a box containing 18 lbs of leather goods appeared on my doorstep the other day.

(why? read previous post detailing my boot bounty.)



happy, oh so happy feet.

the winner: diba alexandria.

why? well, for one, they were the only pair that i could ably zip up my calves (important, yes). but also, the wedge heel and the leather straps on the top are most definitely up my urban euro futuristalley. they're quite comfortable, and have a reasonably sturdy footbed underneath the wedge. i got the 9M, yet the width ably accomodates my wide feet. folks, it's a winnah! :)

some notes on the other pairs:

nine west pardon had the strangest zipper design i've seen. it runs from the base to halfway up the leg, and then it's all leather. so you have to pull on the boot entirely, and then zip that little inner part up. very equestrian looking, and a bit rustic for my wish for a boot that can fit both the casual and dressy bill. it was quite tight around my calves.

sudini scout felt as if it had the narrowest calf, actually. a bit of a surprise because i ordered these in a wide width size. it was a little problematic to pull on the boots whole; there is no side zipper. the detailing's pretty cute, though it's veering toward dressed-up cowboy country.

lumiani a 8119 looked good at a distance, but are pretty horrid on. they didn't fit me at all, but my roommate danced around in them. the heel, despite its wedge, is quite narrow at the heel (a stiletto in disguise), and the leather looks a bit cheap and plasticky when it bunches at the ankle. it's very go-go.

the dibas are unique and versatile, and they're also a bit shorter in the length up the calf (12.25" shaft height vs. typical 14"), so they're more suited to my shorter proportions.

one bummer... i see the pair for half the price on the diba website, except not in my size. but if you fit them, no reason to not get them!

thank you, zappos, for giving me the opportunity to try on shoes in the privacy of my own living room, dancing and squeezing and anxious zipping and roommate-bonding. there's some untapped value right there.