Black bootie report and K/R AT tweed skirt/wrap top

After trying on a bunch of booties to find a comfortable, low-heeled, "universal" pair for travel and work, I like all of Clarks booties I have tried (Leyden Candle (#1, 5, 6), Dara III (#2, 7, 8, 9), Ingalls Ohio, (3). I think I am going to keep the Dara (Image#2) because they are waterproof.

I would love a pair of more pointed-toe booties to wear with trousers but Everybody Galla booties (#4) were not as comfortable as the Clarks. The last photo shows a comparison of Galla and Dara.

I was surprised that all of these seemed to work with my scrawny ankles for wearing with skirts. None of them work with skinny jeans, though, and I am not sure whether I like them with slim trousers (#6).

Also picked up a tweed skirt and a wrap top from Ann Taylor. I've had this skirt on my radar for a while now and the top was a random find for $19 on clearance rack. I am generally trying to stay away from knit tops because of them not being too flattering to my midsection but thought this might work to wear under jackets. What do you think?

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13 years ago

Anonymous

Hi Makrame! I like your choice because they're sleek & waterproof. It just so happens I have the boots shown in your photo #3 on the way in black & brown. (I picked them because of their low heels & because I think they'll work with a variety of pants & skirts.)

Megan

Lyn D.

Veteran

I like all the boots except #2, which seems rather plain when shown with the others.
The top, with the gathers, looks great. I would wear by itself without fear! Your midsection looks slim in the pics.
Will the slim trousers fit over the boots? That way they should be nice, as long as the pant hem is long enough.

Deborah

You bootie choice looks good! And you must keep the top. It looks gorgeous and so flattering on you. No mid section issues that I can see, the top has a very slimming effect.

kkards

love the wrap top. as for the booties, i'd go with which ever is the most comfortable.

Suz

(website)

The top looks terrific on you! Great buy. I think pattern can help disguise potential midsection concerns. And I believe this is the same top that Thistle showed us recently!

I also really like the skirt. The booties look terrific on you! I like them with the skirt and with the trousers.

So why are they not working with skinnies?

Diana

All the booties look good, so I say go with whatever is most comfy. I'm sorry the Gallas didn't work for you though - I love mine!

Why don't they work with skinnies? Are you trying to tuck into them or over them? For me, the Gallas fit fine under my Martin skinnies (in my latest WIW actually) which have a fairly skinny hem. They look weird tucked into the booties though since the hem is not skinny enough and bunches up and fights with the dipped front of the shoe. The last should not be an issue with the clarks though. In general i have trouble tucking skinnies into booties because I like my skinnies scrunchy and not super tight at the ankle, so I buy booties with the intention of wearing the skinny pants OVER them.

Skirt looks good too! I am not sure about the top on its own although I think it would be good with a jacket. It's not that it's unflattering, I think I just don't like all the gathers, which are making it look a little bunchy to my eye. It gives a bit of an impression that it is riding up on the sides. I may be extra sensitive to this look though because tight tops always ride up on me.

Makrame

Suz, if I tuck the skinnies into booties, they skinnies (jeans or pants) seem to blouse out above the boots in a not very pleasing, bulky looking way. In other words, the booties are too slim for tucking. If I try to pull skinnies over the boots, the boots are not slim enough. Untucked skinnies work much better over Zodiac Italia booties or the new Aldo booties I have, probably because the shaft is very close-fitting and even tapered towards the top.

Diana, picture #8 is Martin skinny pants over Clarks booties. I think this works (a bit more scrunch than I am used to but seems OK). What does not work is wearing skinny jeans or Gap Real skinny pants over the booties. I think those are just a bit more tapered than Martins.

The only time this might be a problem is for travel - I will need to make sure to match the pants with the footwear more carefully. I think the Clarks black booties for trousers and skirts and Born flat oxfords for skinnies might be my best option, provided it is not too cold for oxfords. If it is really cold, I may have to bring a pair of flat boots, too.

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