My very chic Manhattanite sister strutted into Chicago wearing these booties the other weekend (she paid full price, I think, but I found them on ridic sale for $99 here):
(Another similar pair is available from hot footwear line ASH here.) She looked so amazing in them. Of course, she had a whole “I’m-from-New-York” vibe going so the whole outfit just rocked my socks off. (BTW, she’s a designer for Mara Hoffmann — um, amazing — and has worked in the past for the likes of Alexander Wang, Kate Spade, Tucker, Haute Hippie, Jane Post, and Oscar de la Renta. To say I am proud of her is an understatement. Women that succeed in that industry are tough as nails and ridiculously talented.) But it made me stop and re-evaluate my boot selection. I tend to play it safe with Loeffler Randall boots (I have a few pairs, but the Matilde is my go-to), Rag+Bone Kinseys, and some basic black heeled booties I got a few years back from Tory Burch. I only recently made the foray into boot awesomeness with the purchase of these IRO booties ($795):
BTW, these are ridiculously painful. I had no idea a boot could be painful. I always associate them with comfort when compared to heels. But I think it’s because the leg opening is so wide, you have no support whatsoever and you’re pretty much just sticking your foot down a very steep incline without anything to hold it in place. OMG. I was pretty much dragging my feet on the ground at the end of the night.
At any rate, ever since I saw my sister rocking those awesome suede cowboy-meets-urban-wedge rockstars, I’ve been thinking of expanding my repertoire to include some unique stunners. First up: the moto boot. I’ve eyed this fashion trend very cautiously. It’s reallllly not in my wheelhouse. I like things a bit more structured and feminine. And yet:
Now, the Jimmy Choo moto boot is sort of the cult classic here (top). But I’m almost favoring this pair of quilted Marc Jacobs (on sale for $697 — shown in middle). And, if you can believe it, the pair Olivia P. is wearing in the top snap is on sale for only $32…!
I also find these Kate Spades a ladylike twist on the moto style ($398 — perhaps more my speed?!), although the price on these Inovos ($155) is a bit more palatable:
And yet: Mila Kunis, Gisele Bundchen, SJP, and Olivia Palermo also own the Matt Bernson Tundra, yet another take on the moto boot ($385):
Love that the top folds down and that it’s line with soft fluffiness.
Sigh. And at the same time, I have been seeing Reese Witherspoon sporting all of these adorable looks with low (often suede) ankle boots — do you follow her on Instagram?! She’s one of the only celebs I follow, and I’m obsessed.
This makes me want a pair just like hers, and this Ash pair will do the trick nicely ($198):
These Sigerson Morrisons ($495) are also pretty rad.
And at the same time, these Nine West puppies are conveniently priced ($128):
How’s a girl to choose!?!
P.S.
My book, Small Wonders, is now available for pre-order! This is a collection of essays, musings, and list poetry on the art of paying attention, noticing love in its smallest denominations, and finding the miraculous in the mundane. It is an extension of the writing here on the blog, and is organized around the themes we often discuss here: the dance of motherhood, inheritances and intimacies, the natural world, and the wide world of language. I am so proud of it and hope you will find it a worthy companion for your legato-style mornings.
