A chill is in the air. As the leaves fall, winter slowly creeps in. That means it’s time to revamp your shoe closet with appropriate winter shoes and boots. Here are five that you can’t live without:
1.Pac boots: When I’m doing outside chores or walking the dog in the winter, I look for pac boots. These boots have an outer shell and a soft, removable liner inside. They keep your feet warm while keeping wetness out. I have naturally cold feet, but with thick socks and these boots, I don’t even notice when I’m running in snowbanks. If the liner does get wet, I find it dries quickly if I remove them. Pac boots also come with best shoe inserts that are really effective in cold weather. These insoles are going to insulate your feet and is going to keep them warm when you go outside.
I personally wear Kamik Nation Plus boots in white. The lacing makes them a little time consuming to put on, but the end effect is what matters. My boots cost me $50, but they’re on sale for $40 on the site above. You can go into any outdoor store and ask for them, though.
2.Short boots: Unfortunately, pac boots look a little silly if you’re walking around inside. If you’re looking for boots that you can wear shopping and shoveling, try short boots. These sneaker-like models are extra warm and keep snow out. However, they rarely reach more than a few inches above your ankles, so you can’t jump in any snowbanks with them.
I own a pair of Keen Napa boots, which look a lot like sneakers. Just like my pac boots, you can remove the interior soles to dry if needed. I paid about $60 for these at a shoe store.
3.Oxfords: They’re back! This sensible flat shoe for men or women come in lots of colors and look great with dress pants or jeans. Some of these stylish shoes have softer soles. I’m a fan of the soft-soled black-and-white oxford that Urban Outfitters is selling this season. It looks a little like a ballerina shoe and reminds me of the saddle shoes that I had in first grade.
Of course, men can have a little fun with this classic style. If my husband dressed up, I’d buy him this great pair of Dries Van Noten shoes. The black shoe contrasts nicely with the brown strap.
4.Over-the-knee boots: These fashionable boots have been seen all over the catwalks and sidewalks for winter 2009/10. While they might have had an unsavory element to them in the past, now they’re being paired with work-appropriate skirts and pants (which are tucked in, of course).
These Victoria’s Secret over-the-knee boots look pretty and sexy. At $89, I think they’re a great deal. If I could wear over-the-knee boots, I’d wear them with a miniskirt out to a club with friends. Unfortunately, I have heavy legs, which tends not to pair well with over-the-knee boots. However, slightly baggier knee-high boots look nice on heavy legs.
5.Open-toe heels with socks: Yeah, you got me on this one. But this look will let you take your peep-toe heels into winter with a nice pair of warm socks. This look was spotted on and near fashion runways recently. The key is to do this with shoes that are slightly bigger so your feet aren’t pinched and you don’t stretch your shoes. Make sure you wear nice-looking (not athletic!) socks to pull off this look.
Staff, Don’t Get Cold Feet. Sierra Trading Post.
