I just heard on the news recently that many Amazon workplaces are requiring the workers to wear safety shoes. If Carolina is available through Zappos (where Amazon gives its workers a $$ allotment to purchase them) then it is possible it could point to employment at Amazon. There are lots of Amazon warehouses and hubs spread through the country.
(In my opinion, fashion, fit, comfort, receiving something as a gift, etc., are all valid reasons to wear an item -- you don't have to jog to wear jogging pants, hike to wear hikers, or work factory to wear steel toes, e.g.).
The employment angle does seem interesting. According to this link, Amazon partners with Zappos in the Zappos At Work (ZAW) program, where employees receive a subsidy toward approved safety footwear. Carolina boots are available, but it is unclear which (if any) are approved, or whether that might depend on the employee's position (&/or other factors).
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www.zappos.com
Didn't find a link to actual Amazon policy requiring safety footwear, but there is conversation online about whether or not safety toes are mandatory, and whether or not that is checked, enforced, etc..
If the policy isn't mandatory / checked / enforced strictly, imo, boots that aren't technically approved but are close might be something someone would wear, especially if price or comfort/fit were an issue. It might also be a personal choice even if not required.