Booties have been around for several seasons but have really picked up momentum this fall. What was a trend that women cautiously embraced now seems to be the go-to boots style. I’ve been really enjoying having them in my wardrobe this fall and have a few pairs that work with the different parts of my life.
If you’ve been eyeing them but don’t know how to wear booties, particularly for work, in tonight’s post in this series, here are my tips and looks on how work booties at the office.
Booties that are right for the office
Booties should be chosen by how relaxed or conservative your work environment is. For a more corporate workplace, the best booties styles are ones that can replace a pair of heels or dressier boots. They should be polished and not too rugged. For more casual environments, a more distressed pair is acceptable, but I think a pair that is too relaxed should be saved for the weekends.
Who can wear booties?
Booties can be worn by anyone, regardless of height or weight. The key in wearing booties properly is in how you wear them. For example, if you are petite or have heavier legs, and want to wear booties with a skirt or dress, I’d suggest wearing them with opaque tights that match the color of the booties. In fact, in cases of heavier legs or a petite frame, booties can create a longer, slimmer silhouette.
Here are some looks and more tips on how to wear booties.
Look #1
For a more conservative work environment a booties can easily replace a pair of heels in colder months and can be worn in place of a pair of tall boots. In this outfit, a pair of booties by Calvin Klein are not only professional looking but they are streamlined enough that they work with a dress, like this one by Anne Klein. On cold days a pair of opaque tights would work perfectly with this outfit. To finish the look, I added a burgundy blazer by Cable & Gauge for a splash of rich color, a pair of burgundy and black earrings by Blu Bijoux and a gray handbag by Trouvé.
A quick tip about dresses that are in black, white and gray prints: Treat them like solid black dresses. You can add any color as an accent shade to give the dress a different look.
Look #2
For a business-casual environment, booties are a no-brainer with tailored pants, however, there are a few things to keep in mind when purchasing booties for your work pants. First, worn with classic tailored pants, booties are typically worn under the pants, not over them. Therefore, it makes sense to look for booties styles that don’t have a lot of activity around the ankle area. Not only will these details not be visible when wearing pants but they can also cause the hem of the pants to not lay flat. Next, look for a style that isn’t too masculine when worn with pants (unless that is the look you are going for, of course). Often, a pair of booties look great until a pair of pants covers up most of them, leaving just the toe area exposed. A more feminine style or a narrower toe usually looks better with tailored pants.
In this outfit, to warm up a grey tweed pair of Vince Camuto pants, I added a chocolate brown pair of Bandalino booties. For an elegant business-casual look, I styled a basic camel Zara cardigan with a Boden button-front shirt. The outfit is finished with a Stella & Dot tassel necklace, a basic pair of stud earrings and a Ivanka Trump handbag in embossed snakeskin.
Look #3
Even if your work environment is super casual and you can wear jeans to work, I still recommend choosing a pair of booties that are too casual. Leave the chains and studs and über-casual treatments for the weekend. To get the most out of a casual pair that you can wear to work and on the weekends, a pair like this by Jessica Simpson gives you the best of both worlds– they’re casually professional enough for the office but also work well for weekend plans.
In this outfit, paired with a skinny jeans by 7 For All Mankind, the boots can be tucked in. For a work look, a dark pewter velvet blazer by J. Crew offers a casually dressed look and is styled with a cranberry Mango top underneath. The look is finished with a pair of grey earrings by Blu Bijoux, a printed scarf from Mango and a Coach handbag.
These boots can also look great with a casual dress and tights and a maxi dress. I don’t recommend them with tailored pants, however, because the boot opening is too wide and may effect how well the pants fall.
