My feet are cold,

so I just spent 3 hours online searching for the ideal winter boot to keep them warm.

Now I know that Uggs went out of style a while ago, even before I bought their cheap knockoff at target last winter. But even the $20 imitation boot kept my feet warm and dry through the Pittsburgh winter, better than any shoe I've ever worn before. I wore them every day until they got holes in the soles and their delicate pink shade had turned charcoal with Pittsburgh grime, yet in a moment of freezing-toed desperation last week, I found myself tearing through my bag of discarded shoes for the old pair.

I clearly can't keep wearing them once the snows hit, so I decided to buy another pair. But search as I may, I couldn't find the knockoffs at Target, Payless, or any of my other typical fad-find stores. I know they're not "cool" anymore, but they're just so freaking warm! How could they not be selling them?

I ended up finding a pair of genuine sheepskin boots for about $40 online, but it took a while, so I thought I'd post some resources for anyone else out there who is pining for the 2004 style that was, for once, actually comfortable.

(Also, I thought this was funny, and it made me realize I wasn't alone.)

For starters, even if you really do want that tell-tale Ugg label on the back of your boots, don't pay full price. Nordstrom has them heavily discounted: short ($79.90), tall ($69.90), and this mysterious mosaic style that I think is pretty cute ($89.90). Of course you'll have to settle for the ugly colors, but such is life.
SierraTradingPost.com also has the short style in two colors, for $69.95, if your feet are size 8 or bigger.

But if you really want reasonable prices, you'll have to go with a different brand.

With the help of Froogle, Google's beta shopping search site, I located some other sheepskin boots for much less. (If you want to do your own search, simply use the google search engine on this site, type in "women's sheepskin boots," and the top link should be the Froogle search). Here are some noteworthy boots that I found:



On Your Feet has a short sheepskin boot in a variety of colors available at OKto.com ($31.67) and Overstock.com ($32.99-$39.99).

I thought they were pretty cute, but I couldn't find the color I wanted (natural) in the right size.





Then found these Chooka sheepskin boots at Sportsmansguide.com for $39.95. They also have a taller pair in black for the same price, but I still wasn't crazy about the colors.





Finally I found the pair I was looking for. I ended up getting the Staheekum suede leather Wellingtons in Sand for $39.95, from a somewhat shady online shopping place at Clickbird.com. I was a little worried, but the order was placed through Amazon.com, which soothed my fears.



So that, friends, was my journey to finding my ideal winter boot. Now, I imagine you might get a similar style that is cheaper than 40 bucks if you didn't want the sheepskin, but from what I've heard, sheepskin is the way to go for optimal warmth. It also wicks away moisture from your skin to keep your feet cool in the warmer weather. How 'bout that?

So if anyone else out there is yearning for another season of comfort this winter, I hope this was helpful!