Pierre Hardy for Gap boots

Although I can't eny that I have a lot of clothes, shoes and boots are always tough for me. As I teach, I spend a lot of time on my feet (my classes are often 3-4 hours long and in many cases, I don't get a chance to sit down). I also use public transit, often return home late at night and generally have a limited tolerance for pain. I have big feet (size 40, sometimes 41), so I have to compete with the other tall girls for limited sizes (shoes are made on a bell curve--just a few 35, 36, 40, 41).

In some ways, I think, this excuses me for buying the shearling Gap/Pierre Hardy boots yesterday, size 9.5. I was a touch early for acupuncture so I popped into the Gap on 17th and 5th and found them by the doorway. Without looking at them in a mirror, I quickly tried on the shearling in olive (the only ones, I think, in 9.5) and in 9. Time was at a premium, they seem comfortable, so I rushed to pay (no line) and left.

I did feel a bit bad for contaminating the pure space of acupuncture--a site for transcending materiality--with my bulky shoe box in its almost too small bag. But the session was great. Later, I tried my boots on during office hours and they were comfortable. My only misgiving is a lingering doubt that the shorter boots fit my style and my needs more--I need boots for dreses and skirts more than pants. So, do I get the shorter version too or sacrifice the beautiful olive ones for the gray ankle boots? Or do I wait for the shorter ones to go on sale? I guess I'm going to have to play this one by ear.