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Friday
Feb122010

Friday shoegasm: Please help me get over my fear of booties

Booties5 If you've ever seen me wobbling around a shoe department, you already know that I have absolutely no apprehension about sliding my feet into a pair of frankenheels or even a pair of Chewbacca boots just for kicks.

There's something about booties that has, for several seasons, had me shaking in my safe, long-zippered knee-highs. 

I told this to the stylist who she swathed me in sequins and denim and then slipped a pair of butterscotch-colored booties on my bare feet.

"Really? Truly?", I asked before I looked at my whole self in the reflection of the mirror. "I can get away with these at the ends of my short legs? I'm nervous to even look."

"Of course!" she rallied me on. Then she insisted I buy myself a pair as a break from all the calf suffocation I've been doing.

I'm generally pretty good at taking fashion direction, particularly when it is from a woman waving strappy leather things and sexy dresses in front of me. But the booties advice? I haven't followed it.

Yet. I suppose I am most apprehensive that wearing short little shoes will cut off the long line I try very hard to create in a Stacy-and-Clinton sort of way with slim, dark denim and A-line skirts with just a slight flair. Or what if I ka-lump ka-lump around in them in that way Posh Spice walks, making her look like her shoes are the giant anchor for her Weeble Wobble body?

Even if I do muster the courage, am I too late in the trend or the year to hop on the bootie train?

It is a dilemma of platform proportions.

Weitzmanpump Quick! Before I sneak off and buy ANOTHER pair of patent peep toes -- like these darlings with the delicate criss-cross straps offset by their killer 1987 blue eyeliner hue (now on sale on the designer deal site Gilt.com for $168) -- give me some guidance on which booties to choose and if I should just let this trend pass me by altogether.

One of my grrrlfriends, who showed up to a dinner party at my house a few weeks ago in an adorable cotton tee dress, thick black leggings and suede booties assured me that I don't have to reserve them just for jeans. If I get a pair, I need them to be versatile.

Keep that in mind when you're being brutally honest about putting booties on my feet. OK, shoe mavens, hit me with your opinions!

Booties1 I love that these leather babies by Nine West have a simple design and clean lines with just a bit of v-cut flair at each side of the ankle. At $99 and 4-inches high...totally practical, right?. Alright, not practical, but classic and safe.

Booties3 I'm not going to skirt the truth, lovelies. It's the bondage booties that first convinced me it might be time to try something (ahem) new.

Right now, these gold-buckled vixens (on sale for $97) and the multi-zippered vamps at the top of the post (on sale for $99) ,both by Type Z, are kinda doing it for me.

Booties2 First let me clarify that there's no way I am going to spend three-hundy on a pair of shoes I am afraid to wear. And since I believe one must be very careful when placing ruffles on footwear, you might think that these shoes would be way out of the running. Not so. For some reason, the leather ruffles and ultra-pointed heel give these booties a more feminine feel -- kind of like adding a headband and lipstick when you're wearing your dad's button-down and your huzbin's jeans from college. ($279 by Elizabeth and James.)

Booties4 I talk a good game about simple and classic choices, but who am I trying to kid? I am a sucker for adornment. And since my hair is too short and fine to smother in peacock feather Carrie Bradshaw headbands, I might as well consider booties with a big ass flower on them. Please say these are pretty.No pressure, but Rachael Zoe does (at least when she can see around that over-sized brown bear she wears as a vest).  These are by Kelsi Dagger and ring up at $139.

What say you?

Didn't see a style you're cheering for? Here are a few that I ixnayed immediately -- no, also no, good God no and ohhhh hellll no.

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Reader Comments (1)

Oh I LOVE the last one with the flower and the Nine West one's. I must live vicariously through your shoegasms. If you saw the shoes I have in my closet you would faint (out of horror). I need to be nominated for What Not To Wear (on my feet).
February 12, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterPippi

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