Booties are one of my favorite shoe categories. If you visit my closet, you'll find the majority of my shoes fall into four categories: tennies, slides, mules, and booties. I love booties because they are comfortable, stylish, and highly versatile. They pair with any bottom you have - shorts, crops, jeans, trousers, skirts - and can add interest to any look. I've rounded up a few of my favorite booties in this post, along with tips for wearing them well.
Tip No. 1: Texture and Shape are your friend!
I love these booties because they are pointed and mixed material/texture. These booties have patterned leather, suede, matte leather and patent leather. If that isn't interesting, I don't know what is!
Pro tip: Pair them with relatively simple pieces that repeat the themes in the booties for a look that's high interest while staying strictly cohesive.
Tip No. 2: Let them be LOUD
I tend to gravitate towards shoes that make a statement, while keeping the rest of my wardrobe relatively simple. Case in point, the outfit above: while each piece of my outfit is well made and has some level of interest to it (distressing on the jeans, graphic on the tee, zippers on the jacket), it's all really just supporting cast to my booties. Bold print, studded details, and interesting shape thanks to the cut-outs, these booties are the star of the show, no question.
Pro tip: get picky! Find a shoe that is exactly your type of loud. There are animal prints, over the top studding, and bright bold colors to choose from. Find something that screams your name, and wear it with abandon.
Tip No. 3: Bold Silhouettes are a must
These booties got me because the moderately thick and relatively high heel creates the most gorgeous shape. And I love that the deep black color makes them look like a sculpture or a highly structured shadow. Simple yet understated.
Pro tip: Practice your walk. No, seriously. Higher heels can be tricky. I had a grandma who helped me learn to walk in my higher heels, and it makes a difference in your comfort and confidence level when you wear them. A few pointers she gave me:
1) The weight of your body is being held by a string on the top of your head tied to the sky. Your feet simply move you forward.
2) Walk from your hips. Right hip swinging forward = right foot moves forward.
3) Don't really use your heels. You're walking on the balls of your feet, and each one should touch quickly/briefly before you transfer to the next foot. You want to brush the ground, not tramp on it.
Tip No. 4: Mind where it hits your ankle
This is the biggest one for wearing booties with different types of bottoms. Where the shaft hits on your leg will elongate or shorten you since it divides your body up visually.
Pro Tip: Always show more ankle with shorter bottoms. A short shirt, shorts, or cropped pants deserve a bootie that shoes some serious ankle. Since it shows more skin, it makes you look longer even though you have a shoe that stops at your ankle.
I've rounded up a few of my current favorite booties below! Which tip was your favorite? Do you have any tips you'd like to share? Drop them in the comments below!
SHOP THE POST
