“One must always have one’s boots on and be ready to go.”
Michel de Montaigne
Of course you want your attire to be
intimidating and fierce; but as the wearer one does not want to feel intimidated by their own foot accoutrement.
Mais non; you simply want to intimidate others.
But I digress; I don’t blame one for feeling frightened at the mere contemplation of over the knee boots. I counted myself amongst the fearful up until a few short months ago when I ordered a pair of knee-highs which, incidentally, went a good four inches over my knee. Apparently they were
knee-high boots for the tall; over the knee boots for the petite.
The aesthetic of such a gorgeous getup left me in
awe mixed with alarm. How I, an individual standing no more than five-foot-one-and-a-half-inches could rock such a look in the same fashion as
Karlie Kloss and Chanel Iman; towering goddesses strutting their stuff in these very same designs on the runway, seemed unfathomable – even for me, a person willing to
take risks for the sake of style.
Those boots sat untouched, simply being
oohed and aahed over in my mind for a full three weeks before I finally worked up the courage to wear them out of my palatial bedroom. And once I did…I was addicted. The truth of the matter is,
while over the knee boots retain the ability to tantalize and terrify both the wearer and the viewer, styling them is an
uncomplicated undertaking with the power to revamp your wardrobe in the blink of an eye; as long as you know exactly how to work with them, as opposed to against them.
{hues, textures, and materials, oh my!} I’ll be the first to admit that I have a
slight obsession with patent leather due to the fact that it’s slick and shiny. While these two traits are fabulous for those divine new
Julianne Hough for Sole Society 'Whitney' Pumps, when it comes to over the knee boots these are two things that you want to steer clear of.
Hues, textures and materials are essentials to consider when selecting the over the knee offering of your dreams, for they are the
determinants in how you present yourself, and how others perceive you. Take into consideration that
height is the true crème de la crème of the over the knee boot; it need not compete with a flashy color, reptilian texture, or embellishments galore.
Go for subtlety. Stick to
suede and natural leather pieces in neutral tones such as blacks, browns, or, if you feel a deep desire to channel your inner
Serena van der Woodsen, grays – these shades and materials will work with anything and everything lurking within your closet; in addition to complementing your wardrobe in the most mesmerizing of ways.
“I’d like to die with my boots on.”
Daniel Berrigan
{height or no height} Be aware of the fact that you are
already lengthening your look with the height of the over the knee boot; therefore,
don’t feel that you must search for a sky-high heel in order to do these stunners justice. In fact, I recommend a flat boot for the sheer fact that they are
more wearable in an abundance of situations – from job interviews to girls’ nights; and come across as more sophisticated than shocking.
I think of
Stuart Weitzman as an
over the knee boot genius. For the girl who wants something understated, he has the
celebrity-adored 5050 Flat Boots in Black Leather, and for the lovely looking to proffer a bit of attitude, there are the
50/50 Leopard-Print Suede Over-the-Knee Boot in Smoke. These are both
paradigmatic models of what the perfect over the knee boot should look like in either venue, be it flat or heeled.
If you should opt for a heel, seek a chunky one, as opposed to a stiletto to avoid looking
too risqué - the
Stuart Weitzman Highland Suede Over the Knee Boots in Black is a great example.
A chunkier heel neutralizes the silhouette and comes across as more classy and chic than outrageous and over the top.
{welcoming widths} After the success with my first pair of over the knee boots, I decided to spring for another in a similar style, which I purchased online. They were absolutely gorgeous once they arrived at my front door, but there was one noticeable difference between the two –
the circumference.
Looking at the height of the shaft and heel is like second nature to us seasoned shoppers,
but we often neglect to learn what the width of the leg opening is. Tawdry checkout stand tabloids
{which I’m slightly addicted to} go on and on about
thigh spillage, a term coined to describe the loose skin that hangs over the top of over the knee boots –
i.e. an expression that you most definitely don’t want to hear used in reference to you.
To avoid such a tight fit, make sure to decide what look you’re going for
beforehand and purchase accordingly. Do you want something that fits in the same fashion as a
legging, like
Sam Edelman's Kayla Over the Knee Boot; or do you want a
slouchy style that will let you move and groove like
Steve Madden's Caliko Over the Knee Boot? Take into consideration what you’ll be wearing with these boots –
skinny jeans, bare legs, tights…and slip them on with such ensembles before buying; it’s definitely better than realizing ten minutes before your hot date that the boots of your dreams are incapable of being worn over your seductive skinnies!
“Beware of fishing for compliments – you might come up with a boot.”
Carol Weston
{back to basics} I am of the belief that when wearing over the knee boots,
the shoe should be the focal point of your look du jour; thus, it is your job to ensure that the pieces surrounding them are working to
complement their fabulousness, as opposed to competing with it. Lock your bold prints and bright colors away, if only for a fleeting period of time –
over the knee boots work best when married with monochromatic hues.
Pair black pieces with ebony-toned tights; don grays with dark wash skinny jeans; wear brown suede offerings with skintight, chocolate leggings. Not only will your footwear steal the show; but
the solid colors will make you appear more lithe and lanky than you already are, and no girl can resist that!
{perfect proportions} The main reason I avoided my over the knee boots for so long was that I was
clueless as to how I should style them. Once I actually began to try them out with different looks, however, I realized that they easily worked with most of my wardrobe. The key thing to remember is that you don’t want to appear as if you’re on your way to a costume party; thus, you must be fully aware of your proportions.
Form-fitting or tunic-like sweater dresses that fall just below the derriere look gorgeous when worn alongside flat over the knee boots with a legging fit; while
boyfriend cardigans, cropped blazers or motorcycle jackets, and even plain t-shirts worn with leggings or skinny jeans can dress such footwear down and make it more playful and fun.
A word of wisdom…over the knee boots do have the
potential to make one –
especially shorter girls – look slightly heavy about the rear if not careful. Rely on accessories like a statement necklace or perky scarf to detract attention from your posterior, and keep you feeling confident.
“Having a few pairs of boots, which can go with a variety of lengths, is really functional.”
Valerie Steele
It was
Franklin Delano Roosevelt who said,
“We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” Hold fast to his
words of wisdom and
plunge into the sea of over the knee boots.
Mark my words…you won’t regret it!
SHOP THE POST
xx
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