Who's Down with O.P.P.?

Boots (Diba); Faux Ostrich Leather Jacket w/ removable faux fur collar (Cristina, Steinmart); Skirt (Apt. 9, Kohls)

Ok, who else remembers Naughty By Nature and their overplayed early 90s top ten hit song, O.P.P.?  If you do, you were probably in high school at the same time I was, and I apologize if the catchy yet inappropriate hook runs through your mind on continuous loop the rest of day!  In this case, however, O.P.P. stands for "Orange Paisley Panache."  Orange is one of my favorite colors, which is pretty obvious from a casual flip through prior posts, and paisley is one of my favorite patterns.  So, when I found these orange paisley velvet boots by Diba several years ago, there was no question I had to have them.

Much like rap music, these boots are somewhat polarizing.  People love them or hate them, and they definitely don't forget them.  When I was in the private practice of law, I once wore them (with an otherwise very subdued all black suit) for an initial meeting with a nonagenarian client at his home.  Thereafter, he always referred to me as "the young lawyer lady with the boots."  This gentle farmer in his 90s suffered from dementia and often struggled to recall even people he'd known for many years.  So, while I'd much prefer to be remembered for my legal acumen and personality, in this case my boots gave him something concrete to associate with the attorney helping him sort through some estate issues.  

More recently, I wore the boots with a vintage 70s maxi dress (see prior post) for a documentary screening and cocktail reception at the art museum.  About a week later, a photograph of my paisley velvet foot appeared in the Indianapolis Star accompanying an article about the event.  I was shocked at the number of emails and hallway conversations in the following weeks that started with "I saw your boots in the paper."  These boots seem to have a life of their own - maybe I should be thinking Nancy Sinatra instead of Naughty by Nature!

Fashion is what you buy; Style is what you do with it!