No matter how much I deny it, I haven’t been able to stop obsessing over this season’s stylish… No matter how much I deny it, I haven’t been able to stop obsessing over this season’s stylish boots. I’ve concluded it’s a combination of wanting to spend my recently acquired birthday money and the array of advertisements everywhere you turn for designer trinkets.

The copious fashion ads and the extra moolah in my bank account have shoved my inner fashionista into overdrive. This, coupled with my indecisiveness in deciding which style best suits me, has left me hopelessly panicking for the perfect black (or brown) knee-high (or ankle-high) boot.

Profoundly pathetic, huh?

But why is it that boots have a certain “that’s the pair I’ll die if I don’t get” appeal that’s so hard to shake? Well, that is, until you eye another pair you desperately need.

I’ve been doing a bit of research at the Robinson and Ross Park malls, and a few of their store clerks are in agreement.

“Boots are always going to be fashionable because they are dressy, casual and functional at the same time,” said Cherry Lavelle, a full-time key holder at Aldo shoe store in Ross Park Mall. “Especially with Pittsburgh’s weather being the way it is [always cold], boots provide warmth and comfort while being versatile.”

Lavelle is right. According to meteorologist Joe Bastardi, the winter forecast calls for colder-than-normal temperatures and above-normal snowfall for the eastern Great Lakes regions.

And snow isn’t the only thing mounting this season: Shoppers can expect shoe stores to carry at least five to 10 different styles of boots. Ranging from western, flat, knee-high, to mid-shaft boots, this season’s boots aren’t made for walking – they’re strictly for flaunting.

No longer are the days when just a single pair of boots would suffice; women and men are now investing in assorted boots for assorted looks. Although the idea of a smorgasbord of boots sounds like the perfect idea for retailers and designers (and even most customers), for indecisive shoppers like myself, the variety can be unequivocally problematic.

Last week I spent three and a half hours looking for the perfect boot, and to my dismay, I didn’t purchase a single pair. They were either too cowboy-ish, too high, too pointed, too squared or the stitching was way too weird.

Sulking in my sorrow, I stumbled into Bakers shoe store at the Robinson mall, where part-time employee Angela Dileo gave me some insight.

“Boots are popular and great for the cold weather, but pumps can go with everything. You can wear pumps with jeans, short skirts and suits, but you can’t wear boots with everything, so try wearing pumps,” the informed employee explained.

My immediate reaction was to walk out – no, run out. I wanted a pair of cute, stylish boots and I refused to let my three-and-a-half-hour shopping trip be futile. But, sadly, she too was right.

Against my better judgment, I bought a pair of pumps and remembered what style expert and TV-show host Star Jones said:

“Pumps bring subtle sophistication to any ensemble, especially the popular flirty knee-length skirts and elegant high-waist pants, both must-have staples for career and evening this season.”

So the next time I see a sexy mid-shaft boot complete with a weather-resistant, perfectly pointed toe, I’ll think twice – no, three times – about spending my hard-earned birthday money on a basic boot. Hail to pumps!

Deena loves pumps, but admits it’s extremely hard to give boots the boot. Tell her about your boot battles at [email protected].