The Only Boots I Wear in the Colder Months

Fellow minneapolitan here – for keeping warm in winter while not too active can I suggest the wool lined arhus boot from duckfeet? Super cute, comfy, and WARM. I wouldn’t walk the dog in these (i do a winter hiking boot or bogs depending on snow depth) but for everything else these are my go to. Use pebble40 for $40 off through 10/17/20! (Duckfeet doesn’t employ me, I truly just love them).

I completely relate to this – the e-shipping struggles of living across the border :(

I adore fun socks and I love to let them peek out above my boots!

I’ve been thinking about something similar these the last few days. I think we should start saying “ethical employment conditions” or “sustainable production chain” or something like that. There’s nothing ethical about killing/using animals to make a product, so “ethically made” and “ethical brand” don’t make sense to me.

Thank you for your comment, Jane!

100% of our leather is a by-product of the meat industry, and we’re utilizing the more eco-friendly vegetable tanning method across many products. Most of our leather comes from Leather Working Group (LWG) certified tanneries in León, Mexico. LWG is setting the industry standard for environmentally responsible tanning.

The farms our tanneries work with are located in the US and northern Mexico, and we are working hard in partnership with our tanneries to achieve 100% supply chain visibility in the near future. We are responsible for our impact on the planet, and we always working to do better.

Does anyone know where the quilted jacket the model is wearing is from?

I agree.

Personally, I’ll pass on the plastic-based alternatives.

Agreed! I would LOVE to see some emphasis on vegan footwear.

Thank you for your comment, Joaquina.

100% of our leather is a by-product of the meat industry, and we’re utilizing the more eco-friendly vegetable tanning method across many products. Most of our leather comes from Leather Working Group (LWG) certified tanneries in León, Mexico. LWG is setting the industry standard for environmentally responsible tanning.

We recently shared our thoughts regarding leather with Refinery 29. You can read the article here: https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/is-leather-sustainable-ethical

We are responsible for our impact on the planet, and we are always working to do better.

Right?! The idea of exposed ankles in the winter made this Canadian smile ;)
For anyone who has to deal with snow drifts and -30 degrees Celsius, I’ve got my eye on Uggs Adirondack III winter boots. Usually I recommend Sorel but their quality has gone down hill lately. Bogs are also pretty good.

I don’t know! I live in Michigan and we have some reasonably harsh winters and Chelsea boots are all I wear as well! Unless of course I’m playing in the snow with my kids. Then it’s real snow boots!

I also need actual boots in the winter, and have a few pairs of Sorel for various activities (I almost feel like that sounds bougie, but with our weather, investing in warm things has such a payoff) – ones I can slip on and off easily for shoveling or before broomball, super huge warm ones for things like ice fishing, and cute ones that I can wear out but still be warm. I think when you say Sorel has gone downhill, you’re right, and it’s since Columbia bought the brand. Sorel still seems to pretty good quality, but you can tell their priorities have shifted just a little bit.

I lived in Toronto and Ottawa for years and I only brought out my Sorels when there were honest to God snowstorms. I didn’t even own snow boots for over a year at one point. I wore J.Crew or Michael Kors leather boots with SmartWool socks 99% of the time.

I own these and the answer is no.

Thanks for recommending Good on You! It seems like a helpful guide. (Nisolo scored a “Good” 4 out of 5 on it btw)

Jana, Thanks for the reference to the Good on You app. I’m excited to check it out. I also wanted to say that I really like Climate Neutral’s model. I understand that carbon offsets are not as helpful as eliminating a carbon footprint, but what I like about Climate Neutral is that it’s about trying to eliminate a company’s carbon footprint AND offsetting as they reach the lowest level of carbon emissions that that brand can reasonably reach (it’s hard to have no footprint in manufacturing). I think that eliminating a carbon footprint can be difficult and intimidating, and Climate Neutral is doing a great job of helping companies get there without the daunting task of complete carbon elimination. Just my two cents. But, I’m psyched about Good on You.

I like to wear them with pants that come just to the top of the boot (cuffed if need be) and a pair of cute socks underneath! My favorite socks are a dark grey marl, so they look cozy if exposed but are also low-key. You can expose about 1-2” sock or not, depending on how cold it is. Granted it doesn’t get *that* cold where I am (no snow!).

I took a look at Good on You and it was so helpful, thanks for the rec! And in Nisolo’s defense, there isn’t a single shoe brand that sells boots that has a higher rating. None of the brands on the website that sell boots have a 5/5; Nisolo is as high as it gets with a 4/5 (in terms of overall scores).

Thanks for your comment, Jana. We position climate neutrality as a first step for reducing our carbon footprint and encouraging other brands to do the same. The fashion industry has an immense impact on the planet. It’s responsible for 8% of carbon emissions (Source: UN Environment, 2019) and contributes more to climate change than international aviation and shipping combined (Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017). For Nisolo, offsetting 100% of our emissions through impactful conservation work that’s Redd+ certified in the Peruvian Amazon is the bare minimum and just the beginning. We’re going to greater lengths to reducing our footprint by way of prioritizing ocean shipments vs. air, in addition to working more closely with our suppliers to measure and reduce their environmental impact since the majority of our carbon footprint is within our supply chain. We appreciate all feedback for addressing and reducing our impact on the planet.

Me too! I’ve gone away empty handed from the site several times. Size women’s 13 here.

Thank you for your feedback, Whitney! We work to continuously improve and I’ll be sure to share this with our team.
Best,
Andrea from the Nisolo team

Another wide footed person here! I’ve looked multiple times but never got further because I could tell they’d be painful. It’s too bad bc the products are very appealing! It is great that nisolo team members are watching the comments—my fingers are crossed for wide widths!

Thank you for your comment, Nicole! I will be sure to share your feedback with our design team. We appreciate you sharing this with us.
Best,
Andrea from the Nisolo team

Looking for a coat just like that. Can you tell us about it?
Thanks!

+1!

I am pretty sure the coat is Outerknown. That color is sold out, but there is a black option :)

https://www.outerknown.com/collections/womens-outerwear/products/northward-quilted-jacket-faded-black?variant=31723206213655

I was wondering the same thing!

Thank you for asking this – I always have the same questions with short boots!

I like to wear them with pants that come just to the top of the boot (cuffed if need be) and a pair of cute socks underneath! My favorite socks are a dark grey marl, so they look cozy if exposed but are also low-key. You can expose about 1-2” sock or not, depending on how cold it is. Granted it doesn’t get *that* cold where I am (no snow!).

You could always follow this rule: Think of the sock as an extension of the shoe. Tan socks for tan shoes, black for black, etc. However, buck convention if you’re feeling sassy. I love a pop of color between the top of a boot and shorter pants or when someone crosses their legs. :)

I like wearing my similar boots with tights/skirts or with thicker leggings/tunic/sweater all (Wisconsin) winter long. It’s easy to wear my snow boots and switch at work!

My fit are too bony. They were not comfy for me unfortunately. I had to return them!

The Madewell Chelsea boots fit me a little better.

I have feet like yours, and Rachel Comey and Coclico shoes and boots fit me perfectly!

I think my feet are similar to yours and I’ve always been a big fan of Sam Edelman booties.

Thank you, all!! Lots of new options to test out. :)

This is not a clothing recommendation, but I recently purchased some electric heating pads for hosting get togethers on my patio and they work so well! I put them on my outdoor loveseat and chairs to sit on and the direct heat works super well. They are less bulky than an electric blanket and more efficient than a gas-powered heater (which only lasts about an hour for me before needing a new canister)

Granted I have only road tested these in London (so it gets cold, particularly a wet cold that sucks, but not like arctic or Russian temperatures) but the brand COS does wool tights that make it feel like your butt is being hugged. I tried them vs the uniqlo heat tech, and they’re way better AND they have a waist band that goes quite high up. https://www.cosstores.com/en_gbp/women/womenswear/underwear/socks-tights/product.wool-tights-grey.0104495022.html

Just commenting to say YES to showing *actual* cold weather apparel, accessories, etc online. If I search on pinterest for ‘cold weather outfits’ the results look like something I’d wear to San Francisco in summertime. I’m in Montana people, it’s 2 degrees in November!

Do you really plan on socializing this winter?! We will continue to social distance until schools and offices are fully open. I don’t want my kid breathing on anyone and masks will freeze from the humidity in our breath. The idea of sitting outside in the cold and still potentially getting Covid is not for me. We’re taking this very seriously and haven’t really socialized in person since March. I did a couple of things where I sat on the other side of someone’s backyard with a glass of wine, but my daughter hasn’t played with another child since schools closed in March. She spent some time on her grandparents farm this summer so I guess I can include them in our bubble, but we’re generally just a bubble of three.

Agreed! Calla, thanks for the electric heating pad idea…do you mind sharing a link if you’re happy with the ones you purchased? And do you just plug in with outdoor extension cords? Thanks:)

@Jane I bought this larger one for my loveseat
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S1C4P54/
and this one for smaller chairs
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YHKYMJJ/_it
very happy with both!

yeah, what lindsay said!!

I second this suggestion!!! Please! I understand that it’s hard when you’re a small company to do much in the way of expanded sizes. I’m really trying to buy ethically made clothing, and while I can normally find clothing (or make it myself), I’m stuck on shoes. Curse my wide feet and high arches!

Agreed, my feet aren’t even exceptionally wide, and Nisolo boots destroyed the sides of my toes, they hurt so bad!

Thank you for your honest feedback, JP. I will be sure to share this with our team, as we work to continuously improve!
Best,
Andrea from the Nisolo team