Help my girlfriend find the perfect pair of high quality, full-grain leather boots!

January 4, 2013 12:26 PM

Help my girlfriend find the perfect pair of high quality, full-grain leather boots! Looking for stores in the San Francisco Bay area, as well as online retailers.

The ideal boots are :

1) All leather, inside and out, with leather insoles
2) High quality (i.e. they should actually smell like leather)
3) Mid-calf to thigh-high in length
4) Low to no heel
5) Comfortable enough for everyday use

We're really just looking for places to shop for these boots; we're not expecting anybody to find an actual pair for us. (although all suggestions are welcome!)

We realize this is sort of a high-end item, so it's okay if the options are somewhat pricey.

posted by Afroblanco to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (19 answers total)

Frye boots. You should be able to find them in stores locally too.
posted by quodlibet at 12:29 PM on January 4, 2013 [3 favorites]

I love Duo Boots, which are not only high in quality but which can be custom ordered to fit calves of all sizes.
posted by idest at 12:30 PM on January 4, 2013

Fluevog has two stores in SF, one in Union Square and on in the Upper Haight. Many, but not all, of their boots have heels. They are extremely comfortable, high quality, and not cheap.
posted by rtha at 12:38 PM on January 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

I bought a great pair, made in Italy, from Madewell and I was so pleased that I went back for the other color. They're very comfortable, are very nice leather inside and out. I liked them so much I gave my Ann Demeulemeester boots to my daughter.
posted by Ideefixe at 12:39 PM on January 4, 2013

Shoebiz (located in the mission, haight, and noe valley) have lots of different styles of boots. By searching on their site for calf-high books, i found all of these. Only problem is that shoe biz does not honor returns so that is something to remember when shopping for shoes from them. Other than that, I love their store.
posted by ruhroh at 12:42 PM on January 4, 2013

2nding the Frye Company. Zappos actually has a great selection. I have the Melissa Button Boots and I LOVE them. I wear them all the time and get compliments on them everytime I wear them. They are very comfortable and versatile. Plus, Frye (and Zappos) have a HUGE selection of boot colors.
posted by whitetigereyes at 12:46 PM on January 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

If she wants something a touch rugged (with buckles, etc.) I cannot recommend the Frye Veronica Slouch highly enough. They're the best thing I own. I've had them in brown for four years and gave in and got the black this year as well. I have sort of a shameful collection of other Frye boots and shoes, also, and I can vouch for the overall quality of the brand.
posted by something something at 12:47 PM on January 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

Gimme Shoes in Hayes Valley. There is also a location in Pacific Heights. They have great shoes that are high quality and original. They are also expensive.
posted by shoesietart at 12:50 PM on January 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

Bulo in Hayes Valley has great boots for women.
Rabat in Noe Valley likewise has great boots.
posted by gyusan at 12:51 PM on January 4, 2013

I just bought these from LL Bean while I was home in Maine over the holidays. I am in love with them. Loooooove.
posted by hungrybruno at 1:04 PM on January 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

Fiorentini & Baker is absolutely canonical for high-quality all-leather women's boots. Gimme Shoes stocks some; you can also order from Ped (at the link), who are very reliable and helpful. That link goes to one pair of boots but the sidebar shows the rest of their selection.

I have owned several pairs of F&Bs and they are very nice.
posted by Frowner at 1:15 PM on January 4, 2013 [4 favorites]

Frowner, you have given me a new lust object. Damn you. *shakes puny fist*
posted by mneekadon at 1:41 PM on January 4, 2013 [3 favorites]

Another one voting for Frye. I got the Melissa Back Zip last year and absolutely love it so far. (I put on anti-skid sole though, since it rains constantly here.)
posted by ethidda at 1:47 PM on January 4, 2013

I bought a pair of El Naturalista boots at the start of winter (Australia) and wore them all winter. The ones I bought were mid calf, with a flat (although slightly chunky) sole. I usually walk about 8km a day, so they are definitely good for every day use. Just depends whether you like their styles - I got these ones in black.
posted by AnnaRat at 1:49 PM on January 4, 2013

Nordstrom has an incredible boot selection.
posted by k8t at 2:07 PM on January 4, 2013

Yet another vote for Frye. I am a recent convert, thanks to my bf who just splurged on a pair of the Engineer boots for me. Though it took me walking around a major city on vacation for an entire week to break them in, I now want to wear them all the time. Definitely recommend getting the weather proofing wax to apply to them as well.
posted by mostly vowels at 7:31 PM on January 4, 2013

I bought some awesome leather boots off of amazon a few months ago that I have been very happy with, and they were reasonably priced? Brand is Merrell: http://www.amazon.com/Merrell-Womens-Tetra-Launch-Waterproof/dp/B000TE4DXW/ref=sr_1_2?s=shoes&ie=UTF8&qid=1357363667&sr=1-2&keywords=merrell+boots
posted by thesnowyslaps at 9:29 PM on January 4, 2013

On the Run is having a boot sale right now. I got a great pair on Wednesday. They specialize in high-end comfort brands, mostly European, and have a great selection of attractive options.
posted by judith at 9:40 PM on January 4, 2013

Barney's of New York. Nordstrom.
posted by jeffamaphone at 9:04 AM on January 7, 2013