You know, there's actually a fair amount of similarity between a good "bootie" and a good "booty." Obviously, neither I nor anyone else has the right to decide what constitutes "good" for the latter, but conventional societal standards generally dictate that it shouldn't be toooo round, nor toooo flat, but juuuust right– what Goldilocks would consider the ultimate porridge of posteriors, if you will. Crass as this may seem, I recently found that I actually follow the same wisdom when it comes to booties in the sartorial sense.
My quest to find the perfect bootie actually began in 2009, when I asked for a pair of black, high-heeled, close-toed, stiletto booties for Christmas. Unfortunately, they've become one of those glamorous gifts I spend more time ogling in my closet than actually wearing on my body, because they're just not very practical and – gorgeous as they are – are also not really my style. Do you occasionally find yourself, for some inexplicable reason. lusting after something you know totally isn't you, convinced all the while that if you had them you'd figure out a way to incorporate them into your wardrobe? Well, sometimes that works out. This time it didn't.
I then forgot how much I wanted a pair of booties until Spring semester of last year, when I studied abroad in Sweden. If you read the Stockholm Street Style blog or have seen any pictures The Sartorialist has taken in Stockholm, you know that Swedes are undeniably stylish and often at the forefront of new fashion trends. While I was there, I couldn't help but notice that almost every woman I passed had on suede ankle booties, so it should have come as no surprise when, upon arriving back in the States, Isabel Marant's "Dicker" boots were impossible to get away from:
L to R: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Hilary Rhoda, Kate Bosworth, and Katie Holmes in "Dicker" boots
Bottom line: I spent a good portion of 2011 wishing for these boots. Too bad they retailed for around $615 and none of the alternatives I saw were really what I was looking for. Everything I seemed to find at a reasonable price point was either too round or pointy in the toe and/or too flat or high in the heel. I wanted what, for me, would be just right.
Luckily, they finally came at the 11th hour when, in December, I discovered these on Madewell's website:
Zipcode Boot, madewell.com, $188
At $188, they're definitely a splurge, but I received them as a belated gift a few weeks ago and haven't been able to take them off since. As the celebrities above demonstrate, you can wear them with practically anything and during any season (I've been pairing them with tights, winter dresses/skirts, cardigans/sweaters, and scarves). I also love the color (though they come in black and an olive-y tone, too) and that the suede adds a little ruggedness.
If you prefer something that is a bit more polished and has a higher heel, but will still convey a similar type of downtown-chic-with-a-Western-edge that the Marant or Madewell booties do, try to find a pair like these Lucky Brand ones:
Lucky Brand Fedora Booties, zappos.com, $97.99
I recently tried them on at TJ Maxx and they are ridiculously comfortable – especially considering they have such a high heel with virtually no platform – as well as incredibly easy to walk in, since they're wedges. They're also currently on sale all over the internet, so you can snag them for well under $100.
Finally, let's not forget about the boys. Though I doubt the majority of the Y chromosome-carrying population calls anything they wear on their feet "booties," they nevertheless sport them constantly and great styles, like these cool military ones, keep rolling out:
Bed Stu Leather Monkey Boot, urbanoutfitters.com, $128
So, go on ladies and gents. Work your booties. All three of them.
