Are There Boots that Go with Skirts and Pants?

Specifically, outdoor boots for cold temps (say minus ten celcius. Colder than that and I won't likely wear a skirt.)
Should they be tall? mid-calf? ankle?
Should they be sleek--or can they be chunky?
How do you decide?
Any examples?

11 years ago

Dressing

18 replies

Latest reply was from L'Abeille

Dee

Veteran

I find tall (knee-high) boots or ankle boots/booties work best with skirts. Mid-calf always makes me feel stunted, but that might be because I'm short to being with.

Chunky or not depends on the vibe of the outfit. I prefer sleeker books but my wardrobe isn't terribly RATE to begin with, and I find sleek (or at least no too chunky) easier to dress up and down.

I'll leave specific suggestions to those with a better shoe wardrobe than I have though!

11 years ago

Alana in Canada

(website)

Veteran

Yes,that makes sense--mid-calf--with the exception of cowboy boots--are likely to be less flattering than other lengths.

(Though, I must confess, I grew up thinking cowboy boots went with everything, all the time. Others did not agree with me way back when.)

11 years ago

Dee

Veteran

I think that may be true if you have a western or boho style.

Also, I do find chunkier boots work better in the dead of winter - more sole equals more surface area equals less chance of me slipping on the ice, but it's usually colder than -10C by that point anyway. There's always a point where I put away my cute boots and end up wearing my snow boots for the next couple of weeks/months.

11 years ago

Anonymous

Alana - I find a riding boot to be my best go-with-everything in winter. But I don't wear trousers or regular dress pants a whole lot in the winter because I am not crazy about what happens with booties under pants (getting caught up in the hem etc) and because pants get so dirty in our winters ! But riding boots allow you to tuck in your jeans and slim pants, and look classically great with a skirt. My 2 cents worth here:)

11 years ago

Alana in Canada

(website)

Veteran

Lisap --by riding boots, do you mean equestrian style boots?--or just generally speaking tall boots?
and booties would be ankle height boots?

11 years ago

Anonymous

I think of riding boots as tall , side zip, low heel, glossy leather classics . Yes, often equestrian style - some have gold hardware , or not. Heels are always 1inch or so, and stacked. Toes are slightly rounded, not almond, and not pointed. Black, or cognac.

Booties - yes ankle boots. They drive me nuts under pants unless they are very close to the ankle and refined looking. Plus I don't find the look very appealing -again unless the boots are very refined and elegant - which is hard to find .

It's a whole different ball of wax if you are talking about something to wear to work and then take off though. My kind of job means I am in what I leave the house in - all day long - coat and boots included - so I look for boots that look right all day long.

11 years ago

Alana in Canada

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, Lisap. No, I won't be staying in the boots at work (I wear steel toes, there)! I'd be running errands in them, though, and riding public transit sometimes.

Mostly, I'm just curious about what looks good--so I can even start to think about it!

11 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

It can be tricky finding one pair of knee-high boots that will work with both pants and skirts, because I am a stickler for wanting my boot shaft snug against my leg when I'm wearing a skirt. That means that if I try to tuck pants, things get too tight. But if you could find an adjustable-calf boot, that would allow you to do both. (Some boots have a buckle at the calf that can allow for more or less expansion.)

I think the most versatile here would be knee-high boots or booties. Calf-height boots can be stumpifying and tricky to style. In Canadian weather, I would probably go for the knee-high boots. I live in Minnesota, and I wore my La Canadienne riding boots A LOT from probably October through April.

Whether the boots are sleek or chunky depends on the vibe of the outfit. That's where I think you just have to stand in front of a mirror and see what works. Sometimes you can get a nice "edgy" vibe by pairing a chunkier pair of boots with a more feminine skirt. But it might also look "off." I always have to try things out in person; it's hard to know up front.

11 years ago

trendin1234

Active Member

acctually it depends on your posture !! they should fit to you and should feel comfortable

11 years ago

bj1111

Veteran

La canadienne and aquatalia get lots of love here. How dressy is also an issue?

Something like this may fit with pants too depending on how thick they are or how slim your calves are, which may also dictate the brand/style.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/aq.....ot/3491367

Two sets may be unavoidable. I would buy to fit the clothing i most wear.

11 years ago

Glory

Veteran

Such a good question. I wear exclusively pants in the fall/winter. In winter it is winter boot season.
Once I started wearing skinnier jeans boots became much easier. I have a pair of Frye Veronicas in black that I am in love with. They were a pretty big investment for me but I have had loads of wear out of them. I suppose they could go with a skirt or a dress but it would not be a refined look. For versatility to go with jeans and dresses you might be better off with a sleeker boot. They should start to come into stores soon. Last year Winners had some wonderful tall leather boots.

11 years ago

Emily

Veteran

I have the Presia "Shootie" by Rockport below, and wear them to work with pants and skirts pretty much all winter. For reference, I live in south-western Ontario, in the snow belt. I've had mine for a couple of seasons and am really happy with them - they are comfortable, and have held up well. The fit is really tailored and the cut is below the ankle and dips in the front.

Caveats:
-With skirts in -10, I wear fleece lined tights
-With long trousers in -10, I wear ski socks
-I had vibram outsoles applied to the bottoms for extra traction, but your mileage may vary if there's lots of uncleared sidewalks involved in your commute

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11 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Gosh, Emily. You have better balance than I do! I could no more wear a heel like that in winter than I could walk on water!

I mean, not as a regular walking commute thing. I could wear it from house to car. And from car to desk.

11 years ago

Emily

Veteran

Suz, good point - I work in an office and commute by car. I happily trek a couple of blocks to lunch or around the mall or through the grocery store in them, though. Really well balanced, flexible shoe with a nice cushy insole.

11 years ago

Amy

Active Member

If you want boots that work for winter/cold, look at Aquatalia. They are my absolute favorite for cold and snowy conditions. I think they have rubber or something like that on the bottom that keeps you from slipping around and they have a thicker insulation to keep you cozy and dry (but they don't look at all like "snow" boots). They are water resistant and I tromp around in the snow while wearing them. Love them!

Knee high would be great if you are worried about cold. Booties with tights are cute but obviously not as warm.

11 years ago

Anonymous

Alana, I was thinking about you all night For your needs, and for your look, you might like the styles offered on Sorel.com - there are a lot of really cool winter boots in their collection that are totally wearable with both skirts and pants. Obviously they aren't going to be worn for special occasions but in Canadian winters, I think a nice faux fur trimmed pull on boot can look cute with a skirt and tights. And tights in all sizes and for all bodies are absolutely available!

11 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

I will say that I have a pair of dressy Aquatalia boots, and they are incredibly warm. I was really surprised, because they weren't touted as such, and they have a 2.5-inch heel...clearly dress boot territory. But they keep my feet as warm as my snow boots. I assume that their more-everyday boots would be toasty as well.

11 years ago

L'Abeille

Veteran

I have 2 pairs of boots I wear in the winter: a pair of riding-style winter boots (not quite knee-high, I wish!) and a pair of booties with about a 1 1/2-2-inch heel that are halfway between sleek and chunky so work in either direction. Both I got from Sears (my size makes in-store shopping depressing, and with Sears returns are painless). The booties are Clarks and were a wild card-- I was looking for a replacement for a Doc Marten style boot but these have been SO versatile, and have de-frumped a lot of outfits.

Anyway back to your questions. I wear both pairs with pants (skinny or wide, tucked in or overtop, according to my mood) and with skirts and dresses (pencil/tube or full/A-line). I check the full-length mirror to decide which length works best. I will wear them indoors when they complete an outfit; they certainly are left on for church. At work it depends how hot it gets and whether the roads, and thus the treads, are full of sand and salt. I can happily walk for several blocks in either pair in dry or snowy conditions. Mud, not so much (but unavoidable at times, see: my driveway in spring. Which is why I also have a pair of Land's-End duck boots, thrifted for that purpose.)

I wear them in winter, and in fall, and in spring as long as I absolutely have to, but as Suz said in a recent post, our mandatory boot-wearing weather is so long already that I don't want to waste a single day of our warm season(s) on boots if I don't absolutely have to!

11 years ago

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