WIW: 20th reunion

I'm home in Connecticut for Thanksgiving and tonight happened to be my 20th high school reunion.

I went, but it was a hard decision, to be honest. My school was tiny (graduating class of 68), and while the other kids weren't monsters to me, I was one of the very unpopular students. I was so awkward and lost in my own world of books. I really blossomed in college and I was more or less happy to never look back.

So of course, having decided to go, I particularly wanted to look chic. I wore my best-fitting skinny jeans (Genetic - as a biologist, the embroidered DNA logo is like a talisman) and my new Aritzia sweater. And I wore my Converse shroud wedges from last year's NAS. I had no idea I'd wear them so often, but they're amazing.

The reunion wasn't a smashing success for me, but I found people to talk to all evening. The attendees were all people who stayed in our rural town, and though the town is really a lovely place, I would have enjoyed catching up with the people who spread their wings and left. Most people ignored me, and I ignored them. But at least I know I looked a lot better than I did back then! (Everyone looked great, in fact!)

Bonus picture of my mother's horse enjoying the aftermath of apple pie -- and yes, that's an electric fence that I accidentally threw those peels onto! No horses were injured.

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Discount HEWIs, expensive failures [edit: WIW: the Fryes]

A year ago I wanted a pair of ankle-height engineer boots.

I decided the Engineer 8R was the right look, and I found a size 7 pair at Yoox for around $100, the only size they had. I bought them gleefully, wore them once, and realized that the boot hits my instep in an incredibly painful way. And they're a tiny bit too small everywhere.

(I'm usually a size 6.5 but often 7 for boots. But my old Frye-imitation harness boots were 7.5 and perfect.)

So there they sat in my closet for a year, unworn. I pulled them out again last week and they weren't as bad as I remembered, but I had to change shoes after a few hours. I wonder if I could get them stretched, though they're lined with a thick synthetic fabric without much give.

Meanwhile, last month a local store had a closeout ($100) on their Sutro boots made in the same Mexican factory as Frye. 6.5 was too tight, they were out of 7, and the 7.5 felt comfortable. I wore them around the store with a thick pair of socks -- no problem. Bought them, wore them, and... pain, again. The ankle area cut into my anklebone badly and they really are too long.

So, here I am with two pairs of less-than-ideal boots. Then I stopped by Crossroads today and someone is selling the Frye Veronica short boots for $55. Size 6.5 and these really do fit me perfectly! They're definitely used, but with plenty of life left.

So what do I do? Sell the Sutros, regardless, I think. But should I spring for the Veronicas? And I can't help wondering if I should try the Engineer 8R in a 7.5, instead.

I can't decide which look I prefer, either. Opinions? The Engineer 8R is shorter and I think more flattering on my short legs and more distinctive to me. I'm often a passenger on a motorcycle and they boots would be serious protection, so that's one side advantage. I do think I prefer them, but the Veronica boots are going to be more comfortable and lighter, regardless.

Analyzing my failures here -- one was chasing after discounts rather than finding the perfect thing and paying full price. But on the other hand, I've bought full-price shoes I thought were perfect that ended up unwearable. It's just so hard for me to know. I shudder to think of how much money I've spent on shoes I had to pass on immediately. Am I the only one?

Would buying the Veronicas be throwing good money after bad?

Edit: I wore my Frye Engineers today. I think they're stretching out. They're not as painful over the top of my foot, though still bad after a few hours. Worn here with R13 relaxed jeans. I do think I like the height of these compared to the Veronicas but maybe either would be good.
Photo 1: Veronica
Photo 2&3: WIW: thrifted Club Monaco top, R13 relaxed skinnies, Frye Engineer boots.

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Getting with the program: wide leg crops and PPL

Happy Election Day, US folks!

My jeans wardrobe needs an overhaul. One coveted item is a pair of black wide-leg cropped jeans. I dislike flares / bell-bottoms on myself, so I'm going for straight wide legs. Crops are hard on my very short legs, so I'm looking for some tough love on PPL.

Here's my jeans pinterest board, things that have caught my eye whether they're in my price range or not:
https://www.pinterest.com/monochro/jean-ome/

I can't decide between a few different styles. I bought two, but I may keep neither of these. 

1. Madewell high waist wide-leg jeans. They're an affordable duplicate of the pricey Rachel Comey Legion jeans. 70s-style at the top -- this is honestly something I have a poison eye for, on myself. Tight through the rise -- one size up is probably too big, but I should go back to the store and try it. I would cut them off to get the intended look on my short legs, maybe where I've folded them in the third photo?

2. Rag & Bone wide-leg jeans with a 2000s look to them. The low waist is less trendy but much much more comfortable on my fussy tummy. They're new, but do they look too dated? Could I crop these to modernize them or would they work best floor-length like we wore them back then? How short should I crop them, if so? 

The other contender is the straighter CoH crops in finds. Honestly I sort of love them. They're more my style, if they fit: medium rise, weathered denim, a bit grunge. I always go for grunge over 70s. But are they too much like boyfriend jeans?

Other jeans suggestions appreciated too!

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