Give Your Fall Wardrobe The Boot

Howdy y'all! La Fashionista from StyleCynics here. The fabulous team here at Socialites Anonymous has been kind enough to allow me some space on their site to talk to you about a very serious subject: your fall wardrobe. No, don't click out of here. You really need to hear this. The first step toward making a recovery is admitting there's a problem. So do you have a problem? The better question is, do you have any western boots to wear this year? If not, then yes, you have a problem, because western and cowboy-inspired boots are all the rage this season. Hayden Panettiere knows it. Even Jessica Simpson knows it. Ok, she may have just been wearing them because she was dating a Cowboy and thought it was mandatory or something. If you don't have any western boots, don't panic! I'm here to help. I've scoured the land—ok, the Internet—to find some gorgeous examples of boots for you to add to your closet. So sit back and enjoy the ride, pardner. And I promise, that's the last of the cowboy talk.

[At left: Jessica Simpson, at right: Hayden Panettiere]

If you're going to add boots to your wardrobe, especially western boots, the first company you should look to is Frye Boots. They get it right just about every time. True, they do have one pair in their fall collection called Daisy Duke, which is just passé at this point, but the rest of the western-inspired boots in the collection rock the trend. There are a couple of models I like in particular.

The Bethany is definitely a western-looking boot, but it also has a little bit of a pirate thing going on with the fold-over cuff that buckles in the back. I know they're women's boots, but I can totally see Captain Jack Sparrow doing his swashbuckling thing in them. Pirate attire has always been a little effeminate, don't you think? All the ruffles, buckles, and feathers? What was that about? Anyway, the Bethany is handcrafted from soft, supple leather, has a 3.5-inch stacked heel, and a rubber sole. Check out the tiny stud detail along the side of the heel. They're pull-on boots, as western boots usually are, so there's no zipper to mar the smooth leather landscape. Wear them with skinny jeans, tucked in of course to show off the cuff.

Also from Frye is the Faith, which can't be taken for anything but a western boot. The foot of the boot is made from python, which gives it a really interesting pattern. Not to mention, it serves as a warning to any snakes you may encounter while wearing the boots that they'd just better back off! Now, I've never seen a blue snake, but the Faith boot is a gorgeous blue with light tan trim. The designs on the front and sides are Frye's trademark double F, but they look like birds in flight to me. They're leather-lined, have a stained and stacked wood heel, comfy memory insoles, and Goodyear welt construction. Oh yeah, these boots are built to last. And the coolest thing about them? They're part of Frye's Jenifer Estess Collection to benefit the fight against ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. So you can look fabulous while doing something good for others. What more motivation do you need?

[Clockwise from top left: Frye Bethany, Frye Faith, Lucchese C2551, Lucchese C2078]

Now, if you want a western boot that really bucks (sorry, I know I said no more cowboy talk, but I couldn't help myself) tradition, take a look at the designs offered by Lucchese. They've taken western inspiration and pumped it up with spectacular colors you wouldn't expect to see on a cowboy. On a stylish cowgirl, though? Definitely. If you read my blog with any regularity, you know of my love for—ok, maybe obsession with—the color orange. A recent convert, I just can't get enough of it. And now that fall is almost here, it's all the more relevant. So when I saw the Lucchese C2251 boot, it was love at first sight. The color is mandarin, which sounds as yummy as it is pretty. They're also made from python (Not so tough now, are ya snakes?!), with a traditional western-style sole and short, stacked heel. I wish Lucchese would come up with better names for their boots, but I can forgive them since they look so hot.

If the mandarin is a little bright for you, or you just want something a little more feminine, try the Lucchese C2078, accented in pink, also a favorite color of mine. Yeah, it's cliché and girly; so what? You gonna make something of it? I didn't think so. Not after you saw what happened to those snakes, right? Well, these boots may look girly, but they're made from hornback caiman crocodile. They're also definitely western, but the pattern stitched onto the shaft in three shades of pink and a light gray mean you don't necessarily have to wear them with jeans. Throw them on with a flouncy skirt or dress and go two-steppin'. The heel is covered with a darker gray panel, and the stacked heel and sole are black. These boots kick ass, possibly literally.

Maybe you don't like tall boots. Maybe you don't want to deal with the whole tucked in or not jeans dilemma. Or maybe you just like fringe. In that case, you'll want to take a look at the Mango Western ankle boot. It's light tan, a good neutral to go with almost anything, and is made from one hundred percent suede, a fall must-have. The top edge around the ankle is fringed, and has little loops to make it easy to pull the boot on. Two buckles adorn the vamp, but they're just for decoration. This boot also has tiny stud detailing, not just along the heel, but over the toe as well. The boot is finished off with a light wood stacked heel, and thin rubber textured sole. Wear these boots with a skirt to show off a little more leg.

[Mango Western ankle boot]

By now, you should have a good idea of how to westernize your wardrobe this fall. Just remember, like all fashion, even if they go out, they'll come back eventually. It's always better to spend a little more on quality items that will last so you're never out of style, no matter what the trend. And if you live in Texas, well, you can darn well wear western boots whenever you want, right?

My thanks to the Socialites Anonymous team for having me as a guest!

La Fashionista blogs about fashion and celebrity style without any pomp and circumstance, but with plenty of snark at StyleCynics.com. When she's not blogging about fashion, you'll find her reading the fashion mags and celebrity rags, shopping, and working to support her shoe habit.