You know what’s weird? I keep getting asked if booties are going out of style soon because people want to buy a pair and they’re not sure if they should.
I find it weird because besides the fact that it has happened multiple times, to me, booties are a closet staple! I never worry about them going out of style. Though they’ve been getting more attention and hype lately, I’ve always seen them as a closet staple. I’ve been wearing them for 5 years, and I started because I saw them on other people years before that. I didn’t even know they were trending until I got several questions about them this month. To me, they have been one of my go-to shoes for the fall for years and they will continue to be, even when/if the current hype around them dies down. If you too have been wondering if ankle boots will last in your closet, my answer is an emphatic YES! (As long as you stick to a classic silhouette that doesn’t have super trendy details, of course!)
One huge reason I love ankle boots is because they are a great alternative to riding boots when you want to dress like it’s fall but the temp is still too warm. One circumstance would be the transition from summer to fall, when you’re feeling the fall style itch but it’s still warm. Another circumstance would be for anyone who lives in a warmer climate, like me, where it hardly gets cold. Our falls and winters don’t warrant riding boots often, so ankle boots are the way to go.
I thought I’d provide a few outfit ideas for how to wear booties now and how to wear them once fall kicks in. And I’m teaming up with Nordstrom again to do it! Hopefully this will help you get more use out of them instead of waiting until fall and winter to wear them!
There were several great pairs of booties during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, but above is the pair I ultimately kept (found HERE). Since last year I’d been looking for three things in a new pair of booties:
- 1) Lighter color. I have black, brown, and a greyish taupe, but I wanted a lighter pair. This was the exact color I was looking for!
- 2) Nearly flat heel so I could walk all day in them. The description says this heel is 2″ but it feels lower than that, and that’s what’s important. I wanted an everyday pair that I could walk at length in. Honestly, that part is to still be tested because I won’t know until I actually walk all day in them. Haven’t gotten there yet. Based on limited wear compared to all the other booties I tried, these seemed to have the best chance.
- 3) Lower shaft aka doesn’t come up too high. I prefer a lower shaft because of the shape of my calves and legs and how some booties with a higher shaft shorten my leg line due to having to roll the jeans up higher. This pair was the lowest of all I tried and hit exactly where I wanted it to. (See last year’s post on How to Choose the Right Pair of Ankle Boots HERE!)
They are almost sold out in this color, but a very similar pair by the same brand is HERE. I tried them, and if I remember correctly they are possibly more comfortable than the pair I ended up keeping. I didn’t choose these because they came up slightly too high on my ankle, but if you don’t need to be picky about that those are great!
Outfit #1 – With Dresses or Skirts
This is one of my favorite ways to wear ankle boots when it’s still warm. Since it’s still summer weather here, I’ve worn this outfit in extreme heat, but with sandals instead of booties. I’ve also worn it with booties during the cooler evenings. Besides the practicality of warmer feet keeping me warmer, trading the sandals for ankle boots instantly turns it into fall style even if the weather is still warm. Kinda fun how much a pair of shoes can change an outfit, isn’t it?
If it’s a little cooler you can add a layer, like a blazer, denim jacket, vest, leather jacket, or whatever. This is that super duper comfy knit blazer from the NSale. It feels like a thin sweatshirt but looks less sloppy, even when paired with this loose t-shirt dress. I’m normally size S/M and wearing S. Comes in 5 colors!
Shop for the Look:
Dress: Target
Blazer: Nordstrom (exact–wearing S)
Shoes: Nordstrom (exact)
Necklace: Nordstrom
Bag: Nordstrom (exact)
Shop for the Look:
Top: Nordstrom (exact–wearing S)
Vest: Old Navy (similar, similar)
Jeans: Nordstrom (exact)
Boots: Nordstrom (exact)
Bag: Nordstrom (exact)
Shop for the Look:
Top: Nordstrom (exact–wearing M)
Cardigan: Nordstrom (exact–wearing S)
Jeans: Nordstrom (exact)
Boots: Nordstrom (exact)
Bag: Nordstrom (exact)
Shopping Options
If you’re in the market for ankle boots, here’s some help!
Second note, every single one of these comes in multiple colors. Many of them come in 3-5 colors, while some even more than that! As you browse, pay attention the shape and characteristics more than the color because it’s likely you can find a color you like with these. For example, if you see a black one and go “Ehhh, I wasn’t looking for a black one,” it probably comes in taupe or cognac or tan too, so don’t rule it out.
Resources
Here are some past posts if you aren’t sure what to look for when ankle boot shopping!
- taupe booties (My favorite pair that are years old.)
- taupe booties #2 (Same pair. Some posts might overlap because of how I labeled posts years ago.)
- brown booties
- brown booties #2
- black booties
