Mal-in-Boots

[tfabris]

Speaking of the Shindig this Saturday, I'm now down to one final component of the Mal costume. It'd be fun to wear the costume to the Shindig, so that I can get an additional use out of the costume instead of just Halloween.

But that means I need to get an inexpensive pair of Mal-style boots between now and Saturday. (They don't have to be exactly those, just the same basic color and style, i.e., plain straight-top rather than scrolly western V-top.)

I think my first stop will be thrift stores. I don't know if that's the sort of thing I'd expect to find there, though... I don't generally do a lot of shopping in thrift stores normally. I plan to hit the Valu Village on 125th and Lake City first.

Others have suggested army surplus stores, but my worry is that they'll only have things which look obviously like army boots, and what I'm looking for is something different than army boots.

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Comments

[hsifyppah.livejournal.com]

If you can find a cheap pair of fancy wobbly-top western boots, you could get some leather scraps from a fabric store and make a little straight-top cuff to cover them up. (Or for that matter if you find some shorter boots the right colour, you can make them taller this way - good enough for a hallowe'en costume anyhow.) Ooh, this calls for a crude line drawing:



Anyway, discount fabric stores often have bags of scrap leather for cheap, of you could buy something the right colour at value village and cut it up.

[tfabris.livejournal.com]

Thanks! That's a great idea.

My friend Susan, who's coming as Zoe, specializes in doing leather work. She makes handbags and other clothing/accessories out of leather, so I have a great resource for that sort of thing. She's just not a cobbler, otherwise I'd have pressed her into service for this long ago. :-)

She is doing work on the Y-back suspenders and pants for me, so that's taken care of.

You should see the leather vest she made from scratch for the Zoe costume. Wow, is it ever fantastic...

in addition to thrift stores...

[singlemaltsilk.livejournal.com]

... you might want to check with local riding and tack shops. Many have a consignment section where you can buy used boots and such. A plain brown riding boot might be a good option for you.

Re: in addition to thrift stores...

[tfabris.livejournal.com]

Oo, good idea.

[gfish.livejournal.com]

There's a pretty good leather shop down in the international district, right off Jackson. My 'store info' notes say:

Macpherson Leather
519 12th ave s
m-f 8-4:30
sat 10-3

[tfabris.livejournal.com]

Excellent. Thanks!

[djonn]

I'm not an expert, but that toe looks like it might be a fishing/wading boot style (and that would probably also fit with the flat vs. scrolled top). If you've got G. I. Joe's up your way, you might have a look at their selection for style-matching purposes if nothing else. Otherwise, try similar hunting/fishing/outdoor-goods places to get an idea of what's out there in the general market.

You might find something usable in the sale corner of your local Shoe Pavilion -- that's about the best of the chains I've found as far as the ratio of quality-to-deal goes -- but I think that would be a matter of sheer luck.

There is, FWIW, also a good-sized boot shop way down in the bottom corner of the outlet mall complex at Centralia; OTOH, their primary (though not exclusive) emphasis is on Western boots.

[tfabris.livejournal.com]

Excellent ideas, thanks!

[tfabris.livejournal.com]

GI Joe's and the mall stores were a strike-out today, as was the thrift store on Lake City way. Although the thrift store came closest.

[zencuppa.livejournal.com]

Ohh . . You mean you aren't going to wear your Mal outfit at the OVFF tea party??

[tfabris.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah. Um... three uses, then. :)

[andpuff.livejournal.com]

memo to self: This year go to the OVFF tea party.

[tfabris.livejournal.com]

Aw, shucks. :)

another thought

[singlemaltsilk.livejournal.com]

You might also try your local Freecycle yahoo group -- see what's on offer, or post a request. Ya never know...

Re: another thought

[tfabris.livejournal.com]

Thanks, will do.

Update

[tfabris.livejournal.com]

I managed to find a pair of boots at a thrift store on University Ave that were almost what I was looking for. They seem to go OK with the costume, which was a hit at the Shindig. Thanks, everyone!