Charlotte Lamb from Styling Out The School Run goes Back to Boots...!
As I squelched back into my house from a trip to the park I realised that my go-to summer shoes were no longer cutting the mustard. My beloved Birkenstocks were now covered from the rain and mud the poor things had had to endure on our afternoon out.
It’s the middle of August, the children are only halfway through the six weeks holidays (the longest six weeks of any parent’s year) and my wardrobe is stacked high with shoes that were purchased in those hopeful months of spring when you are certain that this will be the summer of record breaking heatwaves. Thus far most of my sandals and open toe flats lie in their boxes sadly waiting for the day they will make their outfit debut. However, after today’s rather soggy walk home I fear they will remained boxed until next year (when I am sure the weather will be similar to that of Barbados)!
With this said it leads me to wonder if it’s time to begin looking ahead to AW styles and in particular what footwear trends are going to be big. Sadly I don’t think it will be too much longer until we need to chuck out the mules and throw on some fabulous ankle boots.
Ankle Boots
Topshop – Alec Studded Ankle Boots £79.00 . HM – Satin Ankle Boots £34.99 . Seven Boot Lane – Kitty Black Leather £160.00 . ASOS – Ryder Suede Buckle Ankle Boots £35.50 . Topshop – Hale Ankle Boots £59.00 . HM – Leopard Print Ankle Boots £34.99
The transition footwear of choice from summer to autumn is fast becoming the Ankle Boot. With a vast selection of styles and colours available, I find it the perfect shoe to wear with a number of outfits. The Ankle Boot is a wardrobe staple for this reason and can often be seen gracing the catwalks as designers showcase their A/W collections. This season we are going to see a lot of colour, metallic styles and low cut versions which are perfect for elongating legs and my personal favourite. Remember not to shy away from prints as this will add some personality to any look.
Remember your Perfection Secrets Cosy Soles to ensure your feet don’t just look good but feel great too – £5.00.
Over The Knee Boots
Zara – Flat Over the Knee with Chain £49.99 . Zara – Blue Floral Print Boots £119.00 . Zara – Flat Multi-coloured Boots £49.99 . Mango – Red Over the Knee Boots £59.99 . Topshop – Boxer High Leg Silver Boots £99.00 . Topshop (Miss KG) – Venus Black Heel Boots £165.00
When I think of Over the Knee boots I am immediately reminded of Julia Roberts sashaying down Hollywood Boulevard but this season this style of boot is hot, hot, hot (and certainly not in a ‘pay by the hour’ kind of way)! Many designers featured them on the runways of their AW17 shows back in January and the high street has certainly embraced the look. One of the most popular versions of this boot is the Sock Boot style (Zara Multi-coloured Boots) which, as you can imagine from its name, is a stretchy boot which you basically roll up the leg. This style looks perfect with a skinny pair of jeans and over-sized jumper or slightly hidden underneath an oversized jumper dress.
Remember your Perfection Secrets Secret Soles which cushion your feet and allow you to concentrate on looking fabulous in your Over the Knee boots – £5.00.
Knee High Boots
New Look – Grey Suedette Boots £39.99 . Next – Buckle Detail Flat Boot . Dune – Scout Chunky Heeled Boot £170.00 . Clarks – Caddy Belle Aubergine Boots £150.00 . Marks & Spencers – Leather Block Heel £125.00 . New Look – Black Buckle Strap Flat Boots £39.99
If you are not a huge fan of the Over the Knee look then why not try the classic Knee High Boot. I always have at least five pairs of this style in rotation over the colder months as they are easy to throw on in any weather and look as good with a pair of well-fitting jeans as they do with a knee length dress. There are many versions of this timeless style available, suede, heeled, elasticated or flat boots but my recommendation is to choose a classic riding boot style (Next Buckle Detail Riding Boots). Whichever version you opt for this style is timeless and if you get your hands on (or should I say feet in) a great fitting, leather version they will last for years.
Remember your Perfection Secrets Shoe Fillers to re-size your Knee High Boots and keep you comfortable all day long – £3.50.
Kitten Heels
Zara – Red Kitten Heel Boots £25.99 . Next – Blush Kitten Heel Sock Boot £38.00 . HM – Suede Kitten Heel Mules £34.99 . New Look – Silver Kitten Heel £27.99 . Topshop – Jump Slingback White Kitten Heels £59.00 . ASOS – Raid Leopard Print Kitten Heels £29.99
Many of us hear the words Kitten Heel and think of dull, unflattering shoes as seen on the angry school librarians we all dreaded, not a style most of us would rush out to buy. However, all that has changed thanks to amazing footwear designers who have worked tirelessly to create stylish, beautiful Kitten Heels which are changing the bad rep’ this style has held over the years. This shoe was in theory the answer to how you can rock an outfit that requires heels when, for whatever reason, you dread wearing sky-scrapers. Sadly there never seemed to be a version available that wasn’t designed for the 9-5 office look or occasion wear. This autumn will see all that change with the high street really pushing this style as one of the new big trends and many advertising campaigns in your monthly glossy showing off models frolicking in a stunning pair of Kitten Heels.
Many stores are selling a boot and a mule version of the style which means you can stock up for numerous ensembles (great news for you but not so much for your bank account…Ah well)! Wear a Kitten Heel boot with an embroidered midi dress for a casual yet thought out look and why not wear a Mule version with your cut-off jeans and chunky knit instead of regular flats.
Remember your Perfection Secrets Gel Cushions to make your Kitten Heels purr-fect -£3.50!
Embellishment
Kurt Geiger – Ocean Black Flat Trainer £149.00 . Zara – Metallic Leather Purple Mules with Faux Fur £59.99 . Zara – Black Studded Leather Loafers £59.99 . Zara – Leather Ankle Boots with Faux Pearls £79.99 . Zara – Gold High Heel Court Shoes £49.99 . HM – White Trainers with Glitter £24.99
This season the stores have produced beautiful and unique footwear thanks in part to embellishment. Be it feathers, pearls, diamante or fur your outfit can look fabulous by simply adding a pair to your wardrobe. Zara are really leading the charge with almost every shoe style including an element of embellishment (Zara Pearl Embellished Boots). This particular variety of footwear is not to everyone’s taste so if you don’t want to go all out with your embellishment why not choose a slightly more modest version (Kurt Geiger Ocean Trainer).
Remember your Perfection Secrets Comfort Insoles to make every embellished step extra comfortable – £3.00
We would love to know which styles are your favourite for this A/W, let us know by tagging @perfectionsecrets on your fabulous Instagram pictures.
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