There's nothing boot-i-ful (har, har) about making fashion mistakes that involve our favorite winter footwear (yay, boots!) and our warm-weather pants and dresses. Much the way we wouldn't pair a cowboy hat with a cocktail dress, some boot styles are a match made in heaven with certain outfits -- while others just leave us looking clunky or too sexy for the street.
Remember these simple tricks and you'll perfect the art of wearing these 4 super-hot boot styles any time your heart desires!
Ankle Boots
Ankle boots are all the rage this season and are, arguably, the most versatile of all boot styles. For a downtown vibe, pair yours with slightly cuffed, slim-fit pants or jeans and be sure to show just a hint of skin at your ankle.
Another idea, which is super trendy and not as hard to pull off as it sounds, is to wear your booties over heavy ankle socks layered a second time over textured tights. This is a great, sneaky way to rock a voluminous short skirt when temperatures outside dip.
Slouchy Boots
On the other end of the complexity spectrum, we have slouchy boots, which give off a cool, downtown vibe, but can cut off your leg in an unflattering way if you aren't careful.
Don't make the mistake of wearing these with a skirt or dress cut any shorter than at the knee or you risk looking like an NFL cheerleader. Prim, below-the-knee dresses or skirts look fantastic with this boot and the amount of leg you'll show off is just perfect without going overboard sexy.
Over-the-Knee Boots
If you immediately think of Julia Roberts' prostitute character in Pretty Woman when you imagine this style, you aren't giving it the respect it deserves! As long as you select a boot that is fairly plain, black or brown, and made from quality leather (save shiny pleather for your moto jacket), you can look perfectly respectable in over-the-knee boots.
Seriously, how cute does this girl look? The trick to her sartorial success is that she pairs her boots with opaque tights and a modestly-cut dress with a slight flare that hits no shorter than an inch or two above the knee. Over-the-knee boots also work fabulously over thick leggings, skinny jeans, and even short-shorts, provided you have on extremely thick textured tights, are covered completely from the waist up, and are feeling bold that day.
Knee-Length Boots
Ah, the trick to mastering this ubiquitous and sexy boot is the tuck-in. If you own a pair of skinny jeans or trousers, it will be a cinch for you to do -- just tuck your pants into your boots, add an oversized sweater and chic blazer, and voila -- you're gorgeous.
But don't give up on your boot-leg jeans just yet. Make the tuck-in work by following these simple steps:
1. Roll up the leg of your jean to create a cuff.
2. Fold over the extra material of your cuff and roll up one more time to tuck it in.
3. Grab a pair of high, extremely fitted socks and wear them over the cuff to hold everything in place. That should do the trick! Pull up your knee-high boots and hit the town.
What's your favorite style of boot and how do you like to style them?
Image via Modcloth