Manhattan Digest

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boots

Ankle Booties- A Fall Footwear Essential

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_MG_9250While we all trade our tank tops for sweaters and our shorts for jeans, we cannot forget to change our footwear, too. While it’s easy to overlook and emotionally painful to say goodbye to those super cute flats for a few months, wearing season appropriate shoes can up your style game- effortlessly!

When we dress for fall with in our favorite jeans, comfy sweater, and maybe a scarf or beanie or other seasonal accessory of choice, we are actively participating in the season. But, when the shoes are not right, it can make the outfit look mismatched. Obviously this extreme, but would you wear flip flops in the winter?? It’s all the same- out of season is just that.

Trading in flats for ankle booties puts the final touch to a fall outfit. There’s something about showing your feet that points towards spring and summer, and putting on a season appropriate equivalent of a flat takes that warm weather edge off of the outfit.

Ankle booties are just as comfortable as flats. Here, I’m wearing my most recent buy- a pair of suede American Eagle zipper ankle boots. While I usually prefer a pair with a small chunky heel, I thought these were super fun since they are suede, cheap, and feel like you’re wearing flats. The suede adds such a warm, autumn/winter feel to an outfit for me since it is a material rarely worn in the warmer seasons. So, this was a major draw when bootie shopping. Secondly, the price is awesome- $30! I found these in particular at a Payless shoe store, but AE.com or American Eagle stores have a really great variety of booties (ankle, mid calf, and knee high) for incredibly reasonable prices. And the best part- it feels like wearing regular flats. So, these are like a transition bootie, when you’re not quite ready to bid your flats farewell for awhile or not quite ready to embrace a typical leather boot.

_MG_9255My favorite thing about these is the zipper detail. The zipper on the outside is nonfunctional, purely for looks. But the zipper on the inside is fully functional, which makes it very easy to tuck your pants in over your socks. And even if you’re not into tucking in your pants, you can roll them up just a little above the top of the bootie, so you can still show off the zipper detail without tucking in. Or, wear them under pants so you don’t see the zipper, or even with a casual dress or skirt- with or without tights. These booties are so simple, which makes them incredibly versatile.

And even though they are simple, the metal of the zippers is enough to add to an outfit that is otherwise plain. I love wearing these with black skinny jeans and a black sweater. The metal breaks up the black on black on black, but is simple enough to keep the outfit minimalist chic.

In these photos, I’m wearing them with a comfy pair of skinny jeans from Forever 21 and a soft, slinky sweater from Aerie. It was a chilly day where I was, and the booties fit the sweater better than flats, tying in the two textured pieces but keeping them separate with the jeans. Fuzzy sweater, suede bootie, smooth denim- perfect!

Personally, I don’t think there is such a thing as too many ankle booties. You can have the basic versatile pair like these, a dressy pair with a heel, and a street friendly pair that’s more durable, usually leather, with a small chunky heel for support. They’ll all find their places in your closet, and they’ll take your fall fashion game to the next level without even trying.

Go ahead, find yourself a pair (or three) here.

Winter Boots That Look And Feel Great

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Croft and Barrow, Manhattan, Manhattan Digest
Croft and Barrow

Shoes that are snow appropriate and fashionable are nearly impossible to find. UGGs and similar boots can make an outfit much less stylish, and actual snow boots are a complete fashion disaster. Luckily, stores like Croft and Barrow have stylish boots that are perfect for winter.

My mother gave me the boots pictured above for Christmas and I haven’t taken them off since. I have tested them on the streets of New York City in all weather and I’d give them an A+. I’ve walked miles in rain, snow, and sludge and these boots have kept my feet dry and warm every time. Not even an ankle deep puddle got in my way. These boots have a foamy sole, so it’s like slipping your feet onto pillows every time you wear them. Also, you won’t get leg pains after walking a long distance in them.

The small heel is just enough to be feminine and makes walking feel even easier. And the buckles add a little flare to an otherwise simple boot. These boots are also excellent for any outfit- I’ve tried them with almost every combination. They are perfect for work or a night out, or really any occasion because of their amazing ability to be paired with anything.

So far, my favorite outfit to wear with my boots has been black leggings, a long black sweater, and turquoise boot socks that came just under my knee. This outfit was not only incredibly comfortable, but I was complemented all day on my pop of color with the socks.

Skinny jeans are another great item to pair the boots with. You can wear any top you want with jeans, and these boots will be sure to match. Any outfit you’d wear with UGGs or snow boots would be instantly more stylish with boots like these. Also, a nice sweater and matching leg warmers is very trendy for winter and perfect for these super cold days. Dresses and skirts look great with these boots, too. My preference is to add a pair of black tights, since it is winter, and sometimes leg warmers. However, a simple black knee high boot alone can make any outfit look very classy. One might consider these black boots the winter alternative to pumps.

There really aren’t many things I can personally rave about, but my Croft and Barrow boots are my true love this winter. Anyone who does a lot of walking in the winter definitely needs a pair of boots like these, and investing in a great pair is not a waste of time or money.