Summer to Fall Shoes

August is an interesting month for style shopping- it falls squarely into the pre-fall designation. Pre-fall is one of my favorite categories, borne from the need to wear warm weather clothes but still keeping an eye out for the chilly temps that fall can bring.

Here is my shoe shopping list for August, and how to wear your new kicks now as well as what to pair them with when the weather takes a turn for the brrrrrr.

Pre-Fall dos and don’ts:
Do- leather, suede, wood, thick sole, plaid, metallic or neutral embellishments
Don’t- bows, ankle wrap ties, skinny heels, wedge, gladiator, floral

Heels

These Target beauties are the perfect example of a pre-fall shoe. They have the color and texture for fall, but the open weave of summer. I wore them on the ChicagonistaLIVE! show yesterday with a white perforated leather skirt. They chunky wood platform sole is perfectly on trend, and get this- they are COMFORTABLE. Yes, you will be towering 5″ above everyone else, but you can still walk as opposed to stumble along. They come in black and cognac, and a few other styles in the same category (like these Cali Quarter Straps).

Wear them now:
Pop them on with a slip dress, a midi skirt, even wide leg (extra long) pants or flare jeans! You can get the 70s vibe going, or travel down the boho road with these beauties.

Wear them later:
Tights! Tights are your cool weather solution to any shoes that don’t provide adequate warmth. These open weave/pothole tights that hit the runway and cover of Marie Claire are an elusive find. I am on the hunt, but they are impossible to procure! You can tell they are fashion forward when they can be found only on websites that list the price in British pounds. Yes, I imported them.

#StyleTip: Check dancewear sites for unique, comfy clothing. I snagged these tights from the British site Move Dancewear. Professional dancewear is built to last and move. If you want to go local, check out Allegro Dance Boutiqe in Evanston and Barrington. The warmup wear is the most comfortable stuff EVER.

(Not So) Basic Boots

If you watched ChicagonistaLIVE! yesterday, I showed these beauties on the show. Fall 2016 is the moto ankle boot for sure. Embellishments like studs and buckles truly bring a tough side to these comfy and versatile boots. I just bought these Frye Veronica Studded Short Moto Boot. If you are going to buy a non-fashion staple boot (as in, basic black or brown, no trendy embellishments like tassels), INVEST. Real leather, quality soles. Spend $100+. It is worth it.

Wear them now:
ROCK these with a mini skirt. They are the PERFECT way to keep a short skirt length less trampy.

Wear them later:
Jeans. Maxi skirts. Metallic coated denim. SO. MANY. OPTIONS. These won’t go out of style since the studs are understated and not bright, shiny silver.

#StyleTip If you see a pair of shoes you like but don’t want to pay shipping, check Amazon.com. They often sell the EXACT pair of shoes but are fulfilled by other vendors. For example, I saw these boots on the discount site 6pm.com (which you MUST ALWAYS check b/c it is operated by Zappos, which is the authority on online shoe purchases). I then checked Amazon, and sure enough, the boots are sold by Amazon and fulfilled by 6pm.com (and at a better price- $156.80 vs. $174.99). Now, I would have received free shipping but not free returns if I went with 6pm. And for online shoe shopping? Free returns are a necessity.

6pm.com vs. Amazon.com fulfilled by 6pm.com

Trendy Boots

I like to get a fun pair of boots or shoes that stand out a bit, different from the basic boots in both color, heel height and embellishments. The key is to not drop a wad of cash on them since they might not work next year. I grabbed some maroon fringe wedge booties from Aerosoles (yes, I am not 21 anymore and actually want to feel my feet by the end of the day). They were on super sale (from $145 down to $39.99, plus an additional “VIP” discount of 25%), so I figured why not! These Plumming Bird ankle booties received 5/5 star rating from 21 people, which is virtually unheard of in the shoe world. PS- I did check Amazon for the same boots, and they didn’t have my size/color combo at NEAR the price Aerosoles did. You never know!

Wear them now:
These look ADORABLE with a skirt! I have a suede button front mini that I can pair with a boho blouse, slouchy sweater or basic t-shirt that will work well. Also, a maxi or midi dress will look fabulous with this style. 

Wear them later: 
These could look super cute with skinny jeans in the fall! When you have a high heel and a close cut ankle, you need to be careful with balancing the volume and length of pants. Either go with a tight pant thinly cuffed above the ankle showing a strip of skin (GAAA! Don’t tuck your jeggings into the tight opening of the boot!) or slim micro flared denim that hits the toe.

#StyleTip: The key to ankle boots with a heel is to make sure they fit semi-snugly around your ankle. You don’t want it to look like your ankle is drowning in a big ol’ boot, and the friction of a boot that hula-hoops around your ankle isn’t ideal.

What shoes are you rocking this fall? Have you started the hunt or just lusting after your faves in the fashion mags?