So. Close. Almost. There.
These were the words running through my head as I walked through Times Square and down 42nd Street, past Port Authority, making my way to Mara Hoffman’s fall ’17 show at Shop Studios on Monday. Please ignore my amateur New Yorker move to walk straight through one of the most touristy areas of the city and focus on the fact that I walked nearly a mile in 4-inch, clear plastic boots in the middle of winter. Yes, plastic.
At the height of New York Fashion Week, I decided I needed to try the clear boot trend for myself. If Kim Kardashian West and Kendall and Kylie Jenner wear them, why shouldn’t I? I opted for the exact pair Kendall has been seen wearing: U.K. brand Ego’s Tasha style, which retails for just under $50. What a steal!
On Monday afternoon, I pulled on the boots at my desk as I prepared to head downtown. I remarked to a co-worker that so far, the boots actually felt pretty comfortable.
Watch on FN
Five minutes in, I encountered a bit of a problem: My feet began to get clammy. My feet don’t tend to get that sweaty in most shoes, but clear plastic boots are another animal. I hopped into an Uber and arrived at Spring Studios, where my boots were a hit among the street-style photographers gathered around. One even asked me to put a boot in the snow for a photo op — anything for fashion!
I decided (maybe unwisely) that next I should take these babies for a ride on the 1 train back uptown. After all, I had no excuse to get a ride when the subway station was just steps away. At this point my feet were not only visibly sweaty — there was condensation all over the boots — but they were also beginning to hurt.
When I got off the train in Times Square, I started to head west toward the Mara Hoffman venue, which was on 39th Street between 10th and 11th avenues. I love a nice long walk in the city most of the time, but I generally prefer my toes not to be pinched inside a pointy piece of plastic. I looked down and noticed my pinky toes were doing that sort of thing when they don’t really have any room in a shoe, so they just hang out on top of your other toes. Cute, right?
My shoes seemed to attract a different kind of interest in the Port Authority area. A truck driver gave me a little honk and nod, and another man called out, “Nice outfit.” Needless to say, I was walking as fast as I could to my destination.
When I finally arrived at Mara Hoffman, there was a line outside thanks to the tiny elevator that fit only a few people at a time. I began to wonder if I might lose all feeling in my toes soon. Finally inside, my hopes of sitting down for a rest were crushed when another girl and I were assigned the same seat, and I was forced to stand the entire time. #fashionweekproblems
When the show was over, I scurried to the street corner and, luckily, hailed a cab within a minute. I limped back into the office, sat down at my desk and began furiously tugging at boots. At this point my feet were not just clammy but wet. Gross, I know. I spent the rest of the day relieved to have my sneakers back on.
While this doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement for clear boots, it wasn’t all bad. With no ill-placed straps, clear boots can actually make your legs look longer, and who doesn’t want that? Plus, they go with just about anything. I went with jeans and a bomber jacket, but you could just as easily wear a dress or skirt à la Mrs. Kardashian West.
Alas, my final verdict: I certainly won’t be wearing the boots for a busy day with lots of walking, but I might try them for a night out and take another cue from Kendall Jenner by wearing a pair of fishnets underneath, which I hope will also slightly alleviate the sweat factor. In the meantime, I’ll be taking the weekend off in flat shoes.
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