Today’s post is about booties. Yes, you read that right, but no, you’re probably not thinking what I’m thinking.

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{This is what I was talking about. What were you thinking?}

I thought about including the word “booties” in my post title and making some sort of pun (the word “bootieslicious” was considered but only briefly). But they all came out sounding off-color (of course), and I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted the traffic I’d get from related Google searches.

Still, as dubious a name as “booties” is for something so innocuous as a pair of footwear, there are those (myself included in the past) that think that the way said footwear looks is the real problem.

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{Top: LOFT, $16; Skirt: J. Crew/Goodwill, $3; Belt: GAP, $2; Booties: Nine West/Ross, $17; Clutch: Pleated Poppy, Christmas present}

I’ve mentioned several times before here on the blog that I’m not particularly trendy. I don’t research trends. I don’t try to be up on them. And half the time when they appear, I downright dislike them.

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Sometimes that never changes (pointy shoulder pads, crop tops, rompers, the monokini, mullet hems…I’m looking at you). But sometimes, gradually, a trend wears me down until I realize that I’ve somehow traveled from giving skinny jeans the stink-eye as I march past to lingering beside the rack thinking, “You know, that pair is actually kind of cute.”

I’m pretty sure the fact that I now own no fewer than 5 pairs of skinny jeans is proof that I have finally succumbed.

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Booties (or short boots if you prefer) are just such another trend that I’ve been reluctant to even consider, even though it’s been around for a good 5 years or so (I think that’s about how long it takes to wear me down if it’s going to happen).

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Here’s the thing: booties cover up your ankle and expose your calf muscle, which for most women (including me, I think) creates a rather unflattering silhouette. My legs aren’t particularly thin nor are they particularly thick, but they are muscular, and I’ve found that 95% of booties I try on just make me look short and stumpy.

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But when I spotted this genuine suede Nine West pair at Ross for $17 the other day, I decided to bring them home and give them a fair shake just to try something new. And also because they have tiny buttons up the side, which genuinely excited the part of me that still wants to dress like Anne of Green Gables during her schoolmarm days.

If you follow on Instagram, then you know this is the outfit I threw on after my 15K to go pick up my husband from the airport. I mentioned on IG that I hoped he would like it, and the first thing he said when he saw me was, “You look great!”

So…mission accomplished there.

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But now I’m curious to know what you think. Did I pull them off?

In general, are you a fan of booties? (oh, good grief, I feel like a 7-year-old)

Did they have your heart from the start or gradually win you over or are you still shaking your head at the idiocy of any woman who would encase the skinniest part of her ankle in shoe leather?

P.S. When I mentioned my hair conundrum the week before last, every single one of you told me not to chop it. And I followed your advice…sort of. I had my stylist shorten the back considerably but the front longer. So far, I really like it. What say you?

14 Comments

  1. Love the hair. Still not a fan of booties. Though I will concede you could make anything look cute 😉

  2. Booties, or ankle boots as I’ve always heard them called, aren’t a trend; they’ve been around for years now as you mentioned, Abbie, and just like any other kind of boot are here to to stay. I have several pairs and I love them. I’m petite but not rail thin and I love to where ankle boots with skinny jeans, boy friend jeans and the occasional skirt. It’s all about the proportions of the rest of the outfit. I think any body type can pull it off if careful with fit, color and proportion of all outfit pieces. Oh, and heel type on the boot. A spike or too high heel boot with jeans says ” Well hello, 1987!” Good haircut, Abbie. Shoulder length was my fave though.

  3. I agree that they look too big. They seem wide at the top, maybe they all are though? I like the look with long skirts. They are much better than the combat boot look. I also really like your hair long.

  4. I love your hair and I love your booties (and entire outfit). I don’t know if I would try them (my calves are pretty big) but I think you pull them off well!

  5. I’m so late to the party, that I think it might be over before I get there. That might be ’cause my legs are so heavy that booties are going to really look awful, or because I’m old. However I’ve been considering that they might look ok if I’m wearing a long (ankle length) skirt.

    Love your hair, my daughter has hair just like yours…just that curly and cut just like that.

  6. You did good again Abbie! The booties look great on you and that’s an adorable outfit!

    I am with you, being late to the bootie trend…in fact, I haven’t actually bought a pair that I would be comfortable with wearing with a skirt or boyfriend jeans, but I want to ( and I remember telling my BFF “Those booties are SO dumb…I will NEVER buy a pair)!! I have 2 pair, but they are only suitable with pants (and I bought them 1/2 size too small, so they’re very uncomfortable)!

    ANYhoo, I have come around and hope to join the bold bootie trend soon…like any trend, you have to find the fit/length/height that works for you, which takes some time, but I know my pair are out there 😉

    The other thing is: for Michigan weather, they are SO practical!! I don’t know why it’s taken me this long to join the bootie club 😉

    And the hair: SO cute!!! Glad you didn’t chop it!!

  7. I’m always late to the trend game! It took me forever on the skinny jeans. Now I’ve got many pairs and colors. I did get a pair of tan suede ankle boots this fall and I’ve loved them. I wear them a lot and mostly with my boyfriend jeans ( late to this game too). I agree in the cropping if the leg at an unflattering spot, but I guess I’m ok with it. I will prob look back at pics and think “what was I thinking?”…..haha!
    Yours look great and I love the skinny heel! And I love the way you styled them 😉
    I’ve gleaned some styling tips from this article and it also spurred me on to get a pair. I don’t love all her styling ideas (socks, ummm…..no), but several are cute with good tips!
    https://www.babble.com/style/10-ways-to-wear-ankle-boots-and-tips-to-keep-those-outfits-balanced/
    PS….love your hair! I forgot to chime in on the hair vote, but I’m glad u didn’t chop ;))

  8. i don’t own booties ( that is a party i don’t think i’m going to attend) but there are certainly parties i am very late to, including songs. i start loving a song when everyone else has gotten tired of it. also, for me, scarves. scarves were something it took a long time for me to get on board with. loving your bright pink skirt-you will make it be spring with that, won’t you?!

  9. I have a really cute pair of black, suede wedge booties. I hardly ever wear them though because the sole is as thin as kleenex with NO cushion at all. Five minutes wearing and the soles of my feet are screaming at me! :/ However I do love them. Totes adorbes. Yours are too!

  10. I usually take quite a while to fall on the trend bandwagon myself. I *just* bought a pair of TOMS last week, for example. I totally agree with you on the mullet hemlines, as well. But booties have been one of the few trends I have liked. I didn’t start wearing them until maybe two years ago, but I’ve always thought they were cute. In fact, I wrote a post about trends and booties myself! https://makesupmylife.blogspot.com/2013/10/fashionfridayfashiontrends.html

    (P.S. You make me want to take a trip to Ross!)

  11. I have a short pair of brown moto type booties that i love to wear with skinny jeans. I have wanted a pair of black high-heeled ones to wear with dresses for a long time, but I have really little ankles and calves and my legs just look like chop-sticks coming out of them. Still on the lookout for the right ones! 🙂

I love hearing from you guys!