Ladies
Company: Hunter
Featured Item: Original Tall “High Gloss” Black, $125
Unlike yesterday’s post (which should be filed under something I desperately want!), today’s gift is something I’ve already got. They were sold out in my size all last winter across the country, but I snagged a pair a few day as an early Christmas present, and am wearing them right now with a pair of black leggings, and the great fleece socks (also by Hunter, which run $30-$40 depending on the style) you can purchase separately.
These are essential for the fall/winter months to keep your footsies warm in the snow and rain. If you purchase the separate fleece socks, you can pretty much completely eliminate your need for a separate pair of snow boots, since they are VERY toasty.
These boots come in a few different styles (short and mid-calf) and a bunch of colors and “shines” (matte, high gloss, and one the mimics snake skin) but I stuck with the standard for myself because, again, I tend to wear things on the simple side.
You’ll notice that I linked to the original Hunter website, and Nordstrom.com. The Hunter website lists everything in British pounds, so I figured it’s probably easier for those in the U.S. to just order online at Nordstrom, or pop into the mall and buy them in person.
NOTE: The sales woman at Nordstrom told me that they do not sell in half sizes and that they do generally run a little big, so if you (or your gift receiver!) are usually an 8 1/2, an 8 should fit perfectly.
Gents
Company: UGG Australia
Featured Item: UGG® Australia ‘Ascot’ Slipper (Men), $100.00
Ok – I will usually be the first person to say that men shouldn’t wear UGGs, but THESE look incredibly comfortable, and since they are slippers, they don’t fit into the category I am usually referring to (e.g., the UGG boots that women usually wear).
I feel that most guys don’t own a cozy pair of slippers (and for that matter, most ladies don’t either) but I am a huge fan of keeping my feet warm during the gosh-awful cold winter months. These slippers look not only amazingly warm, but also have a hard sole on the bottom (similar to the bottom of UGG boots, but the tread isn’t as thick), so the lucky guy you get these for can still run out to grab the mail or hit Red Box quickly (but that’s about it. Please stress to him that he can’t wear these in place of proper shoes, even though they may be the most heavenly thing he’s ever set foot in [pun intended]).
You can purchase these directly from UGG’s online store, one of their concept stores, or from any of their online or in person authorized retailers.
NOTE: A lot of websites out there claim to be legitimate authorized UGG retailers, but they aren’t. Please be certain that you are only purchasing UGGs either directly through them, or one of their authorized retailers otherwise, there is a good chance you’ll be handing over your credit card information either a) to a scam artist or b) for a knock-off pair of UGGs.