Black boots: What's in?

[TKay]

I have a pair of black boots that I bought so many years ago, they have paid for themselves a hundred times over. I continue to wear them, even though I know they are out of fashion. If I were to get a crazy shopping bug in the near future, what kind of boot would you non-shopping-impaired recommend? I'm in Southern California, so warmth is not an issue. I'd be wearing these with both jeans and skirts, to casual events and more dressy affairs (only as dressy as, say, business meetings).
TIA for any and all suggestions. (And to think, I used to be a total shoe maven. :o )

[blazedog]

Assuming you have the legs for it -- ankle boots or booties -- only I wouldn't spend much since they are a trend -- there are some serious shoe sales now at the department stores. I wouldn't wear ankle boots with a skirt for business but they do look good (and perfectly appropriate) with formal pants.

[TKay]

You know, it's funny you should mention those. I really don't like ankle boots. I mean, sometimes they look cute. But mostly, I find them sort of odd looking. I remember when they made the rounds last time, in the sort of cowboy boot style. Remember those?
Thanks for the thoughts though, Blazedog. I appreciate it.

[jjsooner73]

I'm certainly not a fashion maven, but I got these right after Christmas and LOVE them.

I've worn them with slacks, jeans, and the mid-calve pants. I need to find some skirts to wear with them; they are shoved back into the closet somewhere.

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m186/jburnes/Snow009.jpg

[HejazSunKat]

I know it's more, efficient, for lack of a better word (that is, you only need to buy one pair of boots to serve 2 purposes) but I personally don't like the idea of wearing full length boots under pants. If your boots have details, like the nice stitching on the ones Jennifer posted (very pretty, btw) nobody sees it and the whole idea of having my leg encased in leather and in fabric seems like overkill. That's just me though! So, if it were me I'd get a nice pair of full length boots for skirts and an ankle length pair to wear with slacks - because I don't like seeing socks or ankles when I sit down as you may with the shorter booties and both pairs would definitely have a heel. Gee, who knew I had so many hang ups about boots? :D

[SusanMac]

I have a pair of black boots w/a box toe & chunky heel. They aren't that old, but all of the sudden I feel woefully outdated in them. Should I chuck 'em? Will I look like a dork if I wear them? Since I feel like a dork, that should be my clue. They sat in my closet all last winter.

This is why I hate shopping! Things go out of style before they're actually worn out. It feels so wasteful!

Love the boots that Jennifer posted!

[TKay]

I have a pair of black boots w/a box toe & chunky heel.

That's exactly what my boots are like. Big square toe and chunky square heel. Maybe we can live in dorkdom together.

Jennifer, where did you get the boots? They're very cute.

[applecrisp]

I have these boots by Stuart Weitzman. I've bought a few pairs over the last couple of years (I wear pants/boots quite a bit during the winter so the boots start getting old). I just picked up a pair at Bloomingdales during a great sale.

I think this year they added that strap decoration on top -- that I don't really care for but I only wear the boots with pants so it doesn't show.

They give a fairly streamlined look, but not pointy at all .... I couldn't fit one toe in some of those styles. Has a bit of a heel. Anything higher than that wouldn't be comfortable or practical for me.

http://stuartweitzman.zappos.com/images/733/7337639/7769-459833-d.jpg

[ErinM]

I have a pair of black boots w/a box toe & chunky heel. They aren't that old, but all of the sudden I feel woefully outdated in them. They sat in my closet all last winter.



That's exactly what my boots are like. Big square toe and chunky square heel. Maybe we can live in dorkdom together.




Add me to that. I also have a pair of chunky boots. Problem is, mine are Steve Madden, they're knee high, and the ONLY pair of knee high boots that perfectly fit around my slender calf...everything else that I've ever tried is too big, if I can even find it in a size 5 to begin with.

If only they were pointy toe with a slender heel....

[Chefzhat]

fit around my slender calf

Quit braggin.


:p :p :p :p

[jjsooner73]

I got mine at DSW in OKC. They are Anne Klein's.

One thing I LOVE--is they have a little hidden elactic bit at the top (in fact, I diidn't notice it until I got them home). This allows me to zip them over my muscular calves. I've never been able to find zip up boots before.

I also have a pair of more casual low Cole-Haan boots with a square toe and low heel that I've had for about 5 or 6 years. They look great, but I keep having trouble with the heel piece coming off. Picked them up from the shoe place Wednesday and it came off again on Saturday. :mad: I think that though they have been around a while, they still look good with jeans or slacks. I found them in a 10.5B at a discount store rack...quite a find!

[Kahlico]

...everything else that I've ever tried is too big, if I can even find it in a size 5 to begin with.

Everyone thinks my size 5, narrow feet are "too cute", but it is a pain to find shoes that fit. Most of my shoes have inserts in them or else my fit will just swim. A lot of places (like 9 West) only go down to a size 5 1/2. Okay, vent over.

I think a classic look in black boots (at least what I want to find) is a slender, knee-length, pointy-toe, heel (kitten to 2 inches). I saw a girl wearing a short skirt with ankle booties that had almost 3 inch heels. They looked hot, and luckily she had long slender legs, but booties are not made for most women's legs, if you're wearing them with skirts of any kind.

I'm also looking for a pair of black boots since DH thinks every woman needs a pair of dress black boots (who am I to argue?). Jennifer your boots are cute. Do you ever make it to the Shoe Gallary in Northpark Mall? They have incredible sales on name brand shoes (Steve Madden, BCBG Girl, etc.).

[jjsooner73]

Jennifer your boots are cute. Do you ever make it to the Shoe Gallary in Northpark Mall? They have incredible sales on name brand shoes (Steve Madden, BCBG Girl, etc.).

Hmmm...I'll keep that in mind the next time I am up that way.
There is now a DSW at Memorial and Penn, and one is coming to Norman. I love DSW because they carry 10.5. I can't buy shoes at most department stores because they don't carry above a 10. I can wear some 10s, but 10.5 is perfect and 11 sometimes fits and sometimes doesn't.

[TKay]

Thanks for the ideas, all. I'm motivated to start shopping--and that is not like me at all! :D