The Booties to Beat All Booties (And a brief guide to visiting Springfield, Ill.)

So, funny story: Two young men walked by Lance and I while we took these photos in our hometown of Springfield, Illinois, the Sunday after Christmas. They looked and stared and laughed a bit, which is one of the odder parts of blogging, but we’re used to it. But then he said the best part: “Fuckin’ tourists.” With full judgement, he scoffed those words and made a pretentious head nod to his friend. 

Tourists? Tourists?! In our hometown?! We burst out laughing. It was the highlight of the afternoon. His smug look made the whole experience funnier. Thanks for your help getting a real smile, Tourist Patrol!

I’ve never understood why people dislike tourists. Tourism is great news for a city, and it helps to support the things everyone loves (zoos, museums, you get the idea) because out-of-towners visit in addition to locals. The money from hotels and food trickles down into jobs and taxes… It’s a great big system that really loves tourism. Be nice to tourists. Don’t be ashamed to be a tourist. The whole stigma is silly!

Since we’re on the topic of tourism, Springfield is a great place to visit — especially if you like history. Plus, most people there are very nice and aren’t friends with that guy. It’s about a 90-minute drive from St. Louis, so it’s a great place to spend a day, or a weekend, if you have time! Looking for a few things to do while there? Here are some of the best…

Outfit - Cowl Neck Sweatshirt Tunic with Naturalizer Leopard Booties and Anthropologie Satchel (4)

Outfit - Cowl Neck Sweatshirt Tunic with Naturalizer Leopard Booties and Anthropologie Satchel (5)

Outfit - Cowl Neck Sweatshirt Tunic with Naturalizer Leopard Booties and Anthropologie Satchel (1)

Outfit - Cowl Neck Sweatshirt Tunic with Naturalizer Leopard Booties and Anthropologie Satchel (6)

Outfit - Cowl Neck Sweatshirt Tunic with Naturalizer Leopard Booties and Anthropologie Satchel (2)

Outfit - Cowl Neck Sweatshirt Tunic with Naturalizer Leopard Booties and Anthropologie Satchel (7)

Outfit - Cowl Neck Sweatshirt Tunic with Naturalizer Leopard Booties and Anthropologie Satchel (3)

Currently wearing… Bromstad Tanya booties, c/o Naturalizer [HERE on sale!] | Cowl neck tunic, Target [HERE in limited sizes/SIMILAR] | Jeans, AE [HERE] | Senlis Satchel by Oryany, c/o Anthropologie [HERE] | Necklace, c/o Pitaya | Anne Klein wrap watch, Nordstrom Rack [SIMILAR] | Earrings, Pitaya | Bangle, vintage

And don’t forget about the Old State Capitol; that’s the pretty building in the background.

Please make sure to note the amazing (tourist-friendly!) booties; they’re my second pair of Naturalizer shoes, which means they’re my second pair of travel shoes. (Comfort is key!) These animal-print booties are part of HGTV star David Bromstad’s second Naturalizer collection. As a huge HGTV fan, this was enough to send me to dork heaven. The company commissioned a painting, on which Bromstad combined four different animal prints, all of which were used as inspiration for the collection. Extra perk: it’s on sale now. Your feet will thank you for shopping at the Naturalizer an hour into exploring a new city.

Happy travels!

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