“VALENTINE
’Tis true; for you are over boots in love,
And yet you never swam the Hellespont.

PROTEUS
Over the boots? Nay, give me not the boots

VALENTINE
No, I will not, for it boots thee not.

”

— The Gentlemen of Verona Act I, i

I was sooooo skeptical about this trend. I had been hearing everywhere about how the white boot is so popular this fall/winter season, and that it is really very versatile and easy to wear. Wait. What?! How can a super white boot that seems like it would stand out, be easy to wear? I just found that hard to believe.

Well, after watching several fashion videos on Youtube showcasing white boots being styled with multiple outfits, I began to take a closer look at this trend. The first thing I did was think of an outfit that I could easily pair with the white boots BEFORE I bit the bullet and bought them. (Did you check out that unplanned alliteration?) After that, I thought of about two more outfits, which made a total of three, to justify the boot purchase. That’s a good tip, by the way. If you can find a minimum of 3 outfits to wear with whatever you plan on buying, chances are you will get your cost per wear out of that item.

So, after searching online, I found a pair of fabulous tall, white boots from Fendi. They came in a range of different colors and fabrics, but I settled on the white neoprene boots. I even caught a 30% off flash sale from Luisaviaroma which totally solidified my online purchase! I ordered them. They came.

When the boots came, I took them out of their box and drooled. Undoubtedly, they were fabulous. And I loved the modern heel shape. I decided to try the boots on with the outfit pictured: A No. 21 skirt, with a print that I LOVE, a chic Joos Tricot turtleneck, some blue tights, and a Rockstud Valentino pvc purse which was perfect because it didn’t clash with the printed skirt at all. I topped it all off with my beloved turband from Cult Gaia.

Let me tell you. I fell head over heels with these boots (like Valentine said in the Two Gentlemen of Verona quote above) and the outfit. I wore this outfit to work and my feet didn’t hurt ONCE. I’m a teacher, so I’m on my feet a lot during the day, and I had ZERO issues. I just felt fabulous, and now this is one of my favorite outfits. But wait. It gets better. While trying on outfits to go with these boots, I found SOOOOOOO many other fabulous options. It’s literally like those boots went with everything I tried on. NO LIE. The white boots actually behaved like a neutral, which means they damn near go with everything, making everything look even more fabulous.

The only problem I have now is not pairing them with everything, every single day, because they do stand out, and people will start saying, “She must be trying to get her money’s worth!”…….LOL.

Bottom line: I will be getting my money’s worth, because these boots are one of my best purchases of 2019. Shout out to Fendi!

How do you feel about white boots? What’s your favorite type of fall/winter boot? Let’s chat about it in the comment section.

Thanks for stopping by! XOXO

“To unpathed waters, undreamed shores.”

— The Winter’s Tale

Where I stayed

While in Bali, I stayed in a one bedroom AirBnB located in central Seminyak. The upstairs of the villa consisted of the bedroom, which was the bed, a TV, and a bathroom with a shower. Downstairs was a small kitchen, small dining table, a couch, and a small bathroom with only a toilet and a sink. There were doors that opened all the way to make the inside and outside one space, as well. Outside on the patio were chairs, tables, and a private swimming pool with luscious greenery. Truthfully, this spot was perfect for just me, but for two or more people, it would have been way too tight. The pictures on AirBnB made it appear much larger than it was.

What’s Bali like?

Language: In Bali, there are many dialects spoken depending on which caste you come from. However, there is a common language called bahasa, that is kind of a newer language used to unite all of the different dialects so everyone can communicate easier. But fear not! Since Bali’s tourism industry is very strong, English is spoken everywhere, so you won’t have a problem in this area.

Getting around: OMG!!!!! There are soooo many scooters in Bali! That is the first thing I noticed while I was being driven (in a car) from the airport to my AirBnB. My driver informed me that because there really isn’t a public transportation infrastructure such as buses and trains, people mostly use scooters to get around because it’s cheap and easy. Taxis are also everywhere and easily accessible. However, it is recommended (by myself as well) to use Bluebird Taxis. These taxis are regulated, they use a meter, and you won’t get ripped off. Unfortunately, I was running late for something because my Bluebird Taxi I ordered couldn’t find my AirBnB (that’s another story…lol), so I hailed an unregulated taxi and got taken for a ride, if you get my drift…lol! From then on, it was only Bluebird for me! :-)

Back to these scooters! If you’re brave enough, you too can easily rent a scooter to get around on. But it’s nothing like riding around Mykonos, for example. That’s child’s play compared to Bali. Bali on a scooter is not for the faint of heart. There are very few to zero rules of the road that I noticed…so ride at your own risk, and don’t forget to wear a helmet! You will also get offered rides on scooters for money by the Balinese and their scooters, so that is also an option if you feel adventurous.

Must-have Apps: Here are three apps that you need to download for your time in Bali and Southeast Asia period. If you need a taxi or scooter, if you need food delivered from your favorite restaurant, or even groceries delivered, these are the apps you need. You can pay through the app for cashless transactions, which makes everything easier. So, download these apps for a much more enjoyable stay in Bali. I was definitely happy I had them.

App #1 : Grab

App # 2 Gojek

App# 3 My Bluebird

Vegan yumminess! My falafel burger and sweet potato fries with tahini sauce. This was at a cafè called Kimsoo.

Currency: Rupiah is the currency used in Bali. You can exchange your home currency for theirs directly in the airport after you grab your luggage. This is safe and easy. You can exchange your money at various other places in Bali, but make sure that it’s an authorized vendor, otherwise you will get cheated. Because Bali is a poor country (in terms of wealth), your money will go far here. For example, 100,000 Rp = approx. $7…(at the time this post was written.) There are also lots of ATM’s around, too.

Some things to do: Depending on whether you just want to chill, or if you want adventure, you can find it all in Bali. I actually did both. The first few days, I went on some tours that I booked via AirBnB (yes, they also have what they call Experiences for you to book), and Viator. I went to the famous Gate of Heaven, the Water Garden, the Jungle Swing, coffee plantation, and the rice gardens. It was a long tour, but highly worth it. I even took a bike tour (something I do on all of my vacations if available). This tour was more strenuous than I expected…lol…but I loved it because we rode to Canngu, an area that I had wanted to see, and I saw parts of Bali that I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. I highly suggest tours, especially if you are a solo traveller, because it´s stress-free. Most of the time they even pick you up from your accommodation. You can’t get more stress-free than that! :-)

Of course, if you just want to chill, you can hit up the beaches and the beach clubs. I would recommend Ku De Ta and also Potato Head. Massages are also offered everywhere if you’re in need of one. Also, other spa services are offered at many places on the island. And, these services are very inexpensive, too.

Miscellaneous: Restaurants are plentiful in Bali. You will find anything and everything, no need to worry about that. I’m a plant-based eater and found tons of eating options to accommodate me.

There are also dogs EVERYWHERE in Bali. One of my Balinese tour guides told me that the Balinese love dogs, and that every household has one. The dogs I saw appeared to be very independent, and didn’t seem to belong to anyone, but maybe that’s just dog- life in Bali……:-). None of the dogs seemed aggressive, they just did their own doggy thing. I did see an unfortunate accident where a poor dog got hit by a truck and became instantly paralyzed….:-(. This ties into the crazy driving situation in Bali that I mentioned earlier. So, just be careful if you do decide to rent a car or a scooter.

I chose the above quote from The Winter´s Tale, because in this particular scene one character is telling two other characters not to go off to some far away, possibly dangerous part of the world. I often come across people who tell me not to go there, or maybe you shouldn’t go alone, or maybe why are you going for so long, or why are ´not you staying longer, it´s not worth it….blah, blah blah. So many people have opinions about this or that….and because what you’re doing doesn’t seem or feel right for them, they try and deter you from doing what feels right for you. That is when you thank them, or not thank them for their input, and continuing to do you and continue to remember that you are living YOUR life, not theirs.