The Boot Experiment: Inputs Requested - YouLookFab Forum

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The Boot Experiment: Inputs Requested

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

As some of you may know, one of my 'uniforms' this winter will be sweater+short skirt+boots. This is the first winter I'll be wearing skirts and I've got 4 warm tights to layer under the skirts (charcoal grey's and blacks). I'm very excited about this uniform as it feels very 'me' and is quite comfortable.

However, I'm still experimenting with boots and would love to know your opinions. I want to know which boots appeal the most to you, which ones are plain bleh and which ones are best passed along because they simply don't suit me.

Please be brutally honest; it's the only way I'll perfect this look (because it's absolutely new to me). I saw a few women wearing their summer frocks with boots yesterday but all of them were wearing booties with the flower-pot look and not all looked great. I want to be confident that the boots I wear and want them to fit into the look seamlessly. Which proportions look best to you?

#1-2: Tall flat boots
#3-4: The new lace-up boots
#5-6: Flat booties
#7-8: Tall heeled boots
#9-10: Calf length flat boots with sock top
#11-12: Calf length pull on slouchy flat boots
#13-14: Ankle length heeled boots
#15-17: Calf length wedge heeled boots

I'm most likely to pass on the last pair of boots(#15-16). I bought them last year but haven't worn them outside the house even once. The heel is painfully high and I'm not a fan of the flowerpot effect these create. I'm also most likely to relegate #9-10 to just home-wear, as I have better options to wear outside the house (and these are very cosy and comfy to wear at home for warmth).

I thank you in advance for your help. Sorry there are so many pictures....I just have too many pairs of black boots!

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Dressing

16 replies

Latest reply was from

Brooklyn

Veteran

They all look they fit you well and I like them all! (Never met a boot I did not like!) Ok, my faves for this look are no 1, 9, 11 and 13. The tall boots at 7 are nice but I prefer the flat ones in no 1, which are similar. The flat heel reads more modern to me and flat looks good with a short skirt. The new lace up boots are also good but I think would be better with a more casual skirt than the one you are wearing. Maybe a short denim skirt or something a bit more a line. No 5 works too, I just don't find them as interesting as the other pairs. No 15 are my least favourite. They look a little heavy. Hope this helps

Sal

Veteran

I love 1~- these are perfect with this skirt. They look great with bare legs too. Wear wear wear

I also love 13 for an ankle boot, a really lovely classic modern shape. These are great bare legged or with tights.

I think the new lace ups (3) are awesome...but less sure of them with the skirt. Probably okay with tights, but I can definitely see them with jeans.

I like the other tall heeled boots (7)and I can see why you like 9.

I think you lose nothing by passing on the last pair.

Anonymous

Morning Manny! A treat to see all these boot looks.

Thumbs up for 1/2.

3/4, now I see them on, look a little more chunky casual, so I'm thinking they will work well with your denim skirt and leggings (wonder what they will look like with your tweed/leather one too?) Also jeans.

Thumbs up for 5/6.

7/8...lovely.

9/10...wear at home, yes.

11/12..look good.

13/14...super.

15/16/17...no so keen.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Thanks Brooklyn, Sally and Diane for the detailed analysis. This helps a lot.

I agree that the new lace-ups are looking a bit heavy here. They would be better for more casual skirts. I also think
That adding tights might change a look a bit....have to experiment with that.

Anonymous

Maneera, I LOVE that skirt! This new uniform is fab on you. I agree with all the comments above--cull the last pair, wear the sock tops at home and the lace ups with pants. After that, maybe track your wears on the others to see which of the remaining pairs you gravitate to? The info you get might help you weed further if necessary.

krishnidoux

Veteran

I am curious. What is the bootie with the flower pot look?

I like 1,3,5,11 best.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I am in full agreement with Diane here! And I so understand your hesitations/ frustrations -- it's all in the proportion, isn't it? But I think you nailed it in 1/2 and 13/14 in particular.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Thanks Aliona! I like your suggestion.

Krishnidoux, the 'flower pot effect' is a term I learned here on YLF! The image might give you an idea. But the last pair of boots I'm wearing above do it too.

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Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Thanks Suz! Those 2 are my favourite pairs too!

Bonnie

Veteran

I agree that the tall boots look best with this outfit, especially #1. You have a wonderful selection of boots.

Diana

Veteran

OK, so first off I am going to say that I have a strong preference for short skirts with mid-calf or tall boots, and I generally do not like them as much with booties, so that is likely going to color my observations.

I like 1/2, 7/8, 9/10, 11/12, and 13/14.

I think I am going to be a spanner and say that I really do not like 5/6. I just don't like the proportions of the straight line cutting right across the narrowest part of the ankle. I have very similarly shaped legs/ankles and I feel that that particular low shaft height causes an ice cream cone effect by emphasizing the large difference between ankle and calf. I much prefer a slightly higher shaft bootie like 13 that covers the entire ankle.

I don't mind flower pot effect on a higher shaft (in fact I kind of like it) so that does not bother me about 15/16. I don't love that very high wedge heel though and I think it drags the eye downward too much. If they had a separate heel rather than a wedge I think they would be fine.

The new booties have a very casual, sporty look. I don't think they work with this particular skirt, but I could see them working well with a slightly more casual (maybe a flared or a-line) skirt.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Diana - thank you so much for your inputs. I was really hoping that you'd chime in, because I've seen you wear skirts and calf-length boots and rock the look.

I agree with you (Infact, so does my husband) and strongly dislike the low booties in 5/6 with skirts. Those really are best worn with jeans/pants where they disappear under the hem (I don't like to see the top edge of them cutting across my ankle at all either).

I'm going to try my lace-up boots with flared and A-line skirts. I know they will look good with more casual skirts like denim and corduroy. Thanks again!

Sara L.

Veteran

I agree with the analysis that others had - 1/2 look great, 3/4 better with pants, 15/16 could go. I like the booties but I usually don't wear this look just because I like higher boots for more warmth. I always plan outfits with booties and then default to high boots when I wake up cold in the morning.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Hmm. I think it's really hard to tell what's going to work with dark tights and a sweater based on these experiments. You'll be going from high-contrast with bare legs to low-contrast with tights. Plus, I think more bulk on top will help even out some of the chunkier looks.

For example, the new boots in 3/4 totally don't work here. They're seasonally confused with bare legs and a lightweight top. HOWEVER, when you put on tights and add a warm sweater on top (especially if it's something with a little cream/winter white in it to complement the lining), I think it might be really cute--a laid-back, apres-ski sort of look.

FWIW, I like the tall boots best with this skirt. I think the mid-calf ones might work better with a flared/a-line skirt, and I feel like you have to try the booties with tights, because that's going to massively change the look.

UtahDesert

I find this topic very interesting because I'm also introducing skirts and dresses (worn with tights) into my winter wardrobe for just about the first time. But I have trouble answering this question other than for the specific outfit you have on, and so I'd say the tall flat boots, 1/2, hands down. If you were wearing tights with that skirt, my answer might be different. (I'd still like 1/2 with it, but it might have competition.)

Anonymous

This was an interesting lab. I like the tall flat boots in 1/2 best. If the skirt were longer 13/14 would be my choice.