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Fresh looks with knee high boots

Sal

Veteran

Ankle boots have been highly prevalent for the last few yeas. Here I see more ankle boots around again in a variety of styles this winter. There are some over the knee boots around and some 1970s round toed knee high boots also appearing.

I am on a tight budget this winter so am considering all purchases carefully. I am considering footwear purchases as quality footwear is damn expensive here. I have three pairs of ankle boots which I like, and one worn out pair of tall boots. I am struggling to think of ways to wear tall boots in a fresh way. I have a couple of skirts they would work with in a 70s way, and I do have skinny jeans.... Aside from that I have flared jeans, boyfriend jeans, tailored trousers, soft jogger pants, ponte leggings, tailored work dresses. I don't have culottes or wide leg crops.

Tall boots would be over $300 or maybe even up to $500 for the right pair so I want to be able to wear them regularly and with longevity.

Or are ankle boots here to stay and is this an area to out my dollars?

Thanks

21 replies

Latest reply was from Kathleen

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I think in your climate I would be tempted to stick to ankle boots unless I had a lot of extra spending money. It just doesn't seem as if knee high boots would be that necessary. Keep in mind that I NEED to wear boots (if not knee highs, then actual snow boots, even more limiting) for months every winter, so I prefer lighter weight more shoe-like options when I can wear them.

Also, knee high boots are not created equal. A flat heeled boot is wearable with some outfits; a heeled and snugly fitting boot wearable with others. And for me, knee high boots are a devil to fit. So putting it all together, I might buy two great pair of booties instead.

Sal

Veteran

I am thinking the same way Suz. I may even get some flat shoes that could work in the cold, even if not the rain. You are right, cognac mid heel boots with a round toe look awesome with midi skirts but flat ones can be harder for me to pull off. And flat/low heeled footwear is what I need given my lifestyle.

I think you had a thread last year about styling your heeled tall boots, and how you were not wearing them as much as you had thought you would. Or maybe I have it wrong

Staysfit

Veteran

I found this winter I wore a bit of both. We had more snow and on snow days I wore the flat knee highs but when it was just cold with snow on the ground but not falling from the sky, any bootie or even many shoes could work. It may be climate and wardrobe dependant. I love my heeled knee high Aquatalia boots, but wouldn't dare wear them if it's too icy! I wear them in the fall before the snow and ice starts so they have limited use.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

What Suz said, and ankle boots all the way.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

I'm with you on sticking to ankle boots. I need tall boots for winter, like Suz, but I have some that do the job for now. I will not replace them until I have to - they simply don't get enough wear.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Kiwigal, you are correct -- I don't wear my tall heeled boots as often as I expected I'd wear them. If I lived in the city, I might. But given my lifestyle, they're orphans. I would wear flat knee high boots more often, but I don't currently have a pair of those. And in the past few years, snow boots were the only kind of boots I could wear for three months straight. So...

Anonymous

It's interesting - I have a few nice pair of knee high (and OTK) boots, and they NEVER came out this past winter. Not once. I can't pinpoint why, but a mid-calf chunkier boot seemed more current, and the classic tall boot look just wasn't happening at my end. I'd be tempted to invest in something other than the tall boots and take advantage of lower price points for booties (which I imagine you can find).

AM

Veteran

I love my knee highs just as much as my booties. I like the variety. And I enjoyed knee highs, skinnies, and oversized tunics/blanket wraps. I also want higher, chunky, combat lace-ups. And there were other knee high gray suede lace-ups that I may also try. One or both will be on my list for next fall. Just thought I would add my 2 cents.

Sal

Veteran

Thanks Angie, Staysfit, AM, Ingunn and LisaP, and Suz again.

Yes booties or shoes should be found for around the $200 mark.

If my budget was larger I would buy both, but I have to be practical. I do like tall boots but I doubt I will wear them enough. And here ankle boots with socks and jeans are warm enough.

I do get lots of wear out of my waterproof rain boots though.....!

Sharon

Veteran

I have two pair of flat knee high boots that must be about 5 years old. Last winter, I don't think I wore them once. I prefer ankle boots for most outfits now and only wear tall boots with a short skirt or dress to provide a bit of balance and leg coverage.

It might be helpful to you to keep a tally over the next month of how many times you wished you had a pair of knee-high boots in an outfit (or changed an outfit because you didn't). If it happens at least once a week, then maybe consider spending on a pair. If it only happens once or twice in the month then you are unlikely to get value for money if you buy them.

Gail

Veteran

I have so many pairs of boots that I am totally embarrassed to tell the number ! Having said that quite a few pairs are over 5 years old and some as old as 15 years . I basically wear boots or sandals I am not good with regular shoes, I do have some high heels for going out but apart from that very few pairs. I have only in the past year bought booties. I always felt that they didn't look right on me so never purchased. This year because of YLF I learnt how to style them and the rest is history ! I bought 2 pairs from Lucky and I am really enjoying them, very comfortable.
http://www.lordandtaylor.com/w.....kle-bootie...
I find that they are very versatile. I can wear them with any jeans or trousers. I wore them a lot in in the fall and this spring too, I have black and brown. Still wore tall boots all winter because of the snow

Aziraphale

Veteran

I think I'm repeating what others have said, but if I were you, I'd go for a versatile ankle boot sooner than a knee boot. It might be different if you lived somewhere snowy, but I imagine your climate is a bit like mine -- damp mild winters?

I got the Coclico booties below last Christmas, and they may be the most versatile boots I've ever owned. They are very comfy and literally go with everything in my closet. The narrow ankle opening means they go with skirts (without the 'flowerpot' look!) and the little block heel makes them flattering, but it's not so high that I can't walk for miles in them. I wear them at least three or four times a week. If you're wanting to get a nice, high-quality pair of boots, I'd recommend something like that.

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anne

Veteran

I wanted to put in a vote for considering the knee high boots.

I accept all the arguments for ankle boots - BUT you already have 3 pairs!

I have replaced my worn out knee high black boots this year - I think they lasted 5 years. My flat, brown knee high boots wore out after 3 years and were replaced maybe 3 years ago. The flat ones I wore at least 3 times a week in late autumn/ winter when I was a MOTG - now less often

The black ones only got worn about once a week while I was a SAHM, but once I started working I wore them a lot to work. (Somewhat less, admittedly, once I had bought black booties) I found they were more comfortable than other heels, and worked very well with my predominantly dress and skirt work looks. On short legged me, they are a flattering because they read "low vamp" - while still staying on my foot. And I think they are a classic, more so than booties so even if they aren't worn as much this year, they will be over time.

Nevertheless, they are expensive. I knew I wanted to replace mine this year, and made budget arrangements to suit, but if things were tighter I might well decide to put it off another year (In fact I probably did that last year, as the last pair broke sometime during 2014)

FWIW, I got mine on sale for $159 AUS from Sandler (now gone back up to $220ish) but I see that there is a 9 or 10 avail on ebay for $130
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/lik.....1&...

Aziraphale

Veteran

Oh, I didn't know you already had three pairs of ankle boots. That might change things.

Here's a question: how much do you like the knee boot look? If you love love love it, then you will probably wear the boots a lot.

I think high boots are maybe a little less current at the moment (although I'm by no means an expert on what is and isn't current), but that could easily change. Speaking for myself, for about ten years it felt like skinny jeans tucked into tall boots was EVERYWHERE, and I developed a bit of "tall boot fatigue". I still like the silhouette, but I guess I just got tired of it. I think the fashion world did too, which is why there are so many ankle boots around. But the knee boot look is, as Anne says, very flattering. It's also classic. And I think Angie might have mentioned that it's already making a comeback.

The only ways I can think of to wear tall boots are:

- with tight skinny jeans tucked in

- with leggings tucked in

- with skirts or dresses (this one can actually be lots of silhouettes, depending on the length and shape of the skirt)

- with shorts (not for the faint of heart)

- with culottes (if you want to look 70s)

Of these, the least fresh way to wear tall boots is with pants tucked in, I think.

Thistle

Veteran

You have some fab suggestions on wearing tall boots.

To be honest, I have 2 pair and just didn't wear them much. On the days I could wear them, I preferred trousers. And when its warm enough to wear skirts without them, that's when I prefer to wear skirts.

And I find them so very hard to fit.

Deborah

Veteran

I have found that over the past few years I have very much swayed towards wearing my ankle boots more than my tall boots. In fact last winter I purchased new knee high low wedge heel boots and have hardly worn them.. BUT for me at least one pair of knee high boots is kind of a staple in my wardrobe. (I actually have a few in varying styles). My winters are cold so I can certainly justify knee high boots from that perspective and I find that there are some outfits that call for a taller boot. I love tall boots with dresses and skirts (I also like ankle boots with them lol) and I am a chronic tucker of leggings into my knee high boots.

I like the idea of monitoring over the next little while how many times you actually reach for tall boots and see if it is a genuine wardrobe hole.

Can I encourage you to keep a look on Wittner and Nine West websites as they have the most amazing reductions. You could potentially pick up a fabulous leather boot and heavily reduced price that works within your budget.

Sal

Veteran

Thanks Anne, Aziraphale, Thistle, Gail, Sharon and Deborah.

I am similar to a few of you in that I have not reached much for my knee highs (partly because they are pretty beaten up now) and partly because I did see them worn a lot over skinnies, it was a very prevalent look here. I have loved all my ankle boots, and they are in good shape with one pair just having been re-heeled. I just wondered if ankle boots were on the wane, and if I should invest in the tall boots now.....

I will watch those websites but I am tall with muscular calves and slim ankles so getting the right fit is not easy.

I am quite drawn to some of the looks below (not the hair styling) as a possible direction for the next couple of seasons.

And cashflow issues with tax, kitchen renovation, business changes all mean that I have to watch my spending carefully so there may be no new boots at all for a couple of months

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Joy

Veteran

It's interesting that the boot outfits all have skirts long enough to cover the top of the boot and several have that scrunched look popular when a first joined YLF. I have been wearing ankle boots much more than knee boots and would like to add more...red or burgundy, caramel, light grey, white, maybe metallic.

unfrumped

Veteran

Good discussion.
This post was helpful to me because I have never had tall boots , but the past couple of years I kept thinking I should try to find some. I'd mostly wear in winter with some kind of skirt or dress look with tights. Might look " 70's or 80's! But still would be probably not be my main daily outfit and also would have same issues of flst, low heel, colors.
In my town the tall boots come out in droves with skinny jeans as soon as there's a nip in the air, but I am not
likely to get that look nor have times to wear it.
This discussion just helps me focus back on booties , shooties and maybe
new variations as they evolve. Not boot- negativity but that it is just not worth trying to find and maintain. If some random unexpected in- store find or moment should arise, that might be different.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

I am with Suz that knee-high boots are more of the necessity for my climate rather than the style preference. It is very different from what I fely 4-5 years ago when tall boots + skinnies did feel fresh and curent - but not so much now.
My favorite tall boot winter look was culottes with heeled dressy boots. Skirts not so much for some reason - maybe becuase my skirts are too short to cover the top of the boots like my culottes do? In any case culottes + tall boots was THE look for me, which felt the freshest of them all

Kathleen

(website)

Through the Fall & Winter I wear knee high boots. I wear them with skinnies or dresses with boot socks. I love the look! I have a pair in black, a cognac brown and a lighter brown.