Actually I think they’re pretty perfect for women of any age but I’m discovering that there are so many ladies out there adding ‘women over 40’ to their search phrases that this helps them find us. So, before I start, I just wanted to apologise for (and growl at) the gremlins that removed all my carefully worded replies to your comments on the last few posts. I can’t understand what happened but I wasn’t being lazy I promise – I do appreciate the effort you all put in to your thoughts! As I said in my last post, as the rain arrived, I discovered a hole in my wardrobe. Ankle boots are great but mine are mostly suede or pony skin and on really wet days they’re as pointless as sandals. I need some new knee high boots.
I had in mind a tan pair, but as I went round the shops in Manchester trying them on, they just seemed to look frumpy. I think it’s because the riding boot style has been so popular for the last few years that maybe it needs a rest for a while (in the same way that the Chelsea boot did) before it has another resurgence. Who knows, I’m sure there are lots of you that will disagree in the comments, I’m simply going on what I felt when I looked in the mirror. Incidentally I did notice that in Grazia’s 6 page ‘Autumn Boot Camp’ feature this week, there wasn’t a riding boot to be seen. Here’s their pick of knee high boots which are all heeled:
Sadly none of those boots fit my lifestyle (or budget) but I just wanted to get you thinking. I know riding boots are a classic and I have a lovely pair that I’m sure I’ll still wear sometimes but maybe it’s time for a wardrobe adjustment.
As you know, I was with my eldest son so taking photos of every pair I tried on would have pushed his goodwill too far and the shots seem to be locked on most of their websites so I can’t even pull those off to show you, sorry. Suffice to say we went to Kurt Geiger, House of Fraser, Hobbs, Office, M&S and Jigsaw. By this time Mr MC and the smallest had called to say they were en route to meet us so with the pressure mounting I suddenly thought of Clarks and how much I have loved wearing the leopard courts I found there a few weeks ago. We looked through the range with me continually being distracted by the really great ankle boots they have this season until my son appeared brandishing these 2 pairs
and these Lindley Charm
The thing they both have in common is that they come just over the knee. The Lindley Charm (also available in black) are softer and probably the ones to choose if you have a rounded calf but it was the detail on the Minster Echo that grabbed me. There is just something about the biker effect of the quilting at the knee that brought out a rock chick in me that I never knew was there. And when you think about it we’re all very much in biker mode – there’s the success of the biker jacket that seems to be as big this year as it was last, coated jeans with zips and biker seaming are everywhere and look at the success that Barbour has had reinventing itself with its Steve McQueen inspired heritage range.
These boots are obviously popular because they only had them in a size smaller for me to try but they ordered them for me and they arrived in our local store today. Here’s their maiden voyage. We dashed to the park as soon as I’d picked them up from the shop because we spotted a storm coming in over the bay, I had planned to get changed first but there simply wasn’t time.
(jacket Hobbs; sweatshirt Whistles; jeans Next)
So there you are, a few different pictures because we had to keep avoiding the rain showers. You’ll be seeing them again though. Now I know a lot of you are rugby / football mums so I did just also want to point out these to you which I think are brilliant because they’re chic leather but they’re also Goretex and the sensible person in my head was screaming at me to buy them. They’re so much nicer than wellies:
Also available in black:
Or if you’ve been inspired by the biker trend these are also Goretex boots (also available in chocolate brown)
And so are these ankle boots – genius and also available in black
I just think that it shows so much intelligence on Clarks’ part to develop a range of attractive Goretex boots. I’m guessing that we 40 plus women are very much the new marketplace that they are targeting and I know that nearly all of us spend an unreasonable amount of time outside in winter either watching our precious ones doing something sporting or even just walking the dog. You can see their full range of Goretex footwear here.
I have to say that Clarks continue to surprise me. I know they’ve been trying to innovate for a few years but in my mind until now they haven’t quite succeeded. I had high hopes for their collaboration with Mary Portas but never quite liked the result and I think you either love the Orla Kiely range or you don’t. Something has got them thinking though because this is now the third item of footwear that I have bought from them this year. I even bought Mr MC (who is strictly a Prada for shoes, New Balance for trainers man) a pair of Clarks boots for his birthday and he likes them.
So lastly, I just wanted to share my excitement at hitting the States this week when the tremendously glamorous Deborah Boland from FabulousAfter40 ran a feature on me. We did a lightning fast interview which in hindsight I thought might offend some people because I was quite forthright (yes I was banging on about distressed jeans again) but thankfully it doesn’t seem to have done. If you’d like to read it and see which of my outfits Deborah chose to feature it’s here.
The lovely thing is that it has brought lots of new American readers to Midlifechic so if you are one, I’d like to welcome you and encourage you to join the discussions that we have via the comments – they are getting livelier every time and it would be fascinating to have an international viewpoint. (By the way Clarks deliver internationally so this post was relevant for you). I would also like to direct UK readers to FabulousAfter40 which has a library of really practical features about how to style things over 40, what the trends are and how to update your look (it really is useful, I’m not just saying that because she featured me)! Oh and an email has just come in to tell me that there is 25% off everything this weekend at Grey & Osbourn.
We have the last of our University visits with the ‘undecided one’ this weekend. The 7th and final city is Leeds although this week he told me that he thinks his favourite is going to be Bath – we haven’t even been there!!!!!! The wires are coming out of his broken thumb soon which will enable him to rejoin the geography trip to Iceland so that’s at least one decision made and it means he will come on holiday with us next summer and not get broken again on another rugby tour. All’s well that ends well. Have a brilliant weekend everyone, keep in touch via the comments and I look forward to hearing from a new American reader soon – at the moment the Canadians are beating you!
