My bandits came last night, and I had so much fun wearing them around UNC campus today. I’ve worn the same red slouchy boots all winter, but these colorful strips of fabric, worn around the legs of boots, really spruced them up. It was like having a brand new pair of boots for a fraction of the cost!
I got the Athena double-strap bandits, and the purple Revolver bandits, which have really cool little brass guns.
These boot accessories are currently sold in DC at Urban Chic on Wisconsin Avenue, although Margie Hawk, the manager at Sassanova shoe boutique, says Sassanova will carry the bootstraps fall 2009.
Founders Erica Chan and Tamar Wider stumbled upon the idea while living in NYC. They found vintage fabrics that were not quite large enough to make into clothing, but hoped to find a way to use them creatively. One night, while dressing up to go out, they tied pieces of the fabric around their boots, and the rest is history. The two women make the bandits themselves in Berkeley, CA, and always use the finest fabrics, authentic brass studs, and never forget the no-slip grip on the back of the bands.
Many thanks to Lauren Kolodny for opening my eyes to this cool accessory!
Unfortunately for those of us located in North Carolina, none of the boutiques in this state carry them yet. However, you can order a pair online at www.freepeople.com or www.the2bandits.com.
