Ask Angie: Brown or Black Aquatalia boot - YouLookFab Forum

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Ask Angie: Brown or Black Aquatalia boot

amyjo

I have an absolutely wonderful dilemma. I have a gift card for $600 to zappos.com (from credit card points)! I am looking to replace some boots and am thinking a riding boot is a timeless classic worth investing money in. I've chosen the Aquatalia brand because 1. I have ridiculously skinny calves (12-13" circumference boots are hard to find!) and 2. I live in Illinois where the winters are frigid and often wet. The dilemma is Brown or Black? I was thinking brown -Zappos has the Oralie in brown: http://vip.zappos.com/aquatali.....-w-elastic But I love the Aquatalia Urope and it only comes in black. The textured elastic upper looks more like a textured woven leather than a fabric elastic panel: http://vip.zappos.com/aquatali.....-w-elastic I was thinking brown just because I get tired of seeing so much black in winter wear. What would you choose?

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14 replies

Latest reply was from amyjo

ma

Veteran

Not Angie but what an awesome dilemma! Just so you know, the links didn't work for me

missvee

Veteran

If black is one of your "go to " neutrals, and you don't already have a great pair of black boots, then I'd start there.

Meredith

Veteran

What fun! Angie is on vacation so not sure if she can chime in this week. In her Nordstom Anniversary sale picks back in the summer she recommended brown over black Aquatalias (but in a different style, so I'm not sure how the colors compare). I think your reasons for brown make perfect sense and the brown boots will bookend nicely with your hair.

amyjo

Thanks! The styles are somewhat similar. And I do love brown. I was surprised at how few brown boots there were out there compared to the ever popular black. I know black would be a safe choice and a classic. Thanks for your thoughts. I'm off to search the site for Angie's recommendations you mention from the summer!

amyjo

Hmm now totally doubting the brown Oralie because Angie raves on the site about the Aquatalia Undy and it is the same as Urope- but different buckle. Her client Bei-Jing looks great in it. Only available on zappos in black. Sigh. So glad I can come here with my indecision because my hubby is (understandably) less than patient with this sort of thing!

Meredith

Veteran

I hear you on the elastic. I have the Undy in black and I do like the woven texture. Lots of ladies on the forum have Aquatalias, so hopefully some know how the Oralie looks IRL. But I don't think you could really go wrong with black if that's the look you prefer.

Gigi

Veteran

Is there any way you can order both and then decide? You may find that one boot fits better than the other, especially if you have skinny calves (I am a fellow skinny-calved person).

My rule of thumb is to get black for shoes that I want to wear A LOT, because black goes with pretty much anything. Brown goes with *almost* everything, but since browns can be warm or cool, they don't always complement an outfit. I have a pair of riding boots in black that I wear a lot, and then I got a pair of Aquatalia dress boots in brown so that I wouldn't get sick of black. Since the dress boots don't get worn as often, I don't mind building my outfits around them when I want to wear them.

I am with you on getting sick of black in the winter. So many boots come only in black these days!

Deb

Veteran

Gosh, hard question really. Each colour can be so useful and I love having both. Personally I'd picked black first and then perhaps add brown when the sales hit, or next year. Or vice versa. Gigi's suggestion is a good one if you can manage it.....buy both and decide when you can look at them amongst your clothes if you can't visualise which one will work best with your wardrobe.

Staysfit

Veteran

I own the Oralie in black. I tried on the brown but it was an odd shade and surprisingly looked cheap in person. It is a slightly lighter color than what you may expect. I might describe it as flat instead of rich, but perhaps that is ok for you. I have something similar to the Urope in brown. I'm not sure what the style name is, but it has a smooth leather front and the woven textured elastic gore in the back. This brown is different from the Oralie and IMO looks rich and nice. I can't be certain but I think I purchased them from NAS? I don't keep any shoe boxes, no space! I also have the narrow calf issue! I will be curious to see what you choose!

Adelfa

Veteran

If you don't already wear brown shoes a lot, I would get the black. I adore a brown shoe or boot and always have one or two in my closet, but I do find them much harder to style and they get less wear.

But it you're already successfully styling brown footwear, then brown would be fun!

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

I don't know your style, but I'll say this - The Urope looks more modern to my eye, while the Oralie looks more traditionally equestrian. So, if you tend to dress more traditionally I'd go with the Oralie. If you dress with a more modern style, I'd go with the Urope.

(FWIW, both of these are available in brown on the Aquatalia website.)

As far as brown vs. black, I think this depends on your wardrobe! If you tend to dress in warm toned colors and your handbags and accessories tend to be warmer toned and gold, then I'd go with brown. If you tend to wear more black, grey and silver, then I'd go with black.

amyjo

Thanks for all the awesome input! So... just received the Urope in black and it's drop dead gorgeous and fits my calf like a glove... but wow is it narrow! Not sure I can keep it. The leather on the top of the foot is very stiff and hurts a bit with each step. I don't believe in "breaking a shoe in"- I think they should be immediately comfy... especially at this price level. I think sadly Urope will have to go back and I'll try the Oralie in hopes that it will run a bit wider. (I don't think it's a size issue for the Urope- I ordered an 8 and there's plenty of room in the toes for length; I am a 7 in sandals and often do a 7 1/2 or 8 in boots but nothing in my closet is an 8 1/2). I'm now definitely leaning toward black (Staysfit-thanks for posting of your firsthand experience with the Oralie). The casual down coat I wear often is black and I hope these will be my "go to" winter boot. Black is just so dang versatile a color! If I want to perk things up I can go with my La Canadienne Blanche in cherry red patent- (btw that is my all time favorite wardrobe item but I need more boots to take the pressure/wear off it)! Also I just found a steal on Blondo Lizenn boot in brown suede and it is wonderful so I filled my brown boot hole. I sound like a boot glutton, but since last winter I have a herniated disk in my back and a neuroma in my foot and am having to replace many of my old high heeled boots and go more practical. Sigh-middle age. Thankfully there are beautiful, practical boots out there! I'll post my findings with the Oralie when I get it in case this thread helps another Aquatalia shopper.

Thistle

Veteran

I would choose whatever works but n my closet. For me that would be black as I have little to nothing left in brown ( I made the decision last year to stick with black, charcoal and ink as my neutrals.).

amyjo

Got the Oralie today (zappos is crazy fast) and they are boot fit perfection! Tiny gap at calf when I wear with tights, but perfect with skinny jeans. They are definitely wider in the toe box than the Urope. And they don't hurt at the "bend" in the top of the foot when I walk. They are be-YOU-tee-full. This is a style that can definitely be dressy or casual but I'd say tends more to dressy. Generally I'm a bit more modern than traditional in my style and the Urope would have been my first choice if they had fit because I agree with Jenava that they look more modern. But for the price I think it's good to err on the side of traditional because these babies will never go out of style. Definitely a classic. Glad I went with the black. Everyone's input helped so much. As several said, for a boot I could wear daily, black is more versatile. I was worried the fabric elastic panel in back would look a bit cheap- it does not. Looks like intentional textured fabric to add "interest" rather than a functional elastic panel. I can see how this boot would work for someone with more athletic sized calves as mine are not stretching the elastic at all but it was made to stretch!

In case some other gal with skinny calves (mine measure 12") stumbles across this post thread I'd also recommend looking at La Canadienne (I have Blanche & Galaxy), Blondo (Lizenn- great deals on 6pm.com and Sierra Trading Post), and Tsubo brand that have adjustable features at the calf- LOVE my Tsubo Fatine (now on sale in gorgeous gray suede at 6pm.com; has a velcro tab at calf top). Thanks everyone!