Confession time, my fellow Shoe-A-Holics...I'm glad it's cool. Now let me explain, it's been an unseasonably cold winter with the occasional bursts of spring (remember that week of mid-70's in January...then again in February?); which left me wishing for a quick summer warm up, but it came too fast, and 60 degree days were replaced by mid-80's, and I found myself vastly unprepared...I haven't quite made it in for my spring kick-off pedicure, so the feet are looking...well...rough, after a pretty active boot season!
But with the weather cooling just as quickly as it warmed up, I have the chance to break out the last few remnants of an almost gone winter season, and another favorite transition pair of footwear, booties!
In one word, booties are Chic! A shorter version of their taller counterpart, booties are sexy and playful, daring and dressy. They are the ideal winter staple if, like me, you have trouble with the shaft of traditional boots; whether too tight or too loose or if they just can't seem to keep their shape, a bootie eliminates the headache, giving you a sleek, pulled together look.
My Advice: Find a statement pair like these. A daring heel, an internal platform, zipper detail, or a bold color; if you can't perfect your look with a boot, then find the perfect bootie!
Baci a tutti!
Stella Notte
Day 328: Wednesday April 24th 2013
Designer: Steve Madden
Name: Showie
Style: Platform Ankle Bootie
Heel: 5 inches (12.7 cm)
Platform: 1 inch (2.54 cm)
Material: Luxe suede upper with zipper detailing
In less than a week's time, I've experienced near 80 degree temperatures followed by dips in the mercury so low that warranted freeze warnings; rainy days which barely made it into the 50's haven given way to near 70's today, and week's end, it is forecasted to be in the 80's! Mother Nature has gone mad, but that doesn't mean you need to follow suit...at least not with your footwear!
A favorite transition item for me is a pair of open-toe booties. With such a daring silhouette, they are functional, fun and flirty. Choose a pair that make a statement, either with color, design or details, like these gold-metal grommets!
Baci a tutti!
Stella Notte
Day 325: Sunday April 7th 2013 Designer: Mojo Moxy Name: Voodoo Color: Black Chico Suede Style: Open-Toe Bootie Heel: 4 inches (10.16 cm) Shaft: 6 inches (15.24 cm)
Material: Suede Upper with metal-ringed grommet detail
To see how I styled these beautiful mules, follow the link below to:
Okay, my fellow Shoe-A-Holics, while we are still waiting on warmer days to come (and stay), one shouldn't totally abandon common sense for the likelihood of a remote possibility; granted, I love the sun just as much (perhaps even more than) the next person, but while the date may read spring, the mercury has been less than agreeable and for all intents and purposes, it is still winter!
Another of my favorite winter-to spring transition pieces is a suede boot. During the throngs of winter, when you're battling with slush and snow, functionality is first and foremost for footwear, and you grab your winter boots. When weather predictions are less harsh or the sidewalks have been cleared, you grab a pair of leather boots. But when the days are still cold, and the threat of precipitation has been virtually eliminated, then comes the perfect opportunity for suede. As warm as its leather counterpart, yet more flexible (at least to me), suede offers a rich textural contrast to your outfit. Pair your boots with a suede bag to bring unity between the boots and outfit, try a bag in a different color to keep the look fun and relaxed.
Baci a tutti!
Stella Notte
Day 323: Sunday March 31st 2013
Designer: Franco Sarto
Name: Whitney
Color: Black
Style: Tall Wedge Boot
Heel: 3.5 inches (8.89 cm)
Shaft: 15 inches (38.1 cm)
Material: Luxe suede upper with crossed straps at vamp and buckle detail
To see how I styled these beautiful boots, follow the link below to:
My fellow Shoe-A-Holics, I recently had the opportunity to witness a time honored tradition of this nations' first peoples; historically a gathering of Native Americans, the 2013 Lowcountry Pow Wow gathered those of Native American heritage (and those of us who aren't) in a serene lakeside setting, once home to the Yemassee tribes people, to partake in great this spectacle of pageantry.
Modern Tepee, complete with fire pit inside,
served as temporary residence for several participants
Flag procession of opening ceremony
Inter-tribal Men Dance
Pictures of participants dressed in ceremonial regalia.
This beautiful Squaw (pictured far above lower right, in ceremonial regalia) from the Tribe of the People of the First Light, performed a ceremonial Blanket Dance.
From the men who surrounded her, she would dance then place her blanket before the warrior she wanted to marry;
if he picked up her blanket, they would be wed.
Baci a tutti!
Stella Notte
Day 322: Tuesday March 26th 2013
Designer: MIA Limited Edition
Name: Trail
Style: Western-Style Boot
Heel: 3.5 inches (8.89 cm)
Shaft: 6 inches (15.24 cm)
Material: Distressed Leather Upper, slouchy shaft atop a stacked heel
And yes, my fellow Shoe-A-Holics, I do get the irony or wearing cowboy boots to a Pow Wow...I should have gone with my first instincts and wore my knee high moccasins.
Undoubtedly a must have for the winter season, a tall boot provides protection and warmth against the snow and cold; fashion is often sacrificed for function, and durability for luxury, when braving the elements, but an ultra-feminine way to stay chic when the temperature drops is with a tall dress boot.
When looking for the perfect dress boot (a boot to be worn with a dress or skirt), I highly recommend three things:
1) Buy a pair of tall boots. Functionally they are warmer than their shorter counterparts, and their longer length give an overall sleeker appearance when they peek out from below long skirts, or when paired with shorter skirts.
2) Invest in a pair of tall boots with a comfortable heel or wedge; while taller woman have a frame that can accommodate a long skirt, for those of us who are vertically challenged, a long dress or skirt can easily overwhelm a shorter frame. A boot with a heel will offset the length of skirt, allowing it to fall the way it was designed.
3) Buy a tall, comfortable heeled boot with an almond toe. Long skirts and dresses can make you appear taller provided you style them correctly, and one way to do this is with a boot with a tapered toe. This style creates the illusion of longer legs as one's eye is drawn upward from the toe. Additionally, while pointy-toed footwear is back in style, the almond toe is more comfortable, the style is enduring, and men happen to find it more attractive!
Baci a tutti!
Stella Notte
Day 316: Thursday February 21st 2013
Designer: Enzo Angiolini
Name: Zeller
Color: Black
Style: Tall Boot
Heel: 3.5 inches (8.89 cm)
Shaft: 17.5 inches (44.45 cm)
Material: Luxe suede upper with ruching along shaft and bow detailing
My fellow Shoe-A-Holics, if you are looking for a way to embrace the faux fur trend, but you want to do it in true shoe lover style, then a boot with the faux fur is your way to go.
Worn on it's own, it can make a monochromatic outfit pop, and when styled with another faux fur piece (like the vest pictured above or the fur trimmed hood pictured far below), it can tie together an entire look.
Just one word of caution: Faux fur is really a stand out piece that can easily take one's look from outstanding to outdoorsy if too much is worn. My advice would be to limit the number of pieces worn to no more than two, and to limit the color to no more than one. While mixing neutrals can create an amazing look, mixing different shades of fur, will achieve the opposite effect.
Baci a tutti!
Stella Notte
Day 314: Sunday February 17th 2013
Designer: Two Lips
Name: Fur Sure
Color: Tan
Style: Back-Zip Stiletto Tall Boots
Heel: 5 inches (12.7 cm)
Platform: 1 inch (2.54 cm)
Shaft 15 inches (38.1 cm)
Material: Leather upper with faux fur, back zip, strap and buckle detailing
My fellow Shoe-A-Holics, a quick way to add Edge to your wardrobe, is with a pair of motorcycle boots! Reminiscent of James Dean in Rebel Without A Cause, this throwback 1950's era style of boot, is ruggedly sexy, and instantly brings a cool vibe to your look.
Easy to wear, and even easier to style, pair with bright skinnies for a lean silhouette (picture above), or with a deconstruced mini (pictured far below) for a fun, flirty look.
Baci a tutti!
Stella Notte
Day 313: Thursday February 14th 2013
Designer: MIA
Name: Rascal or Rascal 1
Color: Tan
Style: Ankle Motorcycle Boot
Heel: 1.25 inches (3.18 cm)
Shaft: 7.5 inches (19.05 cm)
Material: Leather Upper with Cross-Strap and Buckle
My fellow Shoe-A-Holics, if you don't already own a pair of Over-the-Knee (OTK) boots, you should consider investing in a pair. If you have and any reservations because these boots remind you of a Pretty Woman Julia Roberts or conjure up images of a...well..hehem...streetwalker, then it's time to debunk any misconceptions, and help you buy them with confidence.
The first thing to consider when venturing out into OTK territory, is the shaft length of the boot. This sexy style comes in a variety of lengths from just over the knee to all the way up to your lower hip. While the latter my seem quite extreme and be reserved for those who play in dungeons, mid-thigh is a comfortable length, and looks universally flattering.
The next thing to keep in mind is the height of the heel. Like the shaft, the heel can range from flat to very high. A flat boot is a very modest way to wear this style of boot; paired with skinny jeans and cozy outerwear, it creates a unique cool weather vibe. A wedge heel in this style can give you the height want meanwhile creating a leg lengthening silhouette; paired with a mini, you can get away with looking flirty vice trashy (pictured far below in black). The stiletto version of this boot (pictured above) is where a lot of attention needs to be paid to styling. A general rule of thumb is when the hem line shortens, so should the heel, but I believe you can pair this height in heel as easily with a mini as you can skinny jeans, provided the hem of the skirt falls below cuff of the boot (pictured in brown below).
One thing to keep in mind when looking for a pair of OTK boots, is that if you plan to sit in them, you may want to consider a pair that have a fold over cuff, corset detailing behind the knee or are made with a 'U' shape cut out behind the knee; leather boots are not made with spandex/elastin, an while they are a natural fiber, there is very little give. If you are unsure about the flexibility of the upper, there are synthetic uppers (some made with spandex) that can give you the same lean look of leather.
Are you ready to get your OTK's?
Baci a tutti!
Stella Notte
Day 312: Tuesday February 12th 2012
Designer: Pleaser USA
Name: Legend 8899
Color: Brown
Style: OTK Boot
Heel: 4 inches (10.16 cm)
Shaft: 27 inches (68.58 cm)
Material: Leather Upper with corset lacing
Crushing on my boots? You can find them here at Amazon.com. My helpful hint: Size up! If you squeeze your tootsies into pointy shoes in the winter, you'll have scrunched up toes by summer!
My fellow Shoe-A-Holics, are there any amongst you who doesn't love a bootie? Short and sweet, they have the luxurious appeal of a boot with a wear-ability of a shoe, and with the flirty embellishments like these buckled straps or fold over cuff, they add a dimension to footwear that can't be accomplished by a boot or shoe alone. Do you have your sexy booties yet?
Baci a tutti!
Stella Notte
Designer: Naughty Monkey
Name: Need To (the suede version of this shoe is sold under the name Want To)
Color: Tan Style: Platform Ankle Bootie Heel: 4.75 inches (12.07 cm) Platform: 1 inch (2.54 cm) Material: Leather Upper with strap and buckle accents and fold over cuff
.One thing I love about boot season (besides the boots, that is) are all the accouterments that go along with these cold weather beauties: the coats, the hats, the leggings, the gloves and the winter fabrics that they come in: the leather, the tweeds and wools. Grey, a very chic neutral color, is fabulous in every shade, and what's great about stying grey, is that you can wear so many different shades, and it still looks great. The fold over, belted jacket I bought at Chadwicks some years ago, and the matching matching cap (complete with contrast piping) I bought from Auchan while in Sicily. The skirt which is a thick, stretch cotton, I found on clearance at Old Navy, and the tights I bought at a Sicilian market for 2 Euros ($3). The leather color-blocked clutch is from the GAP. SN
As promised, my fellow Shoe-A-Holics, snow! Okay, so it's not exactly snow...it's ice from the skating rink that the Zamboni cleared off; and although these Timberland beauties didn't get to play in the snow, they did take to an event to which I have never been before...an ice hockey game!
I can hear the collective gasp of my Canadian readers, but it is true, even though my high school had a hockey team, well two actually, even though many of my friends played for the school and in the Metro Toronto league, even though my high school's Senior (Varsity, for my American readers) team made it to the provincial finals and won, this was my first time going, and I loved it!
The first game of the double header in the annual Thrasher Cup between The University of Florida (Gators) and Florida State University (yes, they do play hockey in the tropical location of Florida), I rooted for the FSU Seminoles, only because there was a Canadian on the team. Unfortunately they lost to the Gators 6-2.
The second game was more evenly matched, and the defending two-time Thrasher Cup champions, the Georgia Tech (GT) Yellow Jackets, iced the University of Georgia (UGA) Ice-Bulldogs, 3-1. It was a difficult decision deciding which team to cheer for considering GT had 2 Canadians and UGA had a woman player (number 5, with the ponytail). So I did as any true Canadian would do, I voted for my fellow countrymen!
Something else I've never seen at high school or the small liberal arts college I attended, was a band that came to cheer on their competing team. Check out the Georgia Tech band's rendition of War'sLow Rider.
Unfortunately, I'm experiencing some difficulties with You Tube this morning, but I'll try again later to bring you the video!
Baci a tutti!
Stella Notte
Designer: Me, with some help of Timberland.com
Name: 14" Premium (Custom Made)
Style: Tall Lace-Up Boot
Heel: 1.5 inches (3.81 cm)
Platform: 0.5 inches (1.27 cm)
Shaft: 14 inches (35.56 cm)
Material: Full-grain waterproof nubuck leather upper with rust proof hardware, embossed logo and lug sole. The attached tag is part of the monogrammed custom made option
How I Styled It?
When I purchased these boots, I had the unique opportunity to design them myself! In the Design Your Own Boot section of the Timberland.com website, you can customize your very own Timberland boots in an array of sizes and colors, down to the height of the boot and font of the monogram. When I created mine, I was heavily into my Feminine & Pink phase, and not being able to find pink boots anywhere, I chose this delicate color to pair with this rugged style. I chose the grey complement, because I have always loved how these two colors worked so well together. Hard to tell, but the pink puffer jacket (which I found at a market in Italy), is much lighter than the setting sun would lead one to believe, (as shown when I first previewed these beauties here). The hooded sweater dress is from Old Navy (several seasons ago), while the leggings and pink t-shirt with lace trim are form Forever 21. The bag is Bongo and the scarf is from the market. SN
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