Get a Little Giddy

Until the weather decides which way it’s going to be on a regular basis, I think one of the easiest ways to start working fall trends into your wardrobe is from the feet up. One hot trend you can step into right now is a pair of riding boots.

Boots have definitely become more of an all-season type of shoe over the past couple of years. If you have been sporting a pair of short but cool booties all summer long, it’s time to take your style choice a step up to the next level. For your fall boot purchase, consider a pair of riding boots.

The western look is slated to be hot in fashion, but if that isn’t your cup of tea, boots are a nice option to ease your way into the style. Riding boots have their roots in horseback riding, but you don’t have to be an actual equestrian to wear them. Most styles that are currently coming down the runway look very much like authentic riding boots, but without all of the official bells and whistles.

Classic riding boots have a distinctive look of their own; over the years, with a lot of help from clever designers, they have morphed into styles that run the range from high fashion to hip and funky. What brings most of these styles together under the name riding boot is that they come up on the leg high enough to protect them from the leather on the saddle.

A traditional pair of riding boots is typically black or brown, but the colors this season are just as endless as your choices for textiles and styles. You can choose from pony hair, plaid, reptile, color blocking, and piping details. For style options there are western, traditional, and motorcycle. For those of you who prefer short boots, ankle boots are something to look into. They are inspired by the riding boots worn with jodhpurs.

The choices don’t end with textiles; the embellishments and closure hardware you have to choose from are buckles, laces, zippers, and of course the traditional pull-on boots. Riding boots look great with just about any style pant or skirt, but you may want to tuck in your jeans and trousers when you go long to show your footwear off. One idea to consider while the weather is still warm is to pair fall shorts and funky hosiery with your boots to make sure they get some attention.