Blame it on Jessica Simpson or George W.’s Black Tie and Boots ball, but suddenly this summer, cowboy boots were everywhere (and by everywhere, I mean Boston, not Beaumont). The watered-down, mass-marketed versions—paired with glittery belts and little pink handbags—conveyed all the rugged authenticity of My Little Pony meets “Space Cowboy.” By fall, of course, the in-color was green, so make that little green handbags. (Pink was so last season.) What’s next—Northeasterners wading through the snow in bolo ties and ten-gallon hats?

I, for one, would welcome a swift conclusion to the rhinestone-cowgirl madness (Southerners, ranchers, and country-western fans respectfully excluded). At its best, fashion expresses who we are with imagination or irreverence; it doesn’t prop up reckless, absurdist fads that followers will retire the same week the purchases register on their AmEx bills. So seriously, Bostonians, take off the boots. Instead, use the money to buy a warm winter coat—an investment that’s both stylish and sane. —Jennifer Ciotta

Photo Credit: Ratko Gregor Jagodic