It's starting to get a bit cooler here in Sydney. The days are still warm and sunny but the evenings bring with them a chill and the promise of winter. Mornings are frosty and dark. The winter doona has gone onto the bed and for the first time this season night I used my electric blanket to heat the sheets before I crawled between them.
As much as I like the stunning summers here in Sydney, there is something lovely about the mild winters we have. They are cool enough to require nice winter clothes and indulge in braises and mash, but not so cold that your nose starts to run as you nip down the driveway to collect the mail.
One of the things I love most about winter (other than braises and mash, which everyone loves) is winter fashion: knits and cashmere and tights and pretty warm dresses. And boots.
I didn't bother with buying boots last year. We were spending quite a bit of winter overseas in the Northern summer and I thought I would survive without them. I missed them terribly for the time we were here and none of my existing boots seemed to fit with my new Mummy lifestyle (i.e. they all have impractical heels. Perfect for chasing toddlers around in the park. And walking with a pram).
So once I started to feel the chill in the air I knew it was time to start my boot search. It didn't take very long. It started and finished at one site - the trusty, wonderful Duo.
I have bought and worn many pairs of Duo boots and shoes over the years. I really struggle to find well made, comfortable boots that fit both my large (size 41) feet and my curvaceous calves.The best thing about Duo is that the boots are fit both to your shoe size and your calf width, delivering a perfect fit. For an even better result, I always read the reviews of the boots to see what other purchasers have said about them.
I wanted something with a great comfy sole, rounded toe, flat (little or no heel) and black. For me they were more a casual boot, as my lifestyle doesn't really call for much else at the moment. Those were my criteria. I found my perfect boot in the Malmo. By all reports they are ridiculously comfortable which is exactly what I am after right now. And they are simple and classic enough I can team them with a pair of jeans or dress them up with a fab scarf and jersey dress for a more formal or dressy look.
Another wonderful advantage of Duo is the Free International Courier Shipping. What? I hear you all exclaim! FREE?? You can't ship something to the next suburb here in Australia without it costing a fortune, let alone a pair of boots. PLUS if you ship them out of the EU (which you do if they are coming to Australia) you get your VAT back as well. So the Malmos cost me the sum total of $165 delivered. Such good value for all leather boots. That actually fit.
I was very tempted to snag a pair of Blayes as well, but given the mildness of the winters we have here, can I really justify the cost? It's only 95 pounds... Plus delivery (as delivery is 15 pounds on sale boots and shoes), minus VAT. Hmmm... Maybe I will... Maybe.
In the meantime, I am eagerly awaiting the delivery of my new boots. And the promise of a busy winter filled with lots of walking and running around the playground.
For - as Ned Stark reminds us - Winter is Coming.
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