It is now our second cold-weather season living in YYC. And yes, people here do refer to Calgary by its airport code. In Montreal, you’d never hear people using YUL as short form for the city’s name, but here in Cowtown it’s totally normal. Calgary weather has been a pure delight compared to the two other Canadians cities I have previously called home. Compared to Vancouver, it basically doesn’t rain here. (Except for the week when my Vancouverite brother was visiting, and I was trying to convince him of our superior climate.) Compared to Montreal, it does not reach 40° C with 90% relative humidity in the summertime. Fall and winter are curious here, thanks to a phenomenon known as a chinook. It can be freezing cold one day and downright balmy the next. Last winter I was shocked to discover that the city was not permanently covered in snow from November through March as is the case in Montreal. Thanks to these spells of warmer weather, the snow would melt periodically to reveal the asphalt and brown grass beneath.
One of the many things I definitely enjoyed about winter in Montreal was the fact that for at least four months of the year, I never had to wonder what shoes to wear or to put on my toddler. Winter boots were the only option. Here in Calgary, I find us needing a sort of in-between solution. Something warmer and more weather-resistant than a sneaker but not so heavy-duty as a winter boot. As usual, I turned to Skechers to find the solution!
In Montreal, Cub went from sneakers to snow boots. Here in Calgary, sneakers seem insufficient on colder days or when it has snowed but not stuck, while snow boots seem like overkill. These boys’ Mecca-Brazenly boots are perfect for my active boy this fall: memory foam insole to keep him comfy; Velcro closures so he can get them on and off on his own; sturdy and water-resistant construction for a bit more warmth and support than his sneakers without being overly hot. Perfect for the babywearing mini-dad on the go this season!
Little Miss is just starting to take a few steps outside, so her shoes are more fashion than function. She is rocking a pair of black infant Lace-Up Booties that are from the boys’ section, although they are very gender neutral. They were on her feet the very first time she ever took steps on the pavement, with her brother holding her hand!
They’re perfect for scooting around on her ride-on toys outside and for taking some tentative steps while sagely holding mommy’s hand on the way to the car.
As for me, I’ve long since abandoned my desire to be cool and have fully committed to practical attire no matter how untrendy that may be. I have been shoving my thermal socks into my Skechers slip-on sneakers because I don’t have time for laces these days. Thick socks and leggings with slip-on sneakers is not an awesome look, but it’s how I’d been showing up at daycare and preschool pick up until my Descender-Denali boots arrived. Boots that are totally fashionable AND have handles?! If you’ve ever tried to lace up your boots with a baby in your arms or in a baby carrier, you will understand the brilliance of these boots. Papa Wolf insisted I get on a swing to take pictures in my new boots, and I think it was a good call.
Not to be left out of this Skechers boot camp, Papa Wolf opted for some sweet hiking boots. Cub’s and my boots are well-suited to the kind of casual hiking we get up to on the weekends in the many parks in Calgary and beyond. Papa Wolf dreams of getting back to the kind of off-the-beaten-path exploring he enjoyed in his youth, and his Relaxed Fit Relmant–Sandor hiking boots will take him there. These boots offer the memory-foam comfort of his Skechers sneakers in a high-performance, rugged and waterproof package.
Just as for me and the kids, Papa Wolf’s new boots are bridging the gap until it’s time for snow boots. (And they’ll likely be put to use each time a chinook chases the snow away.) He needs the warmth and waterproofness of these hikers since it’s his job to follow Cub to the edge of any and all bodies of water we encounter to throw stones or sticks.
As for me and my cool new boots, we’re ready for a sudden drop in temperature or freak hail storm (#YYCWeather!), but we’re also ready to be caught off guard by a desperate street-fashion photographer with a deadline to meet and no other prospects. Work it!
Shop & Connect
[wpdevart_like_box profile_id=”SKECHERS-139537099427776″ connections=”show” width=”300″ height=”175″ header=”small” cover_photo=”show” locale=”en_US”]
Find a Skechers retailer near you!
Leave a Reply