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Booties and warm weather

viva

Veteran

Marmee's post about her new GORGEOUS Giove boots has me wondering how long you all think you will be buying and wearing boots. I have always thought of boots as cold weather shoes. I put them away in the spring, and I look forward to taking them back out in the fall. This past weekend I was in DC for the cherry blossoms and it was about 70 degrees, and I tried wearing my shiny silver booties out in the evening, and my feet were so hot!!! It was a reminder that for me, it's getting close to time to pack them up.

This is sad because I love those Gioves, and I could almost be tempted to look for room in the budget for them.... Also, I have been living in booties since October, and I'm really not sure what to turn to next as a daily shoe. I tried a cut-out (Jeffrey Campbell) but it felt a little too designed for me -- not quite as versatile. Maybe I just tried the wrong one.

What about you? How long into spring will you wear your non-cutout-booties? And how are you preparing for / dealing with the transition?

Dressing

23 replies

Latest reply was from leopardluxe

Suzanne (ambergreen)

Veteran

Every time I consider this issue, I think about Texas and parts south, where boots are worn (for good reason) in very hot weather.

If they can do it, we can?

But I find they can feel very hot myself. Personally, a temperature of about 75F is probably as high as I could handle them. On the West Coast here, though, evenings can get pretty cool after a warm day. If I were out east I would find it difficult to deal with the hot, humid nights in boots.

Diana

Veteran

I ADORE the look of booties and mid-calf boots with bare legs, so I will probably try to wear them for at least a little while longer. I do also hate having hot feet though! I do find that some of my boots are better for warmer weather than others. I have a couple of pairs that are lined in sweater or fleece material, and those are definitely too hot. Unlined pairs and pairs with only a thin (preferably fabric) lining are OK for longer.

I did get those cutout combat boots earlier in the spring though so I'm hoping I can get away with those for a bit longer than the closed ones.

My tipping point is usually when it starts to get humid. I wear my boots when it's 75 and dry in CA and it's fine, but 75 and humid in Boston is gross. =(

In spring, I do wear my oxfords a lot as a good transitional shoe.

Suzanne (ambergreen)

Veteran

Definitely similar minds here Diana. I was about to say something about my (slip-on) oxfords too, which appear to be what I'm wearing more now, along with some old mary janes that happen to work well with skinnies.

For some I'm sure that loafers would be the very thing to transition to.

Aziraphale

Veteran

The answer to this will depend on where you live. In Vancouver, we can wear booties for most of the year. I don't wear mine much in June, July and August, but it's cool enough for the rest of the year that they are my go-to choice.

rabbit

Veteran

what Aziraphale said.

When it gets really hot I break out sandals or casual sneakers, but otherwise my feet are fine in boots.

I wore steel toed work boots in 102 degree heat one summer, and interestingly they didn't bother me much (aside from the fact they were heavy). I didn't notice that they were hot until I actually took them off in the evening. Otherwise bare legs balanced them out in terms of keeping cool.

AviaMariah

Veteran

I've been thinking about this too. I live in boots in the winter and sandals in the heat of summer. I can can get away with booties for much of the spring (wearing them today) but in truth I'm a little tired of them. Most years I start wearing sandals way too early and my feet freeze so I'm trying to make slipper flats and loafer my spring shoes. I guess the short answer is you should wear them as long as you have the desire and they are still comfortable.

Gracie

Veteran

I keep a couple of my favorite booties on hand through spring and summer. They come in handy, even in 100 degree weather, when going to outdoors fairs, markets, etc. where the terrain is rough. Wearing boots in hot weather doesn't bother me at all. Yeah, I'm in Texas

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Booties are a year round shoe by a billion percent. Booties on bare legs is a divine look - to Diana's point. Men wear closed shoes all year - why can't we do the same?

Practically speaking, Summer booties are excellent for cold feet in cold a/c.

viva

Veteran

Good point, Angie. I do have the A/C problem. They would probably be great for work travel, which is when I am in A/C the most. I may have to relook at the Gioves.

Sona

Veteran

I think Rae does an awesome job of showing us how to style booties ( and jackets) in the heat. I would look to her wiw posts for inspiration.

I hear what you say though and only yesterday I thought : I need to do a Rae copycat because in my mind as well: booties are a fall fall/winter item. But when I was in California I did see booties and boots even in spring weather. I also admired how black/dark colors in cotton/linen can work in Summer.

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

Boots for me get packed away as we head to hot humid summers.... I think fo me the cutoff is about 65 degrees before I am over them...

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I wear booties until May 1st, then it's pumps and bare legs until about October.

dustt

Veteran

As soon as I can put them away I do - I long to wear pumps, wedges, sandals, sandals. sandals and boat shoes!! - our fall/winter is 7 months long - those spring/summer shoes get short shrift as it is - I usually can't wait to toss the booties to the back of the closet!! - we had 3 inches of snow today - and mine are not coming out!! - no way - no how!!

viva

Veteran

Part of me must agree with you, Lyn* and dustt: I have pumps on today. And loving it.

Marmee

Veteran

Viva, I think that these particular booties are pretty lightweight. I can imagine wearing them all summer, although it doesn't get hot very often in Seattle.

Jenny H

I was out and about in my new Jack Purcell sneakers over the weekend on one of the first 80 degree F days and I could barely stand having canvas shoes and short socks on my feet. I cannot see myself wearing booties outdoors in the swelter of August in this climate where high 90's is common.

Also, I've noticed booties are already hard to find in stores in my city and I have to guess this could be related to the hot summers we have here. The shoe stores I visited in March had already switched to displaying mostly sandals, even though we were still getting snow!

ETA: I lived in Seattle for a couple of years and there I actually did wear short boots (not quite booties) all summer long. Very different climate.

Aida

Veteran

I'm in the Pacific Northwest and we have very mild summers; so I wear my booties year-round, but do tend to stick to temps under 75. Even my tall boots stay in rotation through May out here. The boot material can make a difference (leather vs. synthetic) since leather will breathe better in the heat.

Windchime

Veteran

As a newcomer to ankle boots, I'm eager to try mine with skirts, dresses, and bare legs this spring. I love that look in pictures and hope it looks halfway good on me! I suspect I'll set them aside, though, once the temperature and humidity both climb in midsummer.

Gigi

Veteran

Lots of interesting responses here!

I just started wearing booties this past year, so I'm kind of watching myself to see what I'll do. :^) I think that part of it depends on the design of the bootie. I have three pairs of booties, and they are all a bit on the daintier side (no chunky heels, and the leather is quite supple). One pair is leopard print; one pair is black; and one pair is a combo of leopard and black. :^) I think that based on the lighter-weight design and construction, they will at least *look* good with spring and summer outfits—especially the leopard booties. As far as comfort level goes in the heat, I guess I'll find out! I tend to run cold, so I'm guessing I can maybe handle these up to about 80 degrees.

I don't really have much in the way of transitional shoes (that is, to transition from cold weather to warm, and vice versa). I have knee-high boots, booties, pumps, and sandals. I do have one mary jane that is a comfort shoe that could be worn with socks and so could maybe be considered transitional. So I guess I consider booties to be my transitional shoes. Now, if only it would get warm enough for me to even consider transitional footwear...

Catnip

Veteran

I love booties and wear them into spring as long as possible. That means until it gets really hot and humid. It's the humidity more than the heat, but I cannot wear booties in out uncomfortable summer weather. My feet sweat and demand something cooler. Oxfords are a different story. I can wear them all summer long.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I have nothing against the look of summer booties or boots. In fact, I like it a lot (with the right ones, in the right outfit). But for me, living on Lake Ontario, in a non-air conditioned environment, our humid summers make it impractical. And then there i also the fact that I spend so much of the rest of my year in boots. At a certain point my feet demand liberation!

One result of this is that it has often been either/ or. Sandals OR boots. I almost didn't own any shoes!! Because if I was going to wear them only a few weeks per year, what was the point?

I do have one pair of booties that I thin of as a warm weather bootie. They are light taupe, so they bookend my hair. and are almost a nude for me. They are very open at the vamp, and they are lined in some wicking material that makes them cooler.

I also think a perforated or peep toe bootie could be a great summer option for those who aren't sick of the whole idea of boots.

Deborah

Veteran

I think booties can be an all year round item. Our high summer period isn't bootie friendly but otherwise for me Spring/Autumn and Winter work well for booties. For example today was 20 degrees celcius and I wore a sleeveless dress over leggings with ankle booties. I would have been too warm if my arms and legs were covered and a little cool if both my arms and legs were uncovered so covered legs, uncovered arms and booties worked a treat. I think it's doable as long as you are comfortable.

leopardluxe

Veteran

I totally think booties are a year round item but a lot of that has to do with the climate where you're living. Since I run cold I find in the summer months if I wear booties with a dress or with jeans and a tee then I keep my feet warm --and it's less likely I'll end up cold when it's in the low 70s and breezy (same is true of lightweight scarves for me, I wear them year round where I live to help keep the back of my neck warm).

When I lived in Vegas, though, there was no way a bootie worked in summer (with average temps around 105 degrees) and I had to "change my rules" for what I considered boot weather --anything below mid 80s qualified as boot weather for me (mostly because I just love boots but also because I could wear them in that weather without my feet getting too warm).

But style-wise..yeah, I think depending on the style, they are definitely year round footwear.