Fall Shoes and Boots

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I have a love/hate relationship with shoes and boots. I won’t buy shoes or boots unless I love them and they have to pass rigorous scrutiny to be loved. They must be:

 

1.  Classic enough to look stylish for a few years but current enough not to be boring

2.  Made from beautiful materials with excellent workmanship

3.  Comfortable and easy to walk in

4.  Look good with several outfits as I don’t like to have a lot of pairs of shoes and boots (well, maybe I do have a boot fetish)

These requirements reduce the playing field considerably as I find few pairs of shoes and boots that pass the test. That’s okay, because when I find a pair I really love, I’m willing to spend what I consider to be a lot of money for them ($400 is my limit and I’ll only go that high for one pair/season). As you’ll see from my picks for fall, I tend toward certain designers over and over again.

The Nordstrom website is great for looking at different styles, there are lots to choose from and the shoes are categorized for easy searching. I also find a lot of picks on the Cole Haan website and the Born website.

Right now, I’m most concerned with finding shoes to wear with slacks and skirts during the day. I prefer heels if they’re comfortable to walk in. Here are a few to choose from:

These wedges from Cole Haan pass the test and would be very comfortable:
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
Pumps are another option, though not as comfortable and a little dressier, these are from Cole Haan:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

These are from Stuart Weitzman and come in brown embossed croc:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Next, from Kate Spade, a modern spectator pump:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

I love suede pumps, they look great with black opaque tights, these, from Enzo Angiolini are inexpensive:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Dian von Furstenberg has two pair of dressy suede pumps; one in black and one in red:
 

 

 

You gotta have some flats in your shoe wardrobe–to wear with skinny jeans and casual skirts when you’re running around too much for heels.
 

These Cole Haan skimmers come in leather and suede in lots of colors:

 

These, also from Cole Haan are a little dressier:

These, from Nordstrom Brass Plum are very inexpensive and red always adds a punch to an outfit:

 

I like Born shoes and boots for casual wear, they’re comfortable and substantial. These skimmers would look cute with heavy socks:


 
These classic styles will look good for decades, from Cole Haan:

 

And from Kate Spade:

I bought these Mephistos before a trip to Paris last fall, they are very comfortable walking shoes and look cute with jeans and casual skirts:

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

Now for my boot fetish; I think boots are comfortable and add that touch of edginess to an outfit. Short boots are most comfortable, but look good with pants but not skirts. For my casual boots I purchase one half size larger than I need so I can wear them with warm, cozy socks.

 
Here are some casual boots from Born to wear with jeans, cords and casual skirts:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

And one from Cole Haan:

 

Riding boots are a classic, here is an inexpensive pair from Fanco Sarto:

 
And an expensive pair from Ferragamo. I’d splurge on the Ferragamos because I’d wear them forever:
 
 
 
These great looking boots are from Corso Como:
 
These boots from Minnetonka are fun with leggings or with skinny jeans tucked in:
 
These aren’t boots, but they would work with jeans and cozy socks instead of boots:
 
For dressy boots, at the top of my list are suede dress boots, like these from Stuart Weitzman. In the winter in Chicago, you can’t do without these!
 
These from Diane von Furstenberg would be great with slacks:
 
Here’s a great looking brown pair:
 
 
Finally, booties are fun and stylish; I wouldn’t spend a ton of money on these as they’re likely to look dated next winter. Here’s a cute pair from Ferragamo (much too expensive, but I bet there’s a knock-off at DSW):
 
 
And here’s a cute but pricey pair in rich brown suede from Cole Haan:
 
Here is a nice looking pair of Cole Haan black dress boots to wear with slacks; they can go from day to evening:
 
I have to have at least one pair of sexy, dressy black shoes. I don’t wear shoes like this often so they have to be classic so I can keep them for several seasons. Here are two great pair from Kate Spade:
 
 
And two pair from Stuart Weitzman:
 
 
Whew! Of course I can’t afford all of these shoes and boots, but now I have a go to list and when I make an outfit I can purchase what I need to complete it.
 
Hope this gives you some ideas!
 
Ta-ta for now!