Forget crazy catwalk trends, and look towards European women for the best in fashion. Flat boots were everywhere in Italy, when I wrote this article (in 2009). However, I just arrived home from a two-week stay in Paris (2011) and I want you to know that flat boots are still the hot trend in Europe. So continue to follow Europe's lead and copy the chic Continental women who are wearing knee boots, short boots, over-the-knee boots, cowboy-style boots, sky-high-heel boots, and everything in between.
Actually, I saw more flat boots in Paris than I did on my trip to Italy. Boots with low heels are hot.
European Style
European fashion is at least two or three years ahead of what women are wearing in the states. So, a Boomer chick who copies Italian or French fashionistas will end up with stylish clothing and accessories that will be in vogue for years to come. Euro-style is a better investment than many NASDAQ stocks and almost all interest-bearing notes.
Flat Boots in Italy
Some short or plus-sized gals rely on the long-legged look that can only come from three-inch heels, but flat boots were seen on almost every hip local chick in Rome, Florence, and Venice, not to mention: Barcelona, Lisbon, and even the Azores. It was surprising how frequently I spotted boots, during the fall of 2009, because October weather in Italy often hits the high 80s. Those Italian and Spanish boots were meant for walkin’ and stylin’, because no woman's tootsies were in danger of frostbite.
How to Wear Those Flat Boots
There were four main ways that Italian women (of all ages) wore their flat boots:
- Jeans or leggings tucked into boots.
- Jeans or slacks over shorter flat boots.
- Knee-length skirts or dresses with short, mid, or tall boots.
- Below-the-knee skirts with short or mid boots.
In Paris, women wore their boots in these same ways, however, more French women (of all ages) wore shorter, floatier skirts with tights and boots.
Tall Boots - Knee High Boots
The most obvious trend, in 2009 and 2011, was the tall flat boot. These suede or leather boots looked comfy and chic on Boomer Chicks (and on women in their 60s or 70s). Of course, flat boots looked the hippest on younger women. However, if you hate flats, one way to fake the look, while still getting a bit of height, is to wear a wedge boot, where the wedge is covered in the same supple leather as the rest of the boot.
More Over-the-Knee Boots - Fewer Slouch Boots
The main ideas in this article were written after I saw flat boots all over Italy, two years ago. I talked a lot about slouch boots back then, but last month in Paris, I saw no slouch boots. The new super-trend is over-the-knee boots. So, if you have been ambivalent about buying thigh-high boots, this may be a good time to look for something on sale. I think that OTK boots (with or without convertible cuffs) will be huge in the US in the next year or so.
When you're in Paris, you can't stare too much at people. However, I saw over-the-knee boots on women who were well over 40. Mind you, these were not skanky plastic jobbies from a discount store. These were gorgeous, well-crafted thigh boots similar to the Loeffler Randall OTK Back-Zip Boot ($825) or the Sergio Rossi Chelsea OTK Boot ($1,220). If you are over 40 or 50, and you want to wear dark wash skinny jeans or jeggings with something like these (or similar, but less-expensive brands) you can be an "older woman" and still look hot, not skeezy.
Very few Parisian women wore over-the-knee boots with stiletto heels. I won't say that no one wore them, but it was uncommon. Thank God.
High Heel Boots
If you live in the states, it's easier to wear high heels because you don't walk up and down hundreds of stairs, every day, like the people in Paris. It's not difficult to wobble from your house to your car to your job and to your car for the drive back home. Women in Paris don't use cars. They walk. But some of their boots cost as much as a year's supply of gasoline for your automobile.
Cowboy Boots?
Once again, I saw a few cowboy-like boots worn with jeans and skirts. These were cowboy-inspired fashion boots, not the type you'd wear in Texas while doing the two-step with your best friend's husband on a Friday night. They were sleeker and more subtle.
Short Boots
Both, short ankle boots and mid-calf boots, were worn with skirts, slacks, and leggings. Also, women who were of an age that could be considered “mature adult” wore colored tights in Venice, just like their daughters. Similar tights, along with black lace tights, were very prominent in Paris.
I saw a few cuffed ankle boots with high chunky heels. However, these were either on their way "in" or on their way "out" because there were not many.
Boots With High Heels
High-heeled boots were more common in the evening in Italy when women were out on dates or out with gal pals. This makes sense. Most of the night is spent at an outdoor table savoring wine or strolling leisurely around the piazza. In Paris, I saw many younger (and several older) women with very high heels, but most boots or booties had thicker stacked heels.
Fashion Trends
I think it's time for American women to burn their jogging suits. (Well, jogging suits are great for cruise wear, so ladies can keep them for the Caribbean.) It's time for American women to own at least one pair of shoes that need to be polished. And, American women (even plus-size chicks) can have good taste even when they are forced to walk with husbands who are wearing shorts and baseball caps. Ditch your honey and walk with me. I'm not skinny like I used to be, but I promise that I won't be wearing a jogging suit.
Stand up for your right to be chic, and find cheaper versions of European trends. Even if you live in Wichita, Seattle, or Bakersfield, you can find good styles (or knockoffs) through online catalogs.
More articles:
Comfortable Shoes for Women: Travel Footwear for Walking Europe
Christina Gregoire - Christina Gregoire writes about divorce, fashion, and baby boomers. Her forte is explaining complex ideas in simple language.
Join the Conversation