What a great time to be alive. So I was at the car-wash this morning and I looked up and saw somebody on TV wearing OTK's. My eyes bugged out and I had that rushing "Shit I'm missing this" regret. And then I saw it was the Today Show and I relaxed and knew that Jacob Itto would be all over it. Sure enough, shortly after I got home I checked his channel (via the NewsWomen Blog) and sure enough, HD capture of Sophia Bush and her suede OTK's.
If you're above a certain age you remember the pre-wired life. 20 years ago (well 19 years and about 6 months) I logged onto the internet for the first time and envisioned a community of boot hobbyists. Yep, this is a pretty great time to be alive.
As to your final comment, I agree whole heartedly, both in terms of the online community and the fact that boots, and OTK boots in particular, are SOOOOO much more common than they were 20 years ago. I mean, I'd maybe seen 10 women, in person, wearing OTK boots prior to the turn of the century. Now? My non-fetishist wife owns six pairs that go over the knee. On a good day at the right time of year, I might see 10 OTK pairs just walking around.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, John. This is the second golden age of boots (the first being the 60's/ 70's). and I think it's actually greater than the first. One thing I've noticed is that knee-high boots over tight jeans have become entirely commonplace, for all ages. Even at the height of the first golden age this style was a bit edgy - you saw it on celebrities (Farah Fawcett, et al.) but not so much on your daily commute - and it disappeared entirely in the early '80s. Nowadays every woman seems to have a pair or three - they've become ordinary footwear, and as a result edgier styles such as OTK have become more mainstream.
ReplyDeleteMaceochaid
It is a great time for boots, but like all fashion this will pass (I never saw 1997 coming). I am savoring every moment. However, In this case I was referring to everybody who gives back and provides a chronicle of this golden age.
ReplyDeleteI used to be negative and accepting that fashion goes in waves and things we like now won't be around in the future. However, I also think that fashion has become all embracing and is far less cyclical. Take jeans for example - you can now buy whatever style you like; a far cry from the 70s flares and then the early 90s "sprayed on and tacky" to quote The Happy Mondays!
ReplyDeleteAnd so it is with boots. I suppose I am fortunate that my personal favourite style is a tall knee high designer leather boot, rather than a more extreme OTK version, but EVERY SINGLE fashion season you can GUARANTEE the relevant press extolling the virtue of the 'trendy ankle boot'. And every year it is virtually the same - young girls (eg under 25) love 'em and wear them, but older ladies will always want the glamour of buying a new pair of tall boots. The 80s was a dire boot decade - but that was when you were more strongly dictated to as a consumer and had a narrower choice.
Have I ever mentioned that I detest ankle boots? :-)
James Addiction