On my recent WIW thread, Sarah asked:

"Do you ever feel limited/frustrated by those black quilted booties? I've admired them from afar, but I do hesitate to purchase black footwear, because I feel limited in what I can wear with it because of the bookending issue. (I just answered Thistle's thread, which made me think of asking your this question). You are similarly blonde on top, which makes me wonder whether you've struggled with the bookending issue with those booties."

Confession time.

Before YLF, I pretty much ONLY wore black footwear. Well, except for the rare pair of red shoes or sandals.

I know. It's shocking, right?

But I was brought up to believe that I needed to be "practical." And in my cold, slushy, snowy, wintery climate, black is most practical most of the year. Actually, grey would be lots better, but is not always available.

Needless to say, in those pre-YLF days, I wasn't always fashionable. I had no idea how to make black look intentional.

Now that I have learned the power of bookending from YLF, I am always on the lookout for lighter taupe or grey boots. Actually, for my hair, tan or a chestnut could also work well (though it works less well with my mostly cool-toned wardrobe). Leopard print will also bookend for me.

But it's awfully difficult to find weather proof boots in those tones.

Meanwhile, my coats are still mostly on the dark side. Charcoal, grey with black, navy with black, and cranberry red.

And I also wear a lot of denim and/or darker pants in winter.

Plus, in colder weather I usually wear a hair-covering hat. And that hat is usually darker than my hair.

And I typically carry a dark bag in winter, too -- much as I would like to "lighten up" here, it's not all that easy to do, as I have discovered.

So in fact, the black boots are simple to wear. They extend the leg line if I am wearing dark pants or tights, and they work well with my coats. At minimum, they harmonize with my bag. And sometimes I am also wearing a darker sweater or jacket, should my coat be open.

These particular boots are definitely outdoor footwear only for me. I don't wear them inside at all -- not like a bootie. These are my rainy day or mild winter weather boots. Good for urban walking.

Does that help, Sarah?