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Winter vs Summer Shoes

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

How can you tell the difference?

These are listed as winter shoes, so OK. https://www.melvin-hamilton.de.....-pink.html

The Call it Spring loafers in the custom find--summer? What about the other loafers or the Oxfords/Derbys?

I'm looking for shoes to wear maybe for the next month or two, definitely for next fall/winter & beyond. I have boots, but would like a pair of good shoes for 40-ish days. I loved my last pair of Call it Spring loafers, but they would not cut it during winter. The Naturalizers look like they have a more substantial heel, so I wonder if they'd be better for cool weather overall. Right now, I'm wearing the Borns, which are not really enough, or maybe just barely.

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by Stagiaire Fash

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Naturalizer Emiline

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Blackstone Blackstone 'HL55' Slip-On Oxford (Women) | Nordstrom

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Blackstone Blackstone 'HL55' Slip-On Oxford (Women) | Nordstrom

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Miz Mooz Miz Mooz Theo Loafer (Women) | Nordstrom

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Børn - Womens - Passi

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Shopping

24 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

This depends entirely on your climate. For me, Winter shoes look great with socks, can be good in snow and ice, are more substantial, and keep your feet warm. It's not a colour thing - it's a silhouette, fabric and design thing. I wear white shoes year round. If I could find the right pair of non-suede blush boots, I'd wear them in Winter. I also wear navy and cognac shoes in Summer.

My Summer Seattle shoes need to be closed - like loafers, mules, white sneaks, and ballet flats.

My Summer shoes in SLC can be sandals, but closed shoes like the ones I wear in Seattle too.

Joy

Veteran

What Angie said, 40ish weather Fahrenheit means booties for me. If not doing much walking, loafers or oxfords are ok if worn with socks or knee- high stockings ( sometimes a double layer for warmth. I wear closed toe shoes all summer but a good sandal looks ok on others. Some women wear tall boots all summer, especially in icy airconditioning.. Choose what you want and own it.

Anonymous

All those are winter-transitional shoes to me -but you knew I'd say that
Summer is sandals to me-full stop. The barer the better. Not peep toes or mules-proper sandals. Exception trainers in the gym-which come off before heading home.
Winter is closed shoes or usually boots. If its mild, mules are on the sartorial table. I'm trying to get some wears out of them since we don't really have transitional weather.
Aside from the obvious comfort factor of sandals, I think I was influenced by seeing my dads pale feet and tan legs after he mowed the grass...

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Honestly, I think a lot of it is just which collection they were released with by the designer. Snow boots are winter. Flip flops are summer. Everything else is malleable.

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Where I live winter highs and summer lows are often the same temperature (no snow) so while I live in sandals during the day in summe, summer nights I am often wearing my warmer winter/all season shoes.

viva

Veteran

I’m actually shopping for new booties now, hoping for a lighter color, and I intend to wear them year round (maybe only evenings in July). I agree with Jenn; after snow boots and flip flops, pretty much anything goes. I can see all of those shoes you posted being worn on a non-snowy/mucky 40 degree day - with the possible exception of the Lacey pair, which looks more delicate to me.

kkards

Veteran

ok, i live in a true 4 seasons climate and my shoes reflect that

starting from the top
the pink monk straps--for me these are Oct/Nov & March/April shoes. ie cooler but not cold
the 2 pink loafers are May-September ie warm even hot if they are leather
the others are harder for me to know...but probably more cooler not cold...

for me a big part of the equation is the sole of the shoe, more so than the heel, as it get cooler i find that i/want a sturdier, more substantial sole because the ground is cooler.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Let me try again:

I am looking for pink shoes that I can wear in temps in the 40s. That means no snow or ice. It rains only fleetingly, not enough to need an umbrella, most of the time not enough to pull up my hood.

I have boots already, am not looking for more. I am looking for shoes. The most important thing for me in winter shoes are that they are warm, which probably means being a bit sturdier.

These shoes, with the possible exception of the custom find, all look to me like they might fit those criteria, but then again, they might not. Is there any way, aside from ordering them all, that I can figure out which would keep my feet warm in fairly cool, not cold, temps? The Borns I have now have rubber soles, as do the loafers in the custom find. Because the Borns just barely cut it, I'm guessing the same would be true of the loafers. Reasonable?

Jenn, are you saying that the decision to release them with a particular collection/in a particular season is unrelated to the way they are made? That would mean I couldn't even count on the monk strap shoes in the picture to work.

In case soles matter, here are descriptions of all the soles:
Born soles are rubber--those shoes aren't quite enough.
Custom find soles are also rubber, so probably also too cold (does that make sense?)
Soles on the monk strap shoes are leather and rubber.
Naturalizers: "Flexible non-slip outsole is durable and textured for added grip. Non-slip man-made outsole."
The two pairs of pink Blackstones have "Leather upper and lining/leather and synthetic sole."
The Miz Mooz have "Leather upper and lining/synthetic sole"
Which of those sound appropriate for the conditions I described?

What else could make a difference? What else should I look at to determine before ordering if a shoe might be good for the conditions I've described?

SarahD8

Veteran

To me, cool weather shoes have a more substantial sole that provides separation between my foot and the cold ground. They also have a higher vamp that enables me to wear substantial socks (vs nude knee highs). Ymmv if you don't mind the look of socks with low vamp shoes.

For me, the first two pairs of pink loafers would be spring/fall transitional shoes. The remaining more menswear styled shoes (or the monk straps) would be for cold weather.

But if the Borns are barely cutting it for you, the other similar styles might not be warm enough either.

Can you ID where the Borns are falling short? If your ankles are cold, maybe you need booties or shooties. (Or warmer socks?) If it's the soles, maybe look for a thicker/lug soled style.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Sarah, thank you!

The vamps are probably what (subconsciously) made me doubt both pairs of loafers. Oddly though, dark brown loafers with socks seem entirely winter appropriate to me. I'm not sure why that is. But I think you are right that I wouldn't like the look of socks with either of the loafers I have pictured here, so out they go, the only options that were in my price range. :/ Now it's largely a waiting game to see which of the others drop in price while my size is still available. But if I can rule any out based on the info on line, I should do so.

Interrogating the Borns is a good strategy.

My ankles are fine in the Borns. I wear them with socks and plan to wear socks with whatever winter shoes I get, because winter. If it's too cold for shoes with socks, I'd wear boots, which I already have. I'm not looking for more boots.

I do wear additional soles in the Borns, and that's much better. I'm not sure if that means I should be looking for shoes with thicker soles, or if it means that it doesn't matter how thick the soles are, I can add extra soles.

The uppers of the Borns also seem thin to me. Is there any way to determine if the upper of a shoe is thick enough to be warm, aside from holding it in your hand or putting it on your foot?

Kathie

Veteran

For cool weather, I’d go for the higher vamp of Blackstones, Borns, or Miz Mooz, because I find those styles more flattering with socks. The Call It Spring and Naturalizer ones seem closer to ballet flats, and less warm, due to the more open/lower vamp.

(Cross-posted with Sarah!)

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Thanks Kathie. The Borns actually don't quite cut it. I'm trying to figure out if any of the others would be warmer. I hear you on the loafers. They are both off the island now.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I just realized there is a pair of loafers with higher vamps in my finds. I'm not sure how I'd feel about them with socks. The point of these shoes, whichever ones I get, would be to tonally match my berry/cherry winter cloths.

J.Crew Ryan Penny Loafers in Leather

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nemosmom

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What about adding a shearling or faux fur insole to one of the pink shoes? Or even to your Born? I personally don't like the look of socks with loafers on me, so I insulate the shoe itself whenever I can. I have used the skechers invisible socks (the kind that barely cover your toes and heel; I wear them with flats to prevent sweaty feet in summer), but they are too thin for added warmth.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Nemosmom, yep, the soles I use in the Borns, and that I might use in some of these other shoes, are shearling. But even with them, I think that I'd want at least ankle socks. I might also wear these with skirts/dresses and thick tights, so whatever I get has to look ok with socks. Thanks for helping me think this through!

LaPed

Veteran

The Miz Mooz and the Blackstones look the most winter-y to me. Higher vamp, thicker sole. The tan upper plus white sole on the Born oxfords says "spring/summer" to me.

That said, if it's in the 40s, I'm wearing boots and socks. Like Angie, I have no tolerance for cold.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Thanks La Ped. Does the composition of the sole matter for warmth, or just its thickness? What do you think of the M-Hs in the pic/link?

I've been wearing boots when it's in the 30s, but temps in the 40s and even 50s are weird for me. Sometimes they feel chilly to me, and sometimes I'm just fine. Suppose it depends on what's going on with me (tiredness, mood, etc) as well as on the humidity, cloud cover, and other weather-related factors. Today it was between 8 and 11 C while I was out, and I was perfectly fine with the Borns, my lightweight puffy, cami and ls shirt. But 2 days ago I stepped out into similar temps as the wind picked up and a few raindrops fell, and I came back in to get more clothes. There were times during the coldest part of this winter (I'm guessing it's over, now that pollen is coming out) that my feet were just sick of boots, so one pair of shoes would be nice for an occasional change of pace.

Suntiger, lol at your shellshock at your dad's legs/feet. Remember you and Jenni NZ asked about shoes to go with my berry stuff a week or 2 ago? That's what these would be.

LaPed

Veteran

Oh yeah, I definitely want a thicker sole when it's colder outside The ground holds the cold; it doesn't warm up as quickly as air. And it definitely effects our perception of the cold (why radiant heat in floors is so effective). I happily wear shoes with minimalist/barefoot soles in mild weather (for me that's 50s and up, if it's dry), but any colder and I find I really need something thicker or I start to feel cold from the feet up.

Oh, and those pink/brown monkstrap shoes are so pretty! Definitely good with your berry colour palette. I could see those being good spring/fall shoes.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Can it be a pink hi-top sneaker? Not a boot, and keeps you warm.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

If these could be worn with socks or knee-highs - that could work for the temps you're talking about. The loafers look Summery to me.

Børn - Womens - Passi

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Blackstone Blackstone 'HL55' Slip-On Oxford (Women) | Nordstrom

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Blackstone Blackstone 'HL55' Slip-On Oxford (Women) | Nordstrom

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Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Angie, do you think the Blackstones would be warmer than the Borns?

Kathie

Veteran

To my eye, the Miz Mooz and the M-H look possibly the warmest, since the piecing of the leather is more built up on the upper. I like the detailing on both of those for you as well. The brighter pink of the M-H makes them nice for transitional weather, too. The top of the Blackstones is open, so I would guess those would be slightly less warm. Hope one of them reaches a price point that works for you!

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Thanks Kathie! Having your critical eye on the uppers is helpful.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

No. I think the Borns would be warmer because of the lace-up insulation.