A while ago, I was introduced to a new designer, Llynda Moore. (For those of my underground music fan readers, you may have heard of her brother, R. Stevie Moore.) Llynda is a former Miss Tennessee, and has gone on to Las Vegas to work as a singer. Realizing that she needed a boot that was comfortable, as well as versatile, and fit properly, she invented her patented design.
Llynda reached out to me to ask if I would model her boots, and give her an honest opinion about them. As someone who wears a good four-six inch heel nearly every day of my life, I have grown accustomed to the standard heel problems that most women face. If your platform isn't built solidly enough, you'll wobble. If your stiletto is poorly crafted, it will almost "grip" the concrete, every time you go to take a step. And with boots, the number one complaint from most women is that it is practically impossible to find a boot that not only fits their calves, but their foot as well. As a stylist, I am always trying to talk my clients into wearing even just a slight heel for photo shoots and performances. The right shoe can take up to ten pounds off your figure if styled correctly. And as for live photos, heels make you appear to be slinky and larger than life as opposed to duck footed, and a bit frumpy. But, my girls always complain, and even in the most comfortable of all heels, they will kick them off towards the end of their shows. So, I knew if Llynda were telling me the truth, then I would have a product in my back pocket that would revolutionize my clients' lives forever.
Llynda Moore boots come in two parts: the ankle boot, and the boot top. The ankle boot is your standard shoe size, and the boot top comes in many different sizes to fit your calf circumference. This not only guarantees a perfect fit every single time, but gives you the options of 30 different looks in one pair of boots. Too good to be true, right? And what about my stance on cruelty free fashion choices? They're vegan. Every single boot top is reversible, so your options automatically double. The heels come in three sizes: a low heel, a tapered heel, and a stiletto. I asked for the stiletto, and as for the boot tops, I asked for the black sequin, which reverses into a classic black "leather" and the leopard ones (because leopard is my favorite neutral) that does as well.
Skeptical doesn't even begin to describe my feelings prior to receiving my boots. I did my research like a good fashion nerd, and was a bit thrown off by the advertising. As someone used to either glossy magazine ads, or the wonderful talent that Nashville designers have in their Instagram and fantastic social media campaigns, the website definitely made me question the legitimacy of the boots I was to be receiving. Upon further digging, I found out that the majority of her boots were sold through Independent Representatives. Thoughts of bad Tupperware parties, and invites to join whatever the latest miracle weight loss drug groups were creeped up. Independent Representatives screamed of old ladies hawking Mary Kay out of their homes, not a young and hip audience that wear cool boots on stage! I'll admit, I was already sort of ready to write them off as yet another item of clothing that a designer had given me that would live in the bottom of my closet, collecting dust...until I opened them.
As I pulled the ankle boot out of the box, I was flabbergasted at how much these shoes felt like real leather. The term "vegan leather" is usually reserved for fabrics made of cheap plastic and lost dreams. They even smelled like real leather! As I stuck my hand into the ankle boot part to remove the packing materials, I was met with a foam insole at least an inch thick. I later learned that it was removable and washable...I suddenly thought back to all the nights I had spent dousing performance shoes with vodka to remove the odors caused by sweaty feet. How wonderful would it be to remove the smelly part, and replace it with a new one! So, I slipped my foot in and zipped up. I am normally a 9.5 US shoe, and these were a 10. They fit nearly perfectly. And then I stood. As I did a lap around the kitchen, I was gobsmacked. How on earth is a 6 inch stiletto heel the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn in my life? Surely it couldn't be! I placed them back in the box, as I knew I was going out that night. They were going to get a test drive.
The boyfriend and I went out to hear our friends play a rock show that night. I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to see if these boots could hold up over walking several blocks from the parking lot, to standing on concrete for an extended period of time. I wore the black sequin boot tops for a bit of sparkle, and paired them with black tights, tuxedo shorts, and a white button down. The trek from the car to the venue was easy as can be...no weird gripping on concrete like a normal stiletto would. Within seconds upon entering, I was stopped twice. "Oh, my God! Those boots are amazing!" and "Sick boots, babe!" When I told them that they were a new boot and were not only comfortable, but reversible, I could see buzzed minds blown. I demonstrated the magnetic clasp that held the boot to the boot top to several of my friends, and they were all intrigued. Most of my friends being musicians on a budget, any way to find a solution to make the most out of your footwear is always appealing! We stood for about an hour and a half, and no sign of foot, back, or knee pain crept in like it normally would have by that point. And then, the ultimate test! I strutted off to the bathroom to see a man about a horse, and was stopped by a very very drunk girl. It's sort of girls' bathroom code that drunk girls always tell the truth. As this gal leaned over the sink to splash water on her face, she straightened her hair as she caught my eye in the mirror. She gave me the once-over, and stopped when she got to my boots. "Those boots are sick, man. Like, those are rockstar boots." Her slightly more sober friend popped out of the stall to check out my fancy footwear, and agreed. "You look so put together and cool." I managed to make it the rest of the night in the shoes. I experienced no pain, and received numerous compliments.
I have worn the Llynda Moore boots now pretty much every day since. I have had long work days in which I wanted to still feel pretty and stylish, but be comfortable, and those boots have served that purpose. I've already told all of my friends and clients who perform on stage about these revolutionary new boots. When I explained to them that they would never have to worry about fit or falling off their heels at their gigs, they are over the moon! It happens more often than you think.
For more information about how you can get a pair of boots for yourself, send me a message on my website:
www.ThePaytonProject.com/contact
or go to www.llyndamooreboots.com
and elevate your fall/winter boot game from "Meh" to "On point!" in less than the time it takes Nancy Sinatra to learn how to dance properly. Tell her I sent you.
https://youtu.be/SbyAZQ45uww
https://youtu.be/SbyAZQ45uww
