These Boots are Made for Walking
BY JO ANN WAGNER
Snow in the winter required boots to go outside. I had rubber boots, also called overshoes, that fit over my shoes. They let in snow and cold air at the top and sometimes cracked at the bottom, also letting in snow that melted from the warmth of my feet. My brother’s boots had buckles that allowed them to fit tighter on his legs. They weren’t attractive, but they were more practical than what I wore.
I thought it was the greatest invention ever when snow boots came out. I loved putting my feet into the furry insides that kept my feet much warmer. They weren’t perfect if it was really cold, but they were so much better than the boots I’d worn before.
Now boots have become more stylish, sometimes shaped to squish your toes, but not the less attractive foot-shaped boot I had to wear. I recently saw boots like I used to wear in all seasons advertised as “rain boots.” I couldn’t help thinking if they only knew that those had been the kind of boots we’d had to wear through snow as well as rain.
When I was young, tennis shoes became popular. They were more comfortable than the less flexible, harder shoes we had been wearing. Though we called them tennis shoes, they were worn for any activity. Originally white, they gradually became available in more colors.
insides that kept my feet much warmer. They weren’t perfect if it was really cold, but they were so much better than the boots I’d worn before.
Now boots have become more stylish, sometimes shaped to squish your toes, but not the less attractive foot-shaped boot I had to wear. I recently saw boots like I used to wear in all seasons advertised as “rain boots.” I couldn’t help thinking if they only knew that those had been the kind of boots we’d had to wear through snow as well as rain.
When I was young, tennis shoes became popular. They were more comfortable than the less flexible, harder shoes we had been wearing. Though we called them tennis shoes, they were worn for any activity. Originally white, they gradually became available in more colors.
That was followed by name brand tennis shoes that were given different names, such as running shoes. What we had been so pleased to have as tennis shoes became the generics that others looked down upon as they sported Adidas, Nike, Reebok and other name brands.
Life was so much simpler when we didn’t try to outdo each other. We simply were glad when we had boots that kept our feet warm and tennis shoes that were comfortable.
Jo Ann Wagner is a contributing writer for Lincoln 55+ magazine.