Gap sexy boyfriend jeans
James Perse boxy top |
Rag & Bone harrow booties |
Alexander Wang Rockie bag (gift from Azalea) |
Ok. I know a lot of you out there wear ankle booties constantly. And lots of you have the Isabel Marant Dicker booties. What’s the appeal? I do love ankle booties in general, but ALWAYS on other women, never on me. You know I’ve been struggling with this for quite some time, and for the most part, I might be “over it” – but then I put them on and can’t get them to look like I want them to. For one thing, I have SUPER-short legs. I mean short. And they’re not slim either. Two strikes against me and ankle booties. I’ve got the best pair I can for my legs, since these dip down a bit in the front, but I STILL don’t love them on me unless I’m wearing tights and a shorter skirt.
(I do think the most flattering way to wearing ankle booties is to show a little skin/leg, but I CAN’T without making my legs look so much shorter!! I tried rolling the jeans up one more and it was terrible)
Not that any of that would matter if they were THE MOST COMFORTABLE SHOES EVER like some ankle booties seem to be (dickers?), but I’d much rather be wearing my Vince slip on sneakers than these right now. They’re much easier to get into, and really really comfortable. These are not NOT comfortable, but they’re not like walking on clouds either.
During the Shopbop code I almost got the purple Rachel Comey mars booties because I’d love a pair of those and the color sort of appealed to me. They look easier to get in and out of than my Harrow booties, and maybe more comfortable because of the lower heel. But I didn’t get them. I decided I’d try and wear these as much as possible FIRST, before buying a new pair. I want to wear these more because they’re warmer than sneakers or ballet flats, and I need the height sometimes, but I can’t quite make myself do it.
So, tell me, why do you wear ankle booties? What’s your favorite pair? how do you wear them?
I have to say I’m on the side of finding ankle booties problematic. I had planned on getting the Rag & Bone Harrow boots this fall, and actually bought them at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and returned them, and have ordered and returned at least 10 other pairs of ankle boots this fall.
For me, I think booties look best with tights and skirts, which ends up limiting their wear. I find tall boots to be more flattering and easy to style for me, and more comfortable. The exception to the ankle boot rule is if they are lace-up–I find those easier to style and look better on me with pants. I think it has something to do with how closely-fitting the boot is to my leg–too loose and I think they look bad. I still wouldn’t wear them with a shorter skirt without tights.
Ok, I know I’m not helping you figure out how to wear your boots, but wanted to validate your feelings. 😉 That said, the booties look good in this outfit, but I totally get the comfort thing too.
thanks jen for validating my feelings 🙂 sometimes i think i’m alone in not being able to figure out how to wear ankle boots!! the way they’re styled EVERYWHERE make them look so effortless, which i guess they are if you have smaller, longer legs than mine. my friend has a similar build as me (larger hips/butt relative to waist), but she has small legs/calves and looks great in any type of ankle bootie. i’m not giving up…and i will probably get the rachel comey mars booties some time just to try…but i’m resigned to the fact that i’m just not an ankle boot girl! and that’s okay 😉 haha
I am a huge fan of ankle boots, I have Rag and Bone Newbury’s, Sam Edelman fringe booties, NDC booties, but my all time faves are these from Anine Bing, a new LA designer who makes the most awesome pieces: http://www.aninebing.com/collections/boots/products/ankle-boots
These sit really low on the ankle which allows plenty of skin to show. They are also super comfortable and easy to get in and out of. They look great with skirts, skinny’s and boyfriend jeans. I know they are pricey, but I suspect she will have a sale after the holidays or during the spring. Check ’em out.
Noa
I have 2 pairs of swedish hasbeen ankle boots – their clog ankle boots and their shearling lined wedge ankle boots
and I love them both. I tend to wear them with skinny jeans or leggings.
But sometimes I wear them with tights and a tunic dress.
I LOVE ankle boots and wear them year round. I wear them with skinny jeans/pants tucked in and slouchy at the bottom, or rolled. I find both looks to be flattering. H by Hudson and Sam Edelman are my faves. I think you look great!
I’ve also struggled with ankle boots (short legs here too). I bought the RC Mars bootie earlier this fall and find it more shoe-like which makes it easier to style for me. I am waiting for the Acne Pistol bootie to arrive and hope that will work with jeans because I think the shaft is narrow to give a slimmer look to the ankle. My go-to boot is a mid calf Frye Veronica shortie but I want a little more of a heel. I think you styled the Harrows perfectly today! You look very chic with the cuffed jeans and that heel is super flattering!
Grechen, you look great. I can’t chime in on the booties, though, because I don’t “do” anything that low. I’m a confirmed Frye collector, but most of my boots are above the ankle or taller. (I can’t make myself, however, buy black dominatrix boots.) Julie, I also own the Veronica shortie; it’s very versatile and flattering.
I think I might be worse than you at styling ankle boots! I got a chelsea style because I thought it would be easier for me to wear (I don’t wear heels much but love a riding boot) Nope! Only thing I can make it work with is a boyfriend jean rolled up or a skinny cord rolled up. Nothing tucked in. I think they look weird on me with bare legs, and I’ll try with a short skirt/dress and a tight as others have suggested, but I just don’t think they’re for me. Well, at least for work. For casual in the fall with a rolled up jean, no problem. But I hate an article of clothing that limited in scope!
I don’t have issues with ankle boots, but I do have long (relative to my height, anyway), fairly slim legs. I suppose that could be it? I also like to wear heavy footwear to balance out my top heavy silhouette (broad shoulders and a bosom). I know that ballet slippers just don’t work for me at all because I start to look like I taper down to a point! Oxfords and loafers are fine however, so maybe you can find an ankle-boot alternative. What about a “shootie” style? Remember those from the early 90s? I have a pair (from Jean-Michel Cazabat) and they are great, really versatile.
noa, i love those!!! they’re similar to the alexander wang pair i keep thinking about, but cooler – and now i kind of want these charcoal suede ones : http://www.aninebing.com/collections/boots/products/charcoal-suede-boots !!! i’d heard of her before, but always forget to check…thanks for the link 🙂
thanks lala! i tried the sam edelman petty booties and really wanted to like them, but didn’t 🙁 i felt like they came up too high on my ankle for what they were.
oh…can’t wait to hear about the pistol bootie!! i think they look perfect with jeans/tights/leggings, they’re more of a tuck-into bootie than others i think.
i like the idea of a shootie style, like the alexander wangs i posted under noa’s comment – i’ve thought about those a lot, but they have a little more of a cowboy vibe than i want. although i think they look much better in person…i love oxfords and loafers. maybe i should just stick to those 😉 problem is the colder weather, which thankfully, we don’t get a lot of. although we are moving a little further north in a week…
i love the chelsea style too kelly, but i can’t imagine getting a pair to work on me.
and i also HATE the idea of a piece that’s not very versatile! i tend to get rid of those very fast. i’m definitely not getting rid of these rag & bone booties, but i think it will be a while before i get another pair.
Hi Grechen! That top looks great on you. What size did you get? I definitely want to order one.
How comfy are the Swedish Hasbeens ankle boots? I’ve looked at the shearling lined clog boots (not the wedges…for some reason, my foot always slides forward and they hurt) but I’ve never tried the brand.
Is that the brand that you (Grechen) always say to size-up in? (I’m already a 10.5…do they go up to an 11 or so?). I’m always looking for a BIG dose of comfort with my cool! Thx, Farha and Grechen?
mine is a size 3 – i’d size down to a 2 now, as it’s a little bigger than i’d like, and you can see how long the arms are on me!!!
I am CRAZY about ankle boots! I have several pairs: Taupe suede Steve Madden’s that look just like S.E.’s “Petty’s”, a black suede pair from ALDO that look like “Dickers” (But they ran big, so I rarely wear them. Unless I give in to the sock thing. Not so sure for me!), and I just ordered a pair of Madewell Chelsea boots in black leather…I’ll let you know what I think when I get them.
I just love the way that they look with my skinny or my boyfriend jeans. I find them comfy, they give me a little bit of height, but not too much (at 5’10”, I don’t really need it). I really, REALLY wanted a pair of Rachel Comey Mars booties, but the reviews all said that they ran narrow, so I didn’t do it. I have feet wide enough to ski on. 🙁
Oh ok thanks for the quick response. I have the Mars booties Grechen and I think you would really like them. The ankle opening is wide and it’s cut a little lower in the front so its pretty flattering.
I love my swedish hasbeen clog ankle booties…And I bought them at $299 last winter…they are on deep discount here http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=25284191
I guess they are kind of cowboy-ish, but not so much so as to actually BE cowboy, so I don’t mind. There’s also those Marais Beatle boots that hit just below the ankle:
https://www.maraisusa.com/products-page/boots/beatle-boot-sienna/
they don’t really have a heel though.
Thanks, Farha, for letting me know! ARGH! They are on sale for $99 but only in a size 7.5!! If anyone wears that size, jump on it!
I was so excited about this post and the bootie question that I forgot to tell you, Grechen: I think you actually look TALL in these boots and with the way you styled the outfit is great! You can totally do ankle booties (but probably with the heel).
I have a pair of Rachel Comey Barbaro booties that I’ve almost worn out (say a prayer that my shoe repair man can work some magic), and Isabel Marant Dickers. The Dicker boot heel height is the perfect height for me. I wish more designers would focus on shoes between 2 and 3 inches high, without a platform…
I struggle with this as well. Short heavy legs + ankle boots = not always what I was going for. I have the suede Sam Edelman Petty boot which are actually super comfortable but have not replaced my desire for Taupe Suede Dickers! I have pined over them for years but the taupe has always escaped me. The store in NY says they are bringing that color back in December or January. So now I will agonize over the price. Just not sure they will look on me the way I imagine them in my head. All I want for xmas is long lanky legs : )
Grechen, those boots look great with that outfit! They’d look great with those bootcut jeans you had on a while ago, wearing a chunkier clog-type thing. I think these boots would work better.
I wear ankle boots out of necessity. One, because I live in Ottawa, where it’s too cold in the fall and spring to wear regular shoes (my ankles get cold) but too warm to wear snow boots. Two, because my legs are long and not all my pants are long enough, so the ankle boots help fill the gap from the end of the pants to the ground, which would look awkward with regular shoes.
My favourite pair of ankle boots are the grey George chelsea boots by Tracey Neuls, a Canadian designer based in London. Comfy as heck and they go with everything: leggings, harem pants, trousers, sweats, jeans, dresses, cropped pants… I traipsed around Europe for three weeks in these last year. And they’re on sale now, too! http://www.gravitypope.com/shoes/product/10974-tn_29_homage-jb023-gry-
I’ve always liked those marais boots – but i don’t know that i could make and ankle bootie WITHOUT a heel work…i have a hard enough time making these work!! for certain occasions – maybe traveling – they might work though
haha! thanks, i definitely feel taller 😉 and i like that sometimes…
um, i just saw you wearing a great outfit with ankle booties and you looked amazing. you were wearing the petty boots, right? i really liked them with the whole outfit!!
the ash spiral booties are a good alternative to the dicker boots imo – i even liked them on myself, but can never find them in my size except at NM and i don’t like to shop there …i did try them on there though, and they felt comfortable, and looked ok. they come in a lighter color i really liked.
thanks laurel – i thought about trying them with my j brand lovestory jeans also, if the heel is high enough, they might work!
those ankle boots are CUTE!! they look crazy comfortable, great for traveling. i will keep them on my radar 🙂
Found another pair I like. Heels? Check. Low cut? Check. Room to tuck the pants? Check.: http://www.coach.com/online/handbags/Product-hattie_bootie-10551-10051-Q1969-en?cs=blk&catId=5000000000000139552&navCatId=7100000000000000621
LOVE those! they’re similar to a dolce vita pair i had my eye on earlier – in black suede…
COACH has gotten unbelievable better! Is it the Reed Krakoff factor? I don’t know what it is, but I’m liking everything!
Dickers with a pencil skirt!
http://amidprivilege.com/2013/04/isabel-marant-dickers/
And Coach has a new creative designer. Krakoff is out.
lisa, i love those on you, in every way that you’ve styled them. i even loved them with your skinny jeans 😉
Aw, you’re a sweetheart to say that!
How did I not know that you have a blog, Lisa? Well, I DO now! Great styling…I agree with Grechen. And who’s IN at Coach? They’re doing well!
I do! And I see you on Twitter now too:). Good, I look forward to chatting. As for Coach, the new guy came from Loewes very much an under the logo radar kind of brand. http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2013/06/25/loewe-designer-stuart-vevers-creative-director-at-coach—replaces-reed-krakoff. My sister and I walked by the store in SF yesterday, and she spontaneously said, “I love Coach now! I just want to buy one of their bags in support!”
🙂
Well, that explains it. The logo stuff was TOO TOO much. I agree with your sis (and their cable sweaters….ahh…to die for!)
I have those jeans and my only gripe is that they are too short (I’m 5’4″) so I can’t really roll them up without exposing the larger part of my ankle (sigh)