Different cities require different shoes. San Diego requires sandals, New York requires a trendy sneaker or heel, and Seattle (where I live) requires boots.
In summer I wear hiking boots. In fall I bring out my fancy embroidered ankle boots to take advantage of the few dry days when they won’t get destroyed. Winter and spring usually find me in my trusty Uggs or some waterproof heeled bootie.
All this boot wearing means I am constantly on the lookout for new pairs. This fall I bought three, all from brands I had not purchased shoes from before. I’ll explain why I bought them and give you my review of each pair. Slight spoiler, I love them all.
I grew up with horses and have always been a fan of equestrian-inspired fashion. What I love about riding boots is the juxtaposing pragmatic sophistication they offer. Their tall leather uppers create a sleek look but their functionality gives them a certain grit. I love that. So I decided to add a pair to my shoe collection and spent nearly a year searching for a pair that met my quality, design, and price specifications.
Initially, I fell in love with a pair from Celine and nearly pulled the trigger on buying them before reminding myself that spending almost 2K on a boot wasn’t advisable for my tax bracket. I also lusted over some Prada and Valentino boots but kept my resolve.
I tried to find boots in the lower end of the spectrum, but I really wanted genuine leather and it’s hard to find that under a certain price point. The few I did find had little aesthetic appeal for me. Then one day I was watching a YouTuber I follow and she pulled out a beautiful pair of Dear Frances boots. I remembered that I had seen another pair of boots I liked on someone I follow on Instagram from the same brand.
I was not very familiar with Dear Frances so I looked the company up and fell in love. The Dear Frances Saddle Boots are absolutely classic! They are made of beautiful Italian leather that is stiff enough to hold its shape but soft enough to be comfortable. The design details around the top and ankle are minimalist but add just the right level of visual interest. The price is fair, almost a bargain for the level of quality.
I bought them almost right away, of course, and have been wearing them a ton since they arrived at my door. While they are totally worth the money, I did see them in the Black Friday and Year-End sales at 25% off. While I am bummed that I missed the sale I don’t mind having paid the full price and would do it again. I now have several pairs of Dear Frances shoes on my wish list.
Brown accessories are so much harder to work with than black, Do you go with beige, tan, brown, taupe, or some other variation of brown? What if their undertones don’t match? Black is safer, but I am trying to expand my wardrobe and embrace the neutrals aesthetic (which I actually really like). So I needed some sleek brown ankle boots, preferably with a medium to high heel.
I found my goldilocks boots while scrolling through the Sezane website. Sezane has quickly become one of my favorite brands, right up there with Anthropologie. I don’t buy a lot from either but what I do pick up stays in my closet FOREVER! Everything I have from Sezane is beautiful and fantastic quality. The brand is transparent about what they use and where their garments are made, they have a good shipping and return policy, and one of the most loyal instagram following I have ever seen. People LOVE Sezane. So I knew their shoes would be good and I decided to buy them
I ordered my US street size, a 10, because that’s what the website recommended and because most of Sezane’s clothing runs more to American sizes than to french. Unfortunately, the boots were just a little too tight for comfort and I didn’t want to risk them not stretching out enough to become comfortable. I returned them and went up a size, which is closer to a US 11 or an EU 41. The second pair runs a bit big on me but there are no half sizes. This is my only complaint about Sezane, their shoe sizes are a bit limited. It’s ok though, I have added some inserts and wear slightly thicker socks and my feet are very happy.
I think there is a slight break-in period with these boots because I did experience a little rubbing the first few times I wore them, but that stopped after a few wears and this is common with a lot of leather shoes.
I really like the Lexie boots and would recommend them to anyone who needs a basic pair of brown ankle boots. The block heel keeps you very stable and gives you about three inches of height. I think the color is easy to combine with other neutrals and mixes with black. I could easily see these boots becoming real wardrobe heroes.
My first memory of Dr. Martens comes from a scene in The Princess Diaries. I knew they were a shoe but I didn’t really have an idea of what kind of shoe. I did know that they had been very popular in the 90’s and were more or less on par with Vans and Chuck Taylors, both of which I have owned several pairs of…so how Dr. Martens escaped me is beyond.
Anyway, I was looking for a pair of combat style boots this fall that were classic but had a very thick tread because I’m obsessed with the Prada monolith combat boots but I can not afford $1,500 for a pair of shoes. I was also unsure of the long-term value of that particular style but I think it’s true enough to my personal style that I would still wear it once the trend appeal dissipates.
During my search, I found several pairs of Dr. Martens that I really liked and if I had not already spent over 1K on new boots I would probably have picked up multiple styles and colors of boots (still eyes some white chelseas). I settled on the Leona 7 Hook Boots and found the best price on Amazon. I initially ordered a US 10, but they felt slightly too big so I also ordered a 9 for comparison. In the end I kept the 10 and just wear my thicker socks. This is advisable anyway as the inside leather of the boot is not smooth or lined and can rub your feet. Docs are known for needing a break-in period, which is something to be aware of.
I think this style is a little bigger because I have not had issues except for the one time I wore the wrong sock. Of the three pairs I am talking about in this post, the Docs have gotten the most compliments and I have owned them the shortest period of time.
I love the really thick tread because it gives me cushion, height, and has great grip on wet or slippery streets. I also love the close-fit ankle and lace-up style. It’s a fairly simple boot but it really makes me feel powerful and taps into my badass alter ego. I would totally buy these again and think they are great value for money.
Three different shoes with very different vibes but all fitting seamlessly into my closet. Which pair would you buy? What is your favorite pair of boots? AND, do you think the Prada combat boots are going to become a classic, or are they a trend?
Thanks for reading!
Rainy Day Rags 