Brand loyalty.

I’ll get straight to the point: I wear my Puma with pride. People often comment on the shoes that I wear, and it’s because my collection consists of a healthy dose of form strips and speedcats. Basically, I love Puma. (See here. Here. And here. [Oh, and here.]) I forgive them for the misstep that was most of the Holiday 2007 release, because they used Michelle Yeoh in their marketing. And because I fucking love them and they are amazing. They are my lover. Billiam knows this. He is fine with it because I say so.

I’m going to allow you into my brain now and show you what it really means to be a loyalist.

This particular story begins with my pilgrimage to the Puma Black Store in New York last year.

November 2008
I made special plans for myself and the subway (which I am pretty bad at navigating) and headed solo into the meatpacking district. Some people go there for DVF or AMQ.* I went there for PUMA.

At the store, I tried on a pair of Yasuhiro Mihara Speedcat Re-Luxe boots–all while wearing Puma from head-to-toe, I’ll have you know–and fell in love with their silhouette. I’m no stickly girl, and that these seemed flattering to my own set of curves really won me over. But not the price. Though the associates offered to mail them to me, I carefully walked away, dejected Charlie Brown style.

Periodically since November 2008
Once I got home from New York, I checked Puma’s website to learn more about the boots. They were still $400. I saw them being offered on non-Puma websites. They were still $400.

I looked–but didn’t touch–them at Bay Area Puma stores. They were still $400.

When the holiday season passed I hopped online again. Instead of discounting the $400 price, the boots disappeared! This thwarted my plans to save all my Puma gift cards for the Speedcat Re-Luxes. They were still being offered by other Puma distributors, but Puma gift cards wouldn’t help me there. And the price was not far enough from $400.

Late April 2009
After my funds started rebuilding post-Platinum Party/Cabo with the boyfriend’s former roommates but not the boyfriend, I found my mind immediately wandering back to that damn catboot. It was time to deploy all methods of intelligence I had in order to get what I want. (Real Housewives of New York sense of entitlement, anyone?)

Because I hate the novel-esque reenactments of the likes of Yelpers who think they can write, I will spare you the details. The cold, hard stats tell enough of the story without me having to fill in the blanks:

I called every Puma flagship store within driving distance.

I called every Puma outlet within driving distance.

I called the Puma Black store in New York.

I called every Puma flagship store in Southern California.

I called every Puma outlet in Southern California.

I was lost. I had no legitimate way to buy these boots. I finally had to resort to a service I have never had to resort to before: Zappos.com.

May 2009
At this point, Zappos had the boots marked down from $400 to $350. I kept telling myself to wait. They went to $300. I told myself not to buy anything luxurious until my new frosting credit card came in. The price changed to $225. The CC arrived. The price dropped to $200.

I know $200 seems like a lot for anything these days, but if there’s one type of clothing that you really shouldn’t skimp on, it’s shoes. You’re on your feet all day. They better be well constructed, well balanced, and really well designed. Boots, because of the demands of their construction and durability, tend to start at $60 for a decent, unlined pair, but usually promise better quality once you look upwards of $100. Don’t skimp on boots. I have friends who’ve bought boots at Claire’s, and we are not friends anymore. (Kidding.) But really, don’t skimp on boots.

Into the Now
One missed UPS delivery later, and today finally arrived. Held next door by my crybaby hippie neighbors, my new black limited edition designer Yasuhiro Mihara collaboration Puma Speedcat Re-Luxe Boots.

I’m wearing them now. They feel fine. And over half a year of waiting paid off.

Update: Although, CRAP, I just found them for $75 cheaper on a different site! SHITSHITSHIT. Anybody ever bought from DJPremium? Dooooode, dilemma…

*Diane von Furstenberg and Alexander McQueen