$495 boots for an 18 year old?

[Anonymous]

It’s more than I typically spend but I’d do it. And I wouldn’t have her pay anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

I've been stalking Poshmark but they're actually marked UP on there because they're hard to find new online.

The only two pairs in her size right now on Poshmark are $750 and $699.

Ok, now I need to know what style these are!

I have a pair of Frye harness boots that I can’t wear anymore after my feet spread when I was pregnant. I was hoping my DD might want them someday, but her feet are smaller than mine, and they’re not her style anyway.

Would be great if I could make a few bucks off of them.

they're the campus 14L!

[Anonymous]

I' think you should get them, as her only gift. 1. I have had the same Frye boots for literally 20 years (when I was in my early 20s) and they are by far my favorite, and most complimented boot. I have them re-heeled and re-soled every so often, but they are incredible boots. I've also bought $150-$200ish boots that fall apart after a couple years. Fryes last. She may very well wear them into middle aged and motherhood, like I have.

2. When I was her age, I asked my parents for one expensive gift that my heart was set on, and it turned out to be life changing. In my case it was a nice camera. It led me to win photography competitions and eventually have a career in journalism. Since then I'm a big fan of the one big gift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would. If the total is more than you would normally spend then have her chip in the difference.

+1. Don’t add grandma and grandpa’s money in the total. If you spend $300 usually, count that toward the boots and your daughter can pay the rest imo. If she truly values the boots, she’ll do it. If she doesn’t, then she’s learned a little about tradeoffs with money.

[Anonymous]

Gifts should not impose an obligation on the receiver, so no "chipping in" for her own present. If you can't or won't buy them outright, just give her cash and let her buy what she wants. Same idea but less tacky.

[Anonymous]

I think you should buy them…your typical spend plus the returned birthday boots puts you pretty close to the price. And she’s 18, so she can keep them for a long time and is old enough to value them and take care of them.

[Anonymous]

I just told my 18 year old to go try some on at Nordstrom to see if she'd like a pair for Christmas. She's been saying she needs a new pair of riding boots -- the ones that she has were used for actual riding, and were pretty cheap when I bought them. They aren't nice anymore - don't know if they ever really were.

[Anonymous]

Idk, I do get expensive gifts for my kids and it annoys me on some level how all prized teen stuff is so expensive now. There is something wrong with it, like they are mini sophisticated consumers at a young age. My dd bought herself some fancy Nike sneakers for $300. That is twice more than I have ever spent on shoes for myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think you should buy them…your typical spend plus the returned birthday boots puts you pretty close to the price. And she’s 18, so she can keep them for a long time and is old enough to value them and take care of them.

This. Maybe if grandparents have no idea what to get her you could combine those.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 18 year old wants a pair of $495 Frye Boots for Christmas.

She wants for very little (and asks for even less).
She had her 18th birthday over a month ago and we got her a sweater and a pair of boots ($150). The boots went back because they looked terrible (I completely agreed--they were bad). We haven't replaced them-she's been busy with school and hasn't asked for a replacement to this birthday gift that didn't work out.

We usually spend about $300 for Christmas and my parents give us $200 or so to buy a gift from them. She doesn't get gifts from other family members.
She also has her own money from working a full time summer job at a restaurant (she probably has 3.5K).


My first response is "uh, no!" (mostly on principle) But I don't know. I could buy them and have her chip in or just buy them as her one Christmas gift from parents and grandparents. They're the kind of boots that a few Influencers have found in thrift stores because Frye has been making the exact same style for 20 years (so they're classic and have staying power----and yes, it would be great to find them at a thrift store but she doesn't have the time for this and the stores with a random pair in them are generally in the midwest).

I'm also aghast at the amount, but would tend to buy them for her for these reasons based on what you wrote.

-Other posters have described these as boots that will last decades, so not a frivolous purchase.
-She's 18 so probably done growing and can use these in her adult life.
-You already tried buying her cheaper boots and they weren't good.
-It's been over a month since her birthday and she hasn't bugged you about a replacement present, so she's not materialistic.
-She doesn't ask for much, so this seems important to her.
-She works, and has saved a good chunk of it, so she's not am irresponsible spender.
-You "owe her" $150 from the birthday present you returned and usually spend $300 for Christmas, which is almost $495, so I would just buy these as her Christmas present from you and still get her something from her grandparents.

[Anonymous]

In the context of your post, I would get them for her.

Sounds like it will be a special gift, hopefully one she'll take care of and will always remember.
Since you don't normally spend that type of money on her clothes, and because she returned her birthday boots without replacing them, it seems reasonable (assuming you can afford them).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 18 year old wants a pair of $495 Frye Boots for Christmas.

She wants for very little (and asks for even less).
She had her 18th birthday over a month ago and we got her a sweater and a pair of boots ($150). The boots went back because they looked terrible (I completely agreed--they were bad). We haven't replaced them-she's been busy with school and hasn't asked for a replacement to this birthday gift that didn't work out.

We usually spend about $300 for Christmas and my parents give us $200 or so to buy a gift from them. She doesn't get gifts from other family members.
She also has her own money from working a full time summer job at a restaurant (she probably has 3.5K).


My first response is "uh, no!" (mostly on principle) But I don't know. I could buy them and have her chip in or just buy them as her one Christmas gift from parents and grandparents. They're the kind of boots that a few Influencers have found in thrift stores because Frye has been making the exact same style for 20 years (so they're classic and have staying power----and yes, it would be great to find them at a thrift store but she doesn't have the time for this and the stores with a random pair in them are generally in the midwest).

-Other posters have described these as boots that will last decades, so not a frivolous purchase.
-She's 18 so probably done growing and can use these in her adult life.
-You already tried buying her cheaper boots and they weren't good.
-It's been over a month since her birthday and she hasn't bugged you about a replacement present, so she's not materialistic.
-She doesn't ask for much, so this seems important to her.
-She works, and has saved a good chunk of it, so she's not am irresponsible spender.
-You "owe her" $150 from the birthday present you returned and usually spend $300 for Christmas, which is almost $495, so I would just buy these as her Christmas present from you and still get her something from her grandparents.

+1, all this!

[Anonymous]

Women's Lodge Boots at Eddie Bauer for $100 super cute and you can get extra $20 off with mobile app.

[Anonymous]

I actually love this. I think it’s a great lesson in quality over quantity. No one would bat an eye if parents/grandparents collectively spent $500 on a few sweater, a purse, a gift card, and some tchotchkes. But one nice $500 gift is better than a bunch of cheaper ones.

Also, one nice pair of boots will last longer and likely cost less over the long run that a bunch of cheap boots swapped out every 2-3 years. I wish I had learned this lesson when I was younger instead of “splurging” on cheap fast fashion and short term trendy stuff.

[Anonymous]

I would. I have a son who sounds like your daughter. Rarely asks for things, pretty frugal, nice kid. Big gifts every once in a while bring both of us joy, so why not? For my son they also aren’t long lasting gifts for the most part. He has a thing for over-the-top equipment for his sport, and the equipment wears out in a few years. Not everything has to be a lesson or develop character or be good value in the long run. Sometimes you are just paying for the joy.