by ellieBOA at 3:20 PM on January 7, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:55 AM on January 7, 2010 [14 favorites]