Help me choose a boot color with bonus rambling intro

Hello,

I've been reading the forums/blog for a while and am slowly starting to figure out how to dress. My workplace is extremely casual and also male-dominated, for reference, imagine that I work with a bunch of programmers. I've been living in jeans/t-shirts since high school and now that I'm 30, I feel it makes me look less professional/mature/capable.

I don't know enough yet to categorize my style. While I'm mostly a casual dresser, I do throw in the occasional flamboyant outfit/color. I have brown skin/black hair/brown eyes so I mostly wear black and intense colors (dark, deep, rich or bright). I have very few clothes that could fall into the pastel/white/light color category since they don't suit my skintone.

Sorry for the long intro, but wanted to provide context. I have some sports-related shoes and dress shoes, but here's my shoe wardrobe so far. I'm deliberately trying to buy shoes that are high quality and resoleable but also a little funky.

Black heeled boots bought last winter. I love these because they are very stable and I can run in them, but they also look good. They have 3 inch heels and are 4 hour shoes.

http://www.fluevog.com/code/?w.....ourID=2577

Brown heeled "fun" boots. On their way to me so I don't have them yet. This is my flamboyant side coming out.

http://www.endless.com/Eject%2.....B0025KVW1O

Red heeled Mary Janes for everyday shoes. These took a while to break in but they have become much more comfortable. 4 hour shoes but I'm hoping they will become 8 hour shoes.

http://www.fluevog.com/code/?w.....ourID=1784

I want to add one more knee high boot with a flat sole to the collection. This will be my "feet hurt too much for heels" + "wear with skinny jeans" boot. I don't intend to wear them with skirts - the other boots have that angle covered. I've decided on the Franco Sarto Pacayas, but can't pick a color.

http://youlookfab.com/store/20.....igh-boots/

Should I go with the chestnut or the black? I wear so much black, that black is the most practical color choice, but I don't need two pairs of black boots. The chestnut boots should be a different color/style from the other brown boots, but my wardrobe doesn't require two pairs of brown boots either. I did look for alternative colored boots but couldn't find anything as comfortable. The Pacayas felt amazing on my feet, so I'm really sold on acquiring a pair during the Black Friday sales.

I'm also looking for a black closed toe pump for dressy occasions with a 2-3 inch heel. It needs to be comfortable for an evening of walking and very stable. It will never be worn to work.. There is no rush to find this shoe, but suggestions are definitely welcomed.

That's going to be my total shoe wardrobe till spring/summer. For my lifestyle, I think this covers all my needs. Thanks in advance for your opinions and for reading this far.

15 years ago

RandomThoughts (Andrea)

Veteran

Welcome to the forum!

Personally, I like the cognac color. You can wear it with black; other YLFers have successfully paired it and it looked fab. I say go for it!

I like mixing brown and black. I say chestnut color. Unless you think your legs are short and it would be better to get the black for a long leg line.

Kate

I agree with AJ that the black will lengthen your leg line, so if that's a goal I would go with black. Another thing to consider is whether you like the bookended look (see: http://youlookfab.com/2008/11/.....your-look/) or if you don't need that to feel fab. I have cognac booties that I adore, and have found to be quite versatile. Sorry I don't have the answer, but hopefully this will help you to think through your decision.

Isabel

HI there !!! I loved the "bonus" round. Wow, those are great shoes. You are not casual. Those are some funky, unique shoes/boots. They take jeans and Ts to whole other orbit.

I bought the caramel Picayas. I love caramel and black. The caramel is more relaxed and black is considered more sophisticated. You could wear the caramel well into spring with skirts, if you wear them. Also your brown boots are a very different shade and vibe. I almost don't consider caramel a brown, I think of it more of a lovely deep, burnt orange.

BTW _ I love your criteria for shoes, being able to re-heel them and being able to run at a moment's notice !

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Welcome to the forum, Sylvie! It's hard to suggest boots since we know little about your style, but I have an excellent suggestion for pumps on the way this week so stayed tuned on the blog.

Jonesy

Welcome! I love your boot collection. I think you could go either way with the color of the Pacayas. Your Fluevog black boots are a very distinctive style, so even if you got the black Pacayas, they would be very different. I love the caramel color, and again, think they are different from the brown boots you've just ordered. So, it's really a matter of preference, which would fill the biggest hole, how much you'll wear them, etc.

Jenava

These are flat, so they don't overlap with your other boots, function-wise. So I woulnd worry about having two pair of one color, since they aren't really interchangeable in terms of function. That said, I would vote black. Because it will bookend with you hair, as Kate mentioned, and because as you pointed out, it will go with more stuff (and can be dressed up more easily, if need be). If you love the caramel color then by all means go for it. But if you're really undecided then I vote black.

Oh, and check out Indigo by Clarks for pumps (and anything Angie recommends, of course!)

taylor

Welcome...would love to see you in the boots:)

Sylvie

Thank you all for the warm welcome and the helpful feedback. You gave me a lot to think about.

I'm very short waisted, so I have long legs (longer even than people who are taller than me), so there is no concern about legline. As several of you mentioned, the black boots would bookend my hair better and are different enough from the Fluevogs that there is no duplication. They are also more practical for my wardrobe.

However, I love the cognac version and feel that in black the boots are nice but not as amazing. Since it's ok to mix black and brown and I am trying to push myself in terms of fashion, I went ahead and ordered the cognac ones. Black flat boots are much easier to find and I've added them to my list. I have a pair of black flat sneaker-ish shoes that I can keep wearing until the right pair crosses my path.

Looking forward to reading Angie's blog post on pumps. I'm not going to buy a pair till *after* I read it.

Thanks again and I will post an outfit photo or two with the boots once I have them. Should I start a new thread for them or just add them to this?

Going for what you love it always a good choice! Post some pics once you have them in hand! I would start a new thread.

Tricia

Welcome - and I just wanted to say I LOVE your taste in shoes!

(I have those red Fluevog Malibrans, too - aren't they great?)

Barbara

Welcome, Sylvie. You've come to the right place for fun and fashion! I prefer the Franco Sarto Pacayas in black. I may just have to order those myself!

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