Ask Angie: combat boots with midi dress? - YouLookFab Forum

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Ask Angie: combat boots with midi dress?

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

I am trying to find different footwear options to wear with my only midi dress. Pumps are no brainer but it gets boring for me. Tall boots and heeled booties seem to work fine as well but how about combat boots?
I decided to experiment and here is a result:
#1/2 - combat boots laced straight up;
#3/4 - combat boots laced with flaps.

I kind of like #3/4 but not sure about #1/2. What do you think? Any of those work or should I just stick to pumps and tall boots?

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Dressing

19 replies

Latest reply was from Sveta

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I like the look of 1/2; perhaps with different hose? I do this look all the time with a solid black legging

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Sveta, maybe I am too matchy matchy, but I think I would prefer plain black hose and black lace-up boots to match your belt. Or else swap out the black belt for a brown one to match the brown boots. And I agree with lyn, I think plain hose might work better. I'd like it better without the scarf unless the scarf has some magenta in it to tie it into the dress (maybe try a necklace instead?). Not sure why, but the blue striped scarf, black belt and brown polka dot hose doesn't seem to have a unifying theme for me. I think MaryK has brainwashed me into liking matchy-matchy ALGO!

Oh also, I think I like the boots laced all the way up better than the flaps.

RandomThoughts (Andrea)

Veteran

I love the boots fully laced up, but agree with Lyn, I think a solid hose that blends with the boot color would look best.

Stephanie

Veteran

I agree with Lyn: my eye wants more opaque tights. But I like the idea of this.

jayne

Veteran

I also like 1 best. And we are body buddies according to the 'find your twin' post. So the height of the boot at mid calf suits us best (smile). Sometimes to add a touch of height to the boot, I add a higher scrunched sock to my boots that are like this. Matching color as much as possible with either boot or hose. Solid hose also gets my vote but with a extra sock, these patterned ones are fun enough to keep in the look. A chunky necklace would also be good at the neck. Touch of sparkle to the face!

Lantana

Veteran

Sveta you look so fab, so always, that I struggle somewhat to make sensible suggestions. Here's an idea, FWIW, to layer the midi over a shirt. That, I think, might provide a nice balance to the "grounding" effect of the boots.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Thank you for your help - I can always count on YLF friends for a piece of advice when I am fashion challenged!
lyn, Natalie, Andrea, Stephanie - I took these pictures last week when I wore this dress styled as in pic 3 with tall grey boots. After taking that outfit picture I decided to try on the combat boots with it and take pictures too. So it is not styled at all with those boots, I just threw them on.
However your suggestions are very interesting and give me food for thought. The hose is actually black, not brown here - it is hard to get the colors right in the pictures.

Jayne, it is so exciting that I have a new body twin on YLF - it is a rare thing for me. I don't recall seeing your WIWs but I would love to see your style. I have been tempted to try high socks with boots for some time but I am afraid this look is too young for me and also would not work with my chunky calves.

Landana, interesting suggestion about a shirt. I need a slimmer white shirt for this as mine is not fitted and this dress fabric is very thin, it will bulge under it.

krishnidoux

Veteran

Hi Sveta!
Here is my take on this: I am afraid I am not a big fan of this combo.

Colours are great. But it's the proportions. For me the boots are too heavy for the dress's flowing fabric. It would be very cute if you added a long cardigan or sleeveless cardigan for example. But just like that, it looks too much like a girl during winter wearing her winter boots!

Of the two ways of wearing the boots, I prefer them up with the dress's length. It's a personal preference.

I hope this doesn't come across as harsh, because it is not my intention! You always look so good.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I like the combo (being partial to the idea of toughening or edging up dresses with boots), but I understand what krishnidoux is saying. Do you have a denim jacket? I think that would complete the effect to "casualize" the dress with the boots.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Love #1/2 but agree with either swapping out the hose or swapping out the belt and love the idea of a denim jacket. Have fun experimenting!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I think the look is okay, Sveta. In a kind of edgy and "flattering-is-not-all -that-important -because-being-edgy-is-more-important" type of a way. Does that make sense?

Yes, the look is funky - and I like #2 best. Although I don't find the combination as flattering as the other combinations with this dress.

Jonesy

Veteran

I love the idea of the juxtaposition, but I think the boots would need to be heeled and/or be sleeker to work 100%, IMHO.

catgirl

Veteran

Of course, I love this look, especially 2. Could you layer one of your fab leather jackets? I think this is similar to the ways to winterize a summer dress (not that this is a summer dress, but....) by taking a more feminine item and toughening it up, which to my mind requires two elements of winter/tough to be added.

rae

(website)

Veteran

I really like Una's idea. Right now, I sort of feel the outfit is all glam on top with kind of a jarring move to tough/grunge at the feet. A leather jacket would sort of "bookend" or balance the style influences. If you don't want a jacket on, you might try a more rugged belt instead.

I personally don't mind the patterned hose - black or dark brown opaque hose might be too saturated for these soft-colored boots and cause more of a truncated leg line.

rachylou

Veteran

This works for me, boot cuts up, because it's edgy-arty.

Girl X

(website)

Veteran

Ditto what Jonesy said!

Anonymous

Late to the party but have to add my two cents! First, you know I love that dress, and I think you can wear it with the lace-up boots just fine. Do you have any brown heather sweater-y cable knit tights? You could top with your fab brown "indoor" leather jacket. I like that you are thinking up different ways to wear your beautiful dress!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

The dress is just stunning on you. I like the scarf, the belt and the stockings and for some reason don't love it with the boots, although the idea seems great in theory if that makes sense. Maybe if the boots were more black or gray? They look brown or taupe on my screen and that might be throwing the look off with the black accessories.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Thank you for your help. You have given me some ideas and I am going to experiment. You know me: I like to change things all the time so I am exploring!
The problem with this dress and jackets that they must be really cropped - otherwise the look us frumpy because of the full skirt. So my leather jackets do not work here. If I had a cropped moto jacket that would be ideal but I have not found one yet. Denim jacket is a great idea but I will save it for the spring and summer - this is when I wear them.
If I ever dare to wear these boots with this dress out of the house I will post a pic.
Thanks for playing with me!