launched this blog because of my passion for fashion. For footwear especially. And for clogs and clog boots in particular. In my mind, if it was made of wood, it was definitely good. I had already been tracking shoes I dug by saving photos from the internet and saving into what amounted to my own personal Pinterest account. I had a photo album app on my laptop's desktop, and it would rotate through my collection to offer visual entertainment throughout the day. But then this blog came along. And right after it, the great 2010 clog craze. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with the amount of wooden goodness that shoemakers were putting on the market. As I would often type, "So many shoes. So little time."
Needless to say, I did indeed indulge myself in all sorts of interesting clog styles. Slip-ons. Sandals. Oxfords. Ankle boots. Knee-boots. And with the help of a dear friend, over-the-knee clog boots. The only limitation was whether or not they made that shoe I wanted in my size or not. Oh, and I was majorly restricted by whether that object of my desire had sold out or not, too. Fortunately, I was able to score a lot of great shoes when they first came on the market. And quite a few more were delivered to my household after they had been marked down at the end of the season. But despite my vigilance and in spite of my incredible luck at ferreting out just the shoe I wanted online, occasionally I had to breathe a sigh of disappointment for a style that got away.
If you've followed this blog over the years, you'll know that I am a clog boot addict. Wood soles? Yes! But build them into a boot style I can slip or zip my foot into, and I'm a happy camper. Back in the spring of 2011, I posted about a pair of Stuart Weitzman OTK clog boots that had me gaga. It's called the McAllen, and I thought it was absolutely everything I wanted in a pair of wood-soled footwear. Attractive leather. Smart detailing. Clog shaped base. Absolutely everything. Except available.
Admittedly, it's been a few years since then, and I can't quite recall whether the McAllen was simply sold out wherever I tracked it down...or whether the considerable cost of purchasing something made by Stuart Weitzman put the style completely out of reach. I know me. I'm sure I would have made sacrifices and lived on peanut butter for a month just to be able to add this stunning boot to my arsenal. I'm betting in the actual event, I didn't discover it until late in the season and anything near my size was long sold out.
The other thing you should know about me if you're a regular reader is that I am firmly believer in the wonders of eBay. I recall posting on many an occasion about the efficiency of the Saved Search or whatever they call it these days. Just enter the parameters of whatever item you're looking for, and when some seller out there uploads an item that lights up your keywords, you'll get a notification (if you want it) and discover it listed in your Saved Searches list. I leave it to you to picture my starry-eyed delight when some killer clog that I missed finally turns up on eBay. It doesn't take long for me to assess the situation, pause for a moment to determine how badly I want that shoe (i. e., how much I'm willing to bid), and then take steps to make that shoe my own. Many times it's paid off. On eBay. And on Poshmark, another secondhand site that you should definitely get to know if you're serious about shoes. And even on Tradesy, still another site I've had some luck with.
Today, I'm taking a moment to post about my latest success. That McAllen clog boot that I had admired from afar finally materialized in a size I could work with. I usually take anywhere from an 11 to a 12 depending on how generous a manufacturer is with their toe room. But in the case of this Stuart Weitzman boot, I wasn't even sure they made it in sizes larger than a 10. Fortunately, about a year ago, an eBay seller posted a pair that was listed as a 10.5. Well, if shoe maker is going to create a half size over a 10, they usually cover at least the next size up. And further research had encouragingly revealed that Weitzman footwear often was made up to a size 12. There was reason to hope that the McAllen might turn up in my size someday, but not a lot of activity on the resale sites to give me the idea that they actually would.
Until this past summer. One Poshmark user a pair of these clog boots up for sale for about a quarter of the original price. And as soon as I had confirmed with her that the length of the inner sole could be sufficiently kind to the length of my feet, I made my purchase.
I'm not saying patience is easy. I'm not saying it will eventually get you where you want to go. But in this instance, it actually did pay off!
Woo-hoo!
Great buy lindsey, glad you have found a pair of boots that fit you and for the winter months.
Posted by: philip | 09/18/2017 at 05:57 AM
Gorgeous boots! As I wear a common size 7.5 or 8 depending on the company, my size is often sold out. However, I've learned not to give up, because sometimes what I want does return in my size-not only with shoes but clothes. I've learned to be patient and if something never turns up again, I feel it wasn't meant to be. Glad to see a new post.
Posted by: Cynthia | 09/21/2017 at 04:39 PM
Cynthia: I see that you have been there, too. My partner in shoe passion, Melissa, wears your size, and I hear the same frustrations from her. But thanks to eBay and Poshmark and the like, I have had an amazing track record laying my hands on (and putting my feet in) all sorts of shoes that I couldn't purchase when they first came out. And although I wouldn't have wanted to wait for them, I've seen a lot of shoes I bought when they first came out turn up later at reduced prices. Of course, there are plenty of shoes I've never seen anywhere again so buying new is definitely worth the extra dollars. (For me, one of the ones that got away is a certain Vince Camuto clog style that I actually received from a retailer in a size 11, but sent back because I didn't like the color at the time. I've been watching for ANY color of that clog in my size for the past four years, and it has yet to turn up even though I've run across hundreds of listings for other sizes.)
And as for the McAllen boots, they are a treasure and a pleasure. Though they did come with their own little eye-opening discovery: the soles are not wood! Shocking, isn't it? I was pulling them off the other night and noticed the platform flexing slightly in my hands. That made me take a closer look, and I realized that they're just a fine quality plastic. Still, I'm able to rise above that limitation and enjoy them!
Posted by: Lindsey Cochran | 09/21/2017 at 09:36 PM
philip: You know as well as I do that at the tall size end of the product line, an online purchase is always a roll of the dice. Even when you get measurements from the seller, their idea of what constitutes an inch may differ from yours. In this case, the boots were too snug when I first got them, but with some shoe stretching and the use of a heel lift to give my toes more room, I've been able to enjoy them.
Posted by: Lindsey Cochran | 09/21/2017 at 09:40 PM
I've never seen a faux wood so realistic! No one would know unless you told them.
Posted by: Cynthia | 09/22/2017 at 05:29 PM
Cynthia: I look back and smile now. There was a time when I would post warning labels on this blog concerning clogs that didn't have wooden soles. It was in mock-seriousness at the time. Given the choice, I would always choose a wood sole, and I thought it was important to make that clear to potential customers. But there have been countless shoes I've bought, wood soles or not, because I loved the look of them so much. I am definitely enjoying these Stuart Weitzmans. Just need the weather to get a bit cooler so I can really let them shine in my wardrobe!
Posted by: Lindsey Cochran | 09/22/2017 at 05:52 PM
Lindsey congratulations on your persistence. They are gorgeous.
Posted by: London Lady | 09/25/2017 at 04:23 AM