The Melin ankle boot, or “bootie” is stunningly beautiful and made in Italy. It’s like a dressy jodhpur boot! Its masculine and feminine vibe is appealing, and the less than two inch heel even more appealing. It’s comfortable, although an extra cushioning insole can never hurt. I love the snug ankle fit, elastic insets, cracked patent finish, brogue detailing, and pull-on tab. It runs true to size and will probably not fit a wider foot. Available in burgundy and black. I hope to purchase these in black because the heel height, comfort level, dressy integrity and streamlined ankle fit is hard to come by in booties these days.

This perforated black belt by Style & Co is divine because the cut-outs look like you’re wearing a patterned belt. It works well threaded through the belt loops of trousers, shorts and jeans, and as a waist cinching belt on a dress. It’s that much more interesting than a plain black belt. Runs true to size and is lightweight. Its dressy integrity works well for career wear.

One way of adding interest to a neutral ensemble is by incorporating items that are texture-rich, like these booties and belt.

I like the pairing of cropped sweaters with skirts for four reasons. One, the proportions look fresh. Two, it’s a great way to de-bombshell a pencil skirt as well as dress it down when the sweater is boxy. Three, it’s so comfortable. And four, cropped knitwear brings back fond memories of fun ’80s fashion. 

The photos below show an assortment of cropped sweaters worn over skirts. Some of the knits are chunky and some fine gauge. Some are fitted and some boxy. Some necklines are high and some are low. 

I like all the variations, but have my favourites. I like the cropped chunky boxy fits best over pencil skirts, and the more streamlined cropped fits best over flared skirts. Although I don’t have this version covered in the photos, chunky-boxy versions work well over a flared skirt, both short and long, if the sweater is VERY cropped (like midriff baring cropped).

I just bought a form-fitting cropped, multi-coloured twinset in a fine gauge knit that I love to wear with wide leg trousers and flared skirts. It’s cropped to my waist and looks quite cheeky. To wear it with a pencil skirt works, but is not my favourite combination because it feels too “bombshell” for my style. Although the pairing is fab on those who like to wear body conscious outfits. 

You might have a cropped sweater lurking in your closet that doesn’t get much wear. Try it over a pencil or flared skirt just for fun. Or try on a cropped sweater in stores if you’d like to give the look a bash. Add in hose and footwear of your choice and you’re done. Who is going to try this combination?

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.