Summer Boots

The Summer Boot

We love a sandal this time of year, but what to do if you’re looking for a shoe to toughen up your ladylike sundress for city wear (think less beach, more street) or hide your toes when your pedicure is looking a little worse for wear? Look no further than a summer bootie (seen here on Ginta Lapina in Stockholm Street Style)—suede, leather, embellished, buckled, what-have-you—and pick a pair that hits no higher than the ankle or mid-calf to avoid one possible pitfall: overheating. Not only do they look a little unexpected—and who doesn’t want that?—but wearing summer boots well also ensures you’ll have a broken-in pair (boasting all the marks of a fun, well-traveled summer) to take you fashionably through the upcoming fall months.  

            

Milan Women’s Spring/Summer 2013 

 Summer Ankle Boot

In keeping with the season’s mood for 60s-inspired looks, the ankle boot emerges as a key item for spring/summer 2013. Peep-toe details, cutouts and white or netural colourways keep the style from becoming too heavy, with sturdy heels essential to getting that retro feel.

Sportmax spring/summer 2013

Storing Your Boots

Storing Your Boots During the Off Season

Stuff your boots with crunched up newspaper to keep the shape and absorb any humidity, and then  place them back in the box or in a cloth bag . Store your boots in a dry, room-temperature location - then get excited for the next time you get to take them out and wear them again!

Ankle Boots for Spring 2013

Shop the Look: Peplum Top, Pencil Skirt and Ankle Boots at Haute Couture

Anya Ziourova's expert styling came into action when she paired a peplum top with a moto jacket with a black pencil skirt and streamlined ankle boots for a day of Haute Couture show-seeing. Her dark hues look smart, but we love the idea of taking the same silhouette and getting it set for spring in creams and taupes. 

Boots 2013

Paris Fashion Week Street Style 2013

Paris Fashion Week 2013 - How elegant is this patterned dress, and how great does it look with those high boots? Correct answer: Really elegant, really great.

Boots for Spring 2013

What Do You Call Sandal Boots?

Knee-high boots are always popular for fall, shielding legs during the chilliest months, but once the weather warms up, they're usually swapped for sandals. Designers decided to marry the two shoes for spring 2013. At Altuzarra, a stiletto gladiator version featured beaded leaf segments that add evening sparkle, while Proenza Schouler's downtown take was tightly laced and black. And across the pond at Acne, a lavender version was buckled to the knee. Now the question is — bootals or sandoots?

Cowboy Boots - Where Do They Belong?

Cowboy Boots

Where Do Boots Belong?

You don't have to be going to the rodeo. You don't even have to be headed to the bar to ride a mechanical bull. Where do cowboy boots find their place, then? The grocery store. The mall. A park. Blame it on The Dukes of Hazzard. Blame it on a designer's wish to be unique in bringing back the Old West. Wear them proudly, as they are a piece of American history.

What Can You Possibly Wear with Cowboy Boots?

• Skirts. Minis, knee length, long, or flowy--boots can flatter them all.
• Jeans. Some wear their boots tucked into their jeans. Others wear them underneath the flare of a bootcut fit. And, of course, cowboy boots go with any shade of blue--from the darkest denim to the lightest wash. Black's questionable, but if you can make black jeans work at all, go for it!
• Dresses. Any length goes, just like with skirts. Jessica Simpson has been spotted off-screen in a light and airy pastel calf-length dress paired with cowboy boots! She seems to love the look, but she's not the only one able to pull it off. Anybody can.
• Shorts. Yes, even shorts. Short jean shorts can pair nicely with cowboy boots. But, tread carefully to avoid looking like you're Daisy Duke's sister.

What NOT to Wear with Cowboy Boots

• Work clothes. Unless you're a rancher, leave the boots for your off duty hours. You may think this is a joke, but there's a doctor somewhere wearing boots and a button-up with his white coat and stethoscope. He's the laughingstock of the medical world.
• Tight, tight, tapered jeans with a western-style shirt. Looking like Howdy-Doody is a fashion don't. Some of the new jeans are designed with a slightly tapered leg to fit inside boots. Wear a looser shirt.
• Tuxes. Some men think proms and weddings are the perfect opportunity to pull out the old cowboy boots. Please don't!  And ladies, set the ground rules before he gets the chance to let his mind go there.
• Gym clothes. Did I really have to tell you this? That means no leggings, no yoga pants, no short purple cotton shorts with the waistband turned down.

Shopping Tips

The style of cowboy boots is usually pointy-toe, mid-calf height, and in leather or snakeskin. Upscale stores offer a modern twist on an old classic. Cowboy boots can also be sexy boots.Try before you buy whenever possible. Boots often fit differently than your work loafers in the same size. The pointed toe that most of them have can influence how they wear. You don't want to order something for a night out only to have them pinch your toes to misery.

Many department stores now carry cowboy boots because of their popularity. You can also find them at Western-themed stores, and quite a few online boot stores. Just Google "cowboy boot fashion."

And Don't Forget to Add Boot Toppers

Our Top of the Boot Tan Chinchilla boot toppers look great with cowboy boots!