I’m mixing things up in this week’s poll by giving you a choice of several Teams. But you can still only pick one of them. You are sitting this one out on the bench with pumpkin loaf and hot chocolate if you can’t pick a side, or if none of the teams are appealing. 

Please select your favourite animal print, whether it’s in the form of clothing, footwear or accessories. Here are your options:

1. Cat Prints 
2. Zebra Prints
3. Snake Skin Prints
4. Giraffe Prints 
5. Pony Prints

I have cat, zebra, snake skin and giraffe prints represented in my wardrobe. Cat prints, both cheetah, leopard and variations of them, are the most represented. But snake skin has my heart because I like that type of animal print best. I am on Team Snake Skin Prints. 

Over to you. Which Animal Print Team are you batting for?

To recap, a bootie is any style of ankle boot. Some styles extend a few inches above the ankle bone, whereas others just cover it. A shootie is a hybrid between a shoe and a bootie. Think of it as either a very short bootie or a very high vamped shoe. My low heeled black and white oxfords are essentially shooties with laces, and my animal print ankle boots are booties. 

Booties and shooties, in both dressy and casual incarnations, have been THE item of footwear in fashion for three years. And after following the Spring 2013 shows, booties and shooties are bigger than ever for a warm weather season. I could scarcely believe the popularity of this “closed shoe style” for Spring and Summer. The peep-toe variety was especially prevalent. 

Wearing booties and shooties with regular length trousers and jeans is a natural pairing because of the continuos, elongating vertical line that is created from leg to toe. But these days all outfits can be worn with some sort of bootie or shootie, which means dresses, short shorts, long shorts, rompers and skirts too. It’s thought of as a very modern footwear pairing and a lot more on trend than its low vamped cousins.

In 2009 I suggested guidelines on how to wear booties with skirts and dresses because it’s easy to feel dumpy, stumpy, frumpy and short legged when pairing high vamped footwear with visible legs. First, it’s a question of whether you like the combination of high vamped footwear on a bare leg, or hosiery covered leg to begin with. Then it’s a question of finding the right style of booties or shooties. Heel height, vamp height, ankle fit, and colour contrast become important factors to consider when wearing booties and shooties with skirts, dresses, cropped pants and shorts. Some prefer the fit of a streamlined bootie, whereas others like them to fit wider around the ankle. Some like taller booties, while others prefer shooties. Some like them flat and casual, while others like them heeled and dressy. Some prefer light colours, while others prefer black. Some will only wear booties and shooties with low colour contrasting hosiery, while others are happy to leave off the hose. 

For my own style, I prefer to wear low heeled booties with a very streamlined ankle fit when wearing them in outfits with visible legs. Sometimes barelegged and sometimes with hose. Better yet, I actually prefer to wear shooties because it’s easier to find a snug fit around the ankle. I have small bony ankles, narrow calves and a dainty frame. Oversized booties that are cut wide at the opening don’t work well for me, while they work flawlessly on others. In fact, I have clients with larger ankles and calves who much prefer wearing booties that are cut wider at the ankle because it makes their ankles look smaller, and balances out the shape of their calf. 

Furthermore, I have a small head and very short hair. To my eye, a voluminous hairstyle will often help balance out the “flower stem in a plant pot” effect that is created when you wear booties with wide openings. There is no hope of creating this balance with my pixie. 

So ladies, after three years of the fashion industry encouraging the look of which there is no end in sight, how do you feel about pairing booties and shooties with visible legs? Did you get used to the pairing over time, to the point that it now feels “normal”? Did you love the combination from the word go? Or do you not wear the look at all because low vamped footwear always looks better to your eye.

In her debut book You Are What You Wear – What Your Clothes Reveal About You, psychologist and wardrobe consultant Jennifer Baumgartner examines the link between our external appearance and inner emotional world. “Our clothing”, she says, “is a reflection of what we are thinking and feeling. Often clothing mishaps are simply our inner conflicts bubbling to the surface.”

Here at YLF we regularly talk about individual style and what we want our clothes to say about ourselves. As Angie always points out: “the way in which we present ourselves has the power to convey a great deal about our personality, outlook and self-image”. Plus, knowing that we look good can have a big impact on how we feel on the inside. Each day we see examples on the YLF forum of how finding one’s style groove has had a profoundly positive effect on our body image, self-confidence and the way we go about our day. 

Jennifer Baumgartner takes this approach a step further, suggesting that style is not only a means for self-expression, but that “every item in our closet and our fashion behaviour in general is the consequence of a deeper, unconscious choice”. Take for example a fifty-something woman who is still sporting the outfits she bought in her thirties. She may not want to look younger, but might be holding on to her past because she hasn’t accomplished her goals in the present. Therefore Dr. Baumgartner’s how-to style guide focusses on this “InsideOut connection”, showing readers how they can use fashion to resolve personal issues. The out part of the makeover looks at how successfully her clients shop, spend their fashion budget, how they wear and store purchased pieces, how appropriately they dress for various situations and how well their clothes match their lifestyle. The inside part includes identifying current distress, past trauma, internal need for growth and future goals. She then combines the insights derived from these two exercises into practical suggestions for improving both their look and their life.

Do you think the author is right when she says that you may find more than clothes lurking in your closet? Or in other words: to what extent do you believe the state of your closet reflects the state of your life?

I usually stick to better-end designer handbags because I so enjoy the legacy of the brand and the quality craftsmanship that goes into them. But about once a year I purchase a non-designer bag just for fun from stores like Zara, Club Monaco or little boutiques we stumble across on our travels. 

The quality of Zara handbags and footwear is good. In fact, quite a step up from the quality of their clothing, which is inconsistent. So I’m ending off the week with a fun bag assortment. I own one of these bags and I’ve seen some of the others in person. The patterned styles are excellent pattern mixing tools and most of the styles come with a strap. 

• Zebra Clutch with Chain: Try the oversized clutch trend at night if it’s not your thing during the day. 
• Plaited Shopper: A great travel bag with a proper zipper closure, and one way to sport the burgundy trend. This style comes in a few colours and patterns. 
• Soft Studded Leopard Shopper: Amp up a casual jeans and fashion sneaker outfit with this darling. 
• Citybag with Zip: Great for the office and a little more interesting than a basic black bag. 
• Studded Evening Box Bag: Add edge to a formal outfit with dainty studs. 
• Jeweled Box Clutch: A classic parcel of jewels is always in style. 
• Structured Leather Bowling Bag: Casual and earthy in a modern way. 
• Combined Fur Clutch Bag: I added this graphic wardrobe pet to my closet a few weeks ago. It’s a fabulous daytime clutch that I’m enjoying combined with my blush moto jacket. 
• Nubuck Leather Mini Shopper: Never underestimate the power of a Winter White bag with any outfit. 
• Coconut Clutch Bag: Like the texture and chain detailing of this style, which is also available in black. 

I really like the design integrity of the items at Zara, which is a lot more affordable than designer merchandise. While their clothing can be hit or miss, their bags are always great.