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footwear

Ankle Booties- A Fall Footwear Essential

by Danielle Flocco

_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.

Filed Under: FASHION, LIFESTYLE, NEW YORK, OPINION, STYLE, U.S., uncategorized Tagged With: Aerie, American Eagle, ankle booties, autumn, booties, boots, fall, fashion, footwear, Forever 21, Manhattan, manhattan digest, MD Fashion, NEW YORK, New York City, NewYorkCity, NYC, opinion, shoes, style

Fashion Review: Yosi Samra Foldable Flats

by Danielle Flocco

My YS Samantha Cap Toe foldable flats in "smoke black"
My YS Samantha Cap Toe foldable flats in “smoke black”.

After a long search for a new pair of flats for the spring, I came across the brand Yosi Samra. The name caught my attention, as did their claim of “fashionable yet comfortable”, as well as incredibly convenient, flats. Yosi Samra is a second generation footwear designer, bringing fashion, comfort, and convenience into his product lines like no other brand has before. His site has a wide range of styles and colors for foldable flats, along with a variety of other shoes for both women and kids. Roughly two hours after finding the website, and after looking at every shoe at least three times over, I purchased a pair of Samantha Cap Toe foldable flats in “smoke black”.

Flats, and the small shoe box.
Flats, the small shoe box.

First of all, shipping was incredibly fast. I selected basic ground shipping, and they were at my front door the very next day. Granted, I do relatively close to Manhattan, where they ship from, though next day delivery was far from expected. The packaging is likely the smallest shoe box one will ever receive since the flats come folded up.

Though the price of the shoes, $77 for the ones I chose, reflected a better quality than the average flats, I was not expecting the high level of quality they really are. Not only do they fold without ruining the material or foot bed of the shoe, but the sole is similar to that of a sneaker. It’s the comfort of a pair of Keds with the style of designer flats- what more could a girl ask for?!

YS logo on the heels.
YS logo on the heels.

The snake skin-like pattern is beautifully detailed, with different shades of grays and blacks throughout, quilted with stitching. The leather upper cap toe is very durable, despite the sides of the shoe being rather flexible and soft. Inside is a soft foot bed, complemented by sneaker like soles. Also, one of my favorite details, the top edge of the flat is lined with an elastic material, guaranteeing a comfortable fit that will not slide off your foot. And, on the back of the heels are metal YS logos, adding a small and chic designer detail to the shoes.

Flats folded in their dust bag.
Flats folded in their dust bag.

The shoes come packaged in their tiny box inside a dust bag. The dust bag is great for storage, as well as for when toting the shoes with you. Yes, they absolutely make great everyday flats. My feet happily survived a week straight in my Yosi Samra flats, including a day of heavy walking in the city. But, they are also perfect for “back up shoes” on nights you’ll be wearing heels. Undesirable situations, like going barefoot at a wedding or limping during an event, can be avoided with a practical pair of flats to come to the rescue when your feet need it most.

With a ready to shop website, and over 100 boutiques across the United States, there is absolutely no excuse to not do your feet the favor of picking up a pair.

The shoes only come in whole sizes, and Samra is right when he advises half sizes to order the next size up. For reference, I am usually a loose 7.5 and I ordered a size 8. They fit perfectly with a little room, but nothing to worry thanks to the elastic edging.

And please, as per the care instructions, take care of your YS shoes by keeping them out of the rain and away from oils, greases, and lotions.

Flat before folding.
Flat before folding.
ys5
Flat folded, ready to tote.

 

Filed Under: FASHION, LIFESTYLE, NEW YORK, OPINION, REVIEWS, STYLE, U.S. Tagged With: fashion, flats, footwear, Manhattan, manhattan digest, MD Fashion, NEW YORK, New York City, NYC, opinion, review, shoes, style

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