The Perfect Boot I Cannot Have

It seems the item-out-of-my-grasp will be a recurring theme here at Material Girl HQ. Here's my latest shopping trial: I've found what just may be the perfect boot, one I've been on the lookout for for ages, trolling Zappos and Amazon, cruising any shoe department I happen by. I speak of a grey boot. One with a walkable heel. A lovely neutral that can go from season to season and match anything. If you ask me, grey should me the new black in footwear. The ubiquitous black boot is so dull. Don't get me wrong--it has it's time and place and every woman should have a black boot in both knee-high and ankle in her closet. But wouldn't it be nice to have a beautiful grey boot to wear with, say, a black dress, thus getting away from the black-from-head-to-toe without being too bold (with, say, a red boot).

But, alas, grey boots are hard to come buy. I've had my eye on two pairs I've found on Zappos. (They are currently sitting in my shopping cart). One, by Jessica Bennett, is a suede, not-quite- knee-high boot with a black wedge heel (currently selling for $129.02). I'm just not wild about suede. And I don't think I could wear grey suede in the spring. I like them but I don't love them.

The other pair is a ruched Jeffrey Campbell ankle boot (currently selling for $146.95). I love them and my husband hates them (not that his opinion matters all that much, but he does pay the AmEx bill). Plus an ankle boot with a skirt, I fear, would make me look shorter. And they are a bit '80s.

Then one happy Saturday the Anthropologie catalog arrived in my mail slot. And there it was: arguably the perfect grey boot. I love the distressed brown-grey leather, the stacked heel (not too high), the lacing up the back, the shape of the toe. I'm in love. My two issues: My discretionary fund is not currently able to support a boot purchase of $278 plus tax and shipping; and they are on backorder until early October.

[Material Girl sighs...]

This is a sad sad development in my shopping life. At least four times now I've been ready to take the plunge, halfway through the check out procedure. After all, they don't charge your credit card until they are ready to ship the product--I could always cancel the order between now and October. What if I don't order them now and I they sell out in 8.5? Fellow shoppers, what would you do?