I always throw things away when they’re no longer usable. Shirt gets a irremovable stain? Toss it. My phone charger breaks, I throw it out. But for some reason, I can’t throw out my favorite pair of boots. They’re breaking. The paint has chipped off on every side of them, and they’re even letting water in…but it’s so hard for me to let them go.
It all started when I was 14, a wee little freshman in high school. I spent many of my days browsing Tumblr, and this image of badass, chunky leather boots kept appearing. They were called Dr. Martens, commonly known as Docs. I wasn’t exactly sure why, but I knew I needed them. My mom and I walked into the Dr. Martens store, overwhelmed by how sophisticated and fashionable everything was. Did I want these sparkly silver Docs, or did I want the pretty flower print ones? There were so many options. I went to the store with classic black in mind, nothing too flashy. However, as soon as I laid my eyes on a bright purple pair, I knew love at first sight was true. Getting this pair of boots was one of the best decisions I ever made, and I knew that as soon as I wore them out of the store.
To be honest, I was nervous to wear these boots to school. These chunky bright purple Doc Martens certainly made a statement, but as years flew by they quickly became a part of my identity. They taught me to accept that it’s okay to stand out and okay to be a little quirky or different. Walking through the halls with these bright shoes rubbed off on me in a way I never expected. I wore these boots almost every day- they taught me confidence.
People would recognize me simply based off of my boots, and I loved it. These boots went with me everywhere. I wore them to school, to dance, to the beach, and even to my graduation. Give a fancier outfit an edgy look with them, or wear them as you would going to school; either way you look bomb. Whenever I needed a little pump of confidence, I would just put my Docs on. I put these boots on and I feel like I’m Wonder Woman. No one can step on my toes when I’m in these boots, and I can splash through any puddle life puts in my way, both literally and figuratively.
These are my boots today. Tearing, paint chipping off on all sides, dirty and leaking a bit. I still love them just as much as the first time I saw them all shiny and perfect. Everyone tells me that the chips and wear give them character, and it’s true; they have their own character.
These imperfections are what make these shoes so perfect to me, and I will never forget them. I’ve had these boots for five years now, from freshman year of high school to freshman year of college. I don’t know if I’ve had anything that I use so frequently that’s lasted so long. These boots have given me the confidence to put my feet in front of me and tackle the day ahead of me, and to simply be me. After bringing them to college in the fall, the paint began to chip even more and leather began to rip, I’ve noticed how much I see myself in my boots.
Even though life wears and tears on you, your bright purple shine comes through and shows you that you can do anything. As my boots have begun letting snow and water in, I’ve decided it’s time to lay them to rest. But… I can’t. I will be wearing my Docs until the day they fall off my feet. I’ve never had something that is so central to who I am or exemplifies me so well. And if it it means I get a little water in my socks to feel like Wonder Women, then so be it.