Alright so today I went deep down the rabbit hole trying to pick out Polo Ralph Lauren Andres III boots. Seriously, felt like a detective hunting clues. Started simple – woke up wanting new boots for winter, remembered seeing those Andres III online looking sharp. Price? No idea. Just knew Polo stuff ain’t cheap.
Grabbed my phone first thing. Jumped online, searched “Polo Ralph Lauren Andres III boots”. Boom, results all over the place. Saw ’em listed for ￥1,699 on one site. Clicked another link, same boot? ￥2,399! My jaw kinda dropped. How’s the same thing cost different? Seriously confusing. Felt like stores were just making it up as they went.
Hitting the Stores (Virtually & For Real)
Okay, figured maybe the price difference meant different styles? Started digging into details:
- Andres III Waterproof Boot: This one popped up a lot. Supposedly tougher, for actual bad weather. Price hovered mostly around ￥2,000 – ￥2,300. Felt premium, like it could handle rain or snow.
- Regular Andres III Lace-Up: Found these looking slicker, smoother leather. Looked awesome in pics, less chunky. Prices seemed more varied – saw some at ￥1,700, others closer to ￥1,900. Wasn’t really clear why besides maybe older stock?
- The Chelsea Boot Style: Oh yeah, spotted a Chelsea version too! Different look altogether. More streamlined? Prices seemed bundled in with the lace-ups, roughly ￥1,800 on average. Didn’t scream “boot” as much to me.
Still felt unsure just looking at pictures. So later, dragged myself to the mall. Found a Polo store. Finally, real boots in my hands! Felt the leather on the lace-ups – smooth, smelled good, solid. The waterproof one felt… thicker? Heavier? Sturdier for sure. But man, trying them on was a thing.
The Fit Fiasco & Price Sticker Shock
Asked the guy for my usual size. Put on the lace-up. Way too tight. Seriously pinched my toes. WTH? Tried the waterproof in a size up. Better, but still snug across the top. Sales guy nodded like it was normal: “Polo boots run small sometimes. Try these?” Handed me a pair a full size bigger than my normal shoes. Finally! They fit. But now the price – these specific ones were tagged ￥2,299. Felt steep standing there holding them.
Compared side-by-side right there:
- Lace-Up (Smooth Leather): Looked killer, felt good (once sized up). Dressier. But thin sole? Questioned how long they’d last pounding pavement daily. Price felt okay around ￥1,800-ish online, but that sizing hassle…
- Waterproof Style: Thicker leather, serious sole. Felt like I could hike in them (I won’t, but still). More booty-boot. Price tag hurt more though – over ￥2,200 felt like a lot for something I might not truly need the waterproofing for.
- Chelsea Boot: Slid on easy, felt comfy fast. Super convenient. But looked a bit too… trendy? For me anyway. Didn’t scream “quality” as much sitting next to the others.
Stood there like an idiot holding two boots for way too long. Staff probably thought I was gonna steal them.
What I Finally Figured Out (Maybe?)
Walked out empty-handed, kinda overwhelmed. But here’s the dirt after my whole mission:
- Prices are ALL OVER: Seriously, shop around online HARD. Don’t trust the first price you see for the Andres III. Found that out the hard way. Could save a few hundred bucks easily.
- Size UP is KEY: If you buy online blind? Order at least half a size, maybe a full size bigger than your usual sneaker size. My normal size was a joke in these.
- Style Matters for Price & Use: Need something rugged? Waterproof justifies the price jump. Just want cool boots for looks? The regular lace-up saves you cash but might wear faster.
Felt like I spent the whole day wrestling with boots. Worth it? Dunno yet. But at least now I know if I pull the trigger, I’m getting the right size and style… hopefully. That waterproof one keeps calling my name though. Might need to sell a kidney.
