Ask Angie: please educate me on casual vs dressy boots!

Remember those Coclico Adrienne boots I posted yesterday? (I bought them, btw). You said they were casual (which is fine), and now I'm curious to know what makes a bootie -- or any type of footwear -- casual vs. dressy. Please educate me!

Things that I thought made a boot more casual:

- lug sole
- chunky sole
- chunky heel
- wedge heel
- distressed leather or suede
- certain kinds of hardware, like thick tarnished silver or brass zips or studs
- low to mid heel
- slouchy fit

Things that tend to make a boot look dressier:

- patent leather
- highly polished leather
- fine smooth leather
- gold hardware (sometimes)
- delicate heel
- very high heel
- snug or sleek fit.
- leather sole

My new booties are sleek and simple, which feels refined (and thus dressier?) to me, but they are not shiny, which makes them more casual. The heel isn't particularly dressy -- it's a medium height block heel -- but the sole is leather, which is dressier. But there's a thin rubber layer over top of the leather sole, which I makes them practical for day-to-day. So they feel somewhere in between dressy and casual to me. Is this right?

11 years ago

Anonymous

I'm dying to pipe in here - because I was mulling over these boots after you posted them yesterday. I love the leather, the simplicity, the "cut", but you know what's niggling at me (and might be what is making them read casual)? The unfinished edge where the block heel joins the leather . I think that rougher, less polished look makes them a jeans boot. I really like them - a lot. This heel thing is bugging me though.

Sorry, I know I wasn't invited to this party, but I'm interested in the replies

Diana

Veteran

I'm not Angie, but I'll add one more element that to me always makes boots look more casual, and I think this is the case with yours, if I remember correctly. That is a wooden heel, especially one that's a different color than the leather of the boot. I've actually rejected boots that were otherwise lovely because they had a brown wooden heel on a black boot.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

I agree, I think it's the contrast heel. Whether it's black and brown, or just different shades of brown, it makes a boot a bit more casual. That said, from what I recall from the picture, I'd wear those boots with pretty much anything short of business formal. I think they'd be fine for casual office wear, even skirts and dresses.

(Same with those cute oxfords that were trendy this year, with the bright contrast soles - I just couldn't bring myself to buy a pair from somewhere spendy like Cole Haan, since I doubt they'll be classic enough to work for many years.)

Aziraphale

LisaP, I absolutely agree, they are a jeans boot. Good thing I own jeans and nothing else, lol. (That's not actually true -- I wear skirts, too -- but as far as pants go, I don't currently own any that are not jeans!). I definitely prefer my footwear to skew casual. My life is casual! I don't work in an office. And by the way, you are always welcome to chime in. The 'Ask Angie' category is for when we have a question specifically for Angie but we are happy for others to respond, too.(You can always use a private message if you want to ask Angie something that others don't need to see).

Diana and Laura, I think you're right about the contrast heel -- it IS more casual than a leather-wrapped heel. If it were light brown, it would be even more casual, I think. I much prefer the exposed wood heel for this kind of boot, but then I tend to prefer casual for most things (unless I'm going somewhere like the theatre, in which case it's fun to dress up!).

Suz

Contrast "wooden" heel, block heel. That's it.

Tania

I have much appreciation for this thread! I was wondering the same thing.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

I'm gad you bought the boots. ENJOY.

Casual and Dressy runs on a continuum. And of course, it's relative. I agree with your list of attributes 100%. Nice work.

Back to the boots you just bought. The material of the heel puts them straight onto the more casual side of the continuum, despite the leather part being more refined and dressier than a pair of rugged boots. Hope that makes sense.

Angie -- yup, makes total sense. Thanks for responding. For my very casual lifestyle, though, these boots are on the dressy side of casual -- what I mean is, compared to Converse, these feel quite posh!

Got it and spot on. xo

rae

I agree with everything said, and I'm glad you got the boots! I lurve them.

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