Bootie woes & an apology - YouLookFab Forum

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Bootie woes & an apology

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

First of all, I must apologize for not being on the forum much in the last week and then being selfish in posting questions for myself without responding on other threads yet. WOW - it's hard to catch up after missing a week!

I returned the Michael Kors boots that I bought yesterday (http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ck-booties). I did try wearing them in the house for a bit more early this afternoon to be sure but I could feel the odd twinge in my knee and knew that I would not be able to wear them for a full day

When finished returning them, I ended up walking by Browns Shoes and The Bay and tried on pretty much every black ankle boot both stores carried. Between my knee and my baby bunion (both on the left leg BTW - how weird is that?), fit and comfort is becoming more and more difficult.

Deborah - The Bay actually had the Nine West booties that I had originally posted but sadly, they were much too narrow and absolutely no arch support.

Rae - The Bay also had the Sam Edelman Circus black suede booties with the gold buckles that you had so kindly linked to for me. But I found the gold buckles distracting and just too much for me. Very comfortable though.

I tried on all Sam Edelman booties (loved the comfort of the black SE Petty but didn't like the brown heel on them - I want all black), Cole Haan, Nine West, Ivanka Trump, and others I can't remember. All lovely but for one reason or another, they weren't right.

Then in Brown Shoes I tried on these sleek black leather Chelsea boots (http://www.brownsshoes.com/BRO.....eAssignmen). I swear I heard my feet sing! Talk about comfort. They fit perfectly, accommodated my bunion, had great arch and overall foot support and fit quite close to the ankle. Based on comfort alone (which was 11/10) I would have purchased them. BUT...(oh c'mon...you KNEW there had to be a but) I'm wondering how these would look with my skirts and dresses. Loved the look of them with the denim Bermudas I happened to be wearing but that's a far cry from a dress.

What are your thoughts on Chelsea boots with dresses/skirts? Would they work with my style? Keep on looking?

Shopping

19 replies

Latest reply was from Suz

deb

Veteran

Why not wear a skirt into the store and post a pic?

Lyn D.

Veteran

I think this boot type would work well with skirts, as long as it hugs your ankle.
Comfort is so important too.

Beth Ann

Veteran

I never know how I'm going to feel about booties until I try them with my wardrobe. I lack vision. Sigh.

BTW -- No apologies needed. You've been more than generous with other Fabbers. Give yourself some slack! I do!

BTWW --- I saw some Ninewest booties that I loved at Macy's, but didn't try on. Were the ones you mentioned above the Metallina or the Sloane? I was hoping they might work for me, but my foot is a tad wide.

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ManidipaM

Veteran

Shannon, Shannon, Shannon! What's with the apology? What about all the days you help someone out but don't post? No one who has been around a bit could doubt your generosity or courtesy.

About Chelsea boots, I quite like seeing them with dresses. The exact shape might make a difference of course, but certainly worth a try.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Deb - now that I have an iPhone (early anniversary gift from hubby specifically so I could have the YLF app!!!) I could definitely send some pics from the store.

Lyn - I'm really learning that comfort is not only important, it is KEY. The boots do hug the ankle quite nicely, but are not snug or uncomfortable.

Beth Ann - they were the Nine West Paperlane booties (sorry, I don't have a link).

Manidipa - I guess subtleties in shape could make or break the look, couldn't it?

Adelfa

Veteran

Shannon, I go for days responding but not posting, so I think it all balances out!

Yes, let's see a pic! They don't look like they would gap.

DonnaF

Veteran

Okay, Shannon; no apologies. The heel shape on this particular Chelsea boot is very masculine. Depends on how you feel about the juxtaposition of masculine and feminine. FWIW, I find the slightly Western/cowboy shape heel of the bootie that Beth Ann posted on the right to be a bit more feminine and easier to wear with skirts/dresses, but that's just me. I don't think you will really know if works until you try those booties on with your skirts and dresses. Height and leg shape can make such a difference as we saw when various forum members tried on those oxblood Munro booties.

Anonymous

Especially since the Chelsea boots are so comfortable it would be worth trying them with a dress or skirt that you would wear with them. Thinking of the nonblack heels on the SE boots, once I used black shoe polish to turn heels black. A cobbler might be able to really darken them

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Shannon, no need to apologize! You're always generous with us here.

I am sad about the MK booties, but also glad. I confess that I felt a bit worried you might talk yourself into them because they are so beautiful. And I had a strong suspicion that the comfort wouldn't be there.

Sympathies about the bootie search. It sounds a bit like the white sandal search of last spring. It's so frustrating when one of your wardrobe staples seems so hard to find. But let's hope the ending is just as happy as the sandal story's ending.

Now, as for the Chelsea boots: I have MAJOR sugar eye for chelseas of all kinds. So you'll need to weigh that into the balance.

These ones look lovely, and Browns make good shoes. This pair is not exactly rugged, but they're not exactly refined, either, and they do skew casual, in my opinion. You could wear them with skirts but they would casualize the look.

I wore my black SW Chelsea boots with skirts last year. They are more refined and dressy than the Browns. I felt they worked with skirts and dresses....barely. And even this dressier version tended to casualize the look. They tend to be a bit leg-shortening on me, too (which might not be as big a problem for you due to leg shape).

Here are a few images with different tights (and bare legs) so you can see. You can also see how they compare to the pumps for stumpification. These images are weirdly coloured because my flash didn't work that day and I had to lighten them up a bit. But they do give the general idea of how they look on me, anyway.

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Shannon, what about these? They have a different style name than Vix's shoes but look extremely similar. I think the heel is 2."

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Deborah

Veteran

Shannon thanks for feeding back Re the Nine West booties:). I had fallen hard for them...for you:).

I love a Chelsea boot and have a few pairs but I really think they generally not ideal with skirts. If you compare Suz's booties they fit very close to the ankle and are a very sleek shape and design which works beautifully with a skirt or dress. I really don't think these ones you are looking at are goi g to create the look I think you want. Sorry to be a wet blanket but having gone thru months of looking for my own perfect black bootie I feel very committed to supporting your search for perfection;)

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Agree that the proof is in the pudding or the wearing but these definitely look promising to me. I happen to love Suz's boots on her and think they work wonderfully rather than barely so take that into account. And agree absolutely with the no apology needed comments above!

Glory

Veteran

Please no apologies - I love your posts and look forward to them.
I am sorry about the MK boots but was worried about the height over a few hours of wear - sometimes it takes a few wearings to feel that twinge.
I love these ones and can see them working so wear in your wardrobe but am not sure about dresses and skirts.
Have you looked at any of the Seibel boots? Or the second one from aldo

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anne

Veteran

I am reading this thread with interest having decided about 2 weeks Ago I needed booties. It took me about a week to give up for this year!

Jjsloane

Veteran

Shedding a tear about the MKs but you've made the right decision. Cheering you on to find the perfect ones.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I had the Seibel Callas that Glory links to. They were my very first booties!!

Krishnidoux recommended them.

I ordered them online and they fit beautifully. They are extremely lightweight and flexible, which is a huge factor in comfort, for me. I wore them constantly that first year, with everything, and I wore them quite a bit until January of last year (when I got the SW chelsea boot). They are not "worn out," exactly...but there's not much life in them any more (keep in mind, I wore them almost every day for an entire winter season, because that's all I had other than tall boots) but they're past their prime now and leak a bit. Plus, they feel a bit detailed for my style. So I am passing them on this year.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Such incredible wisdom and help here - LOVE YLF!!!

As much as I really REALLY liked the Chelsea boots (and may look at buying them later on if the budget works to wear with jeans and trousers and more casual skirts/dresses, I suspect they are too casual to wear to work with my dresses and blazers as you have so wisely pointed out.

However, the booties that Suz linked to have all the elements I'm looking for - black, stable and lower height heel, v in the front for a bit of leg elongation, refined but not too girly and dressy. Sooooooo...I went ahead and ordered them (not to worry - still sticking with my no credit card.) And I've bookmarked the website since the shipping is free and return policy is stellar.

Suz - giant THANK YOU for both your visual aids and the link and research. FWIW I think you ROCK your Chelsea's.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oooh! I am excited! I hope these work out for you, Shannon. Then you and Vix will be bootie twins. I must say, I am tempted myself. I already have the Chelsea boots, though, and love them. And probably don't wear dresses enough to really require a black bootie. But we'll see.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Look! Trust Angie. She got there ahead of all of us. Look at this blog post.