Elevation Polish These Boots Were...

These Boots Were... was released in July 2013 by Minnesota-based indie polish maker Elevation Polish as part of the Tools of the Trade collection. This polish was inspired by creator Lulu's hiking boots and named with a nod to Nancy Sinatra's 1966 hit song. Bearing abundant finely-milled azure blue particulate shimmers as well as copious mini flakies with a pink/red/gold color shift, the jelly base is a dark red-violet, a vampy wine color with purple undertones that come to the fore and recede depending upon viewing circumstances. In bright ambient light, the azure shimmers read as a pale icy blue mist that seems to hover over the inscrutable burgundy base, in which can be seen tiny gleaming flashes of rosy pink and red as light travels over the microflakes within. The base evolves into a rich deep purple in direct sun, and the icy blue mist transforms to a brilliant veil of bright azure sparks, interspersed with pops of hot pink, pinkish gold and scarlet from the tiny flakies.

Application was most agreeable! The consistency of These Boots Were... is fluid, smooth and dense with a medium viscosity and a plush, self-leveling glide over the nail. Pigmentation is very good, delivering wearably opaque coverage in two medium coats or three thin ones. As any unevenness in the coverage will show up in direct sun as lighter patches, it's often a good idea when in doubt to add an extra coat to darker jellies like this. I used three medium coats to ensure an even opacity for the photos. Cleanup is fairly straightforward with a skosh of pigment travel and some recalcitrance of the part of the microflakes. These Boots Were... dries naturally in very good time to a smooth shiny finish with a plump, jelly-ish quality. Topcoat plays up the presence of the shimmers.

Photos show three coats of These Bootls Were... over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite. Apologies for the scruffy nail environs and incomplete cleanup!

Elevation Polish These Boots Were...

Elevation Polish These Boots Were...

Elevation Polish These Boots Were...

Elevation Polish These Boots Were...

Elevation Polish These Boots Were...

Elevation Polish These Boots Were...

Elevation Polish These Boots Were...

Elevation Polish These Boots Were...

Elevation Polish These Boots Were...

Elevation Polish These Boots Were...

Elevation Polish These Boots Were...

This is the sort of deep complex shimmer polish at which Lulu excels. It's not a polish that you can know all at once the minute you get it on your nails and it is more interesting and sophisticated than any photo can show. The surreptitious shimmers spring to life in different lights, continually lending new faces to the look as you wear it. While I was not especially taken with its vampy aspect at the outset, I can't help but admire the careful composition. It's growing on me by the minute!

An oldie but a goodie, These Boots Were... is on Elevation's Last Call & Discontinued status. If you never picked this one up and feel so inclined, now's the time!

love,
Liz