Boot Theory

We're getting the first snow of the season tonight — lovely! But I have a date to meet some friends for brunch and head over to the SoWa Antiques Fair tomorrow. And I don't have decent snow boots.  I am in the habit of wiping out on Boston's icy brick sidewalks even when I'm wearing snow boots, and I've been hunting for some with better traction. But it seems to be impossible to find a good-looking pair of waterproof boots with a warm lining and gripping soles.

I still see a lot of Uggs out there, and they do look better with jeans than with shorts these days. But I think you need to be no older than high-school age for those.

There are rubber boots that have equestrian style, like these Hunters, but they aren't warm:

There are stylish leather waterproof "snow boots" with high heels, like those from La Canadienne and Sudini, but I have something like these and they are terrifying on the icy bricks of Marlborough Street:

Then there are Uggs. But most of them are wicked ugly and I can't help but think they belong on the high school and college set. And anyway, for optimum walking, I like a bit of a heel:

A lot of boots should come with a sled and a team of huskies:

Then there are boots that only belong on Santa:

Or grandma (or possibly Frau Frankenstein):

Or an astronaut:

Or a retired astronaut who still likes to dress for après-ski on Mars:

But nothing much for me. I challenge you to find a pair of great snow boots that doesn't fit into one of the above categories. By the time you succeed, I predict that we'll all be ready for the grandma genre.