The New Shoe You Need Now: An Ankle Boot Like This

Tina, here.

Life happens. It just happened. I had to put down my beloved kitty a week ago. I live alone so my house is so quiet and there are no paws patting my face at 5 am every morning.

He was a dog-cat. Always at my heels and by my side. I'll probably get a lot more work done now, though.

I must not have been firing on all cylinders last week because I had a lovely post scheduled for you on Friday that didn't go out because I clicked a wrong button. But I think I'm all back up and running now, and, dolls, do we have a season full of fall fashion planned for you!

One of the key fall items (and heck, even summer staples) is the ankle boot. I have been playing with how to wear them because everyone always seems to get stumped on how to make it look right. It depends so much on what you pair them with, and getting all the proportions right.

How Not To Wear Ankle Boots

I do not like ankle boots with cropped jeans like this that aren't skinny. It looks weird. Image: asos.com.

If you're wearing a full (as opposed to fitted) midi skirt, like the one here, an ankle boot is not your best choice. The proportions just aren't right. Image: asos.com.

And I definitely don't like baggy,saggy ankle boots. Who wants elephant ankles? Image: asos.com.

How To Wear Ankle Boots & What To Wear Them With

1. With skinny, white (duh) jeans. The bottom hem of the jeans should meet your ankle boots just so.

You can pull on your ankle boots now if you're not too hot. You don't have to wear socks, ya know. I love them with white jeans for a pre-fall transition. Shop some of my favorite ankle boots in this August's Style Vault. Many price points and widths available.

See how the top of the ankle boot just meets the bottom of the white jean? That's what you want, dolls.

Have I mentioned that I decreed velvet a year-round fabric? I did.

2. With skinny mid-rinse or dark-rinse jeans. If your jeans are a bit longer, roll the hem just so.

My faded-rinse skinny jeans (they're really an ankle jean, and not that, that skinny), are a tad too long to meet at the right place with my ankle boots, so I just casually turn up the hem slightly. Not cuffing exactly, just barely rolling.

See that? It's unstudied. Not too deliberate. Which takes so much staging to get to look that way! Not really, just don't try so hard.

You may have no space between your jeans and boots, or you may see a little skin. It's ok. Don't fret too much about it. We're trying to avoid extremes, here, dolls.

3. With a skirt or dress under these conditions: the ankle boot isn't clunky, you have bird legs like I do, or you just feel like wearing them so you do, and you don't care if it's right or wrong. Because this is a tricky look to pull off well.

I mean, I think it looks cute, but I just don't know. I do think there's an age cap on this look, somewhere around the 40's.

It helps if you have a nude ankle boot so there's not a heavyweight at the bottom of your body.

My ankle boots here are actually slingbacks, and kind of a clog/ankle boot hybrid. I found them at TJ Maxx last winter thinking what a risky purchase, and boy have I worn these everywhere all over Nashville!

4. Extra credit if your ankle boots dip slightly in front.

Remember this picture from the midi skirt blog? Yeah, I borrowed the boots right off my photographer's feet because I wanted you to see how to wear a midi skirt with ankle boots if you're that daring. It is so much more flattering when you're showing that much leg with a casing around the foot to have that little dip in front. It adds a sense of shape to the whole look. Again, I think there's an age cap.

K so now I"m pretty sure you're all evaluating your ankle boots and wondering if they're right or wrong, or if you've been wearing them all wrong...no fretting! Call us if you're in the Nashville area and our fabulous Nashville Wardrobe Consultants will get you all squared away with the right boots and the right way to wear them. Along with an entire fall wardrobe, using what you have and adding in only what you need. That's our specialty.

You can also shop all my fave ankle boots in the August Style Vault. Join today to have your very own personal stylist, shop entire outfits and get our exclusive deals, for members only. Check it out here.

Or buy our month-to-month membership here.