Ask Belle: Booties for Most Body Types

Three years ago when booties appeared on the scene, I thought they were a passing fad.  But designers have really embraced the trend and created a myriad of styles to suit most body types.  I say most because booties just aren’t for everyone.

If you carry weight in your calves or if you have cankles, then booties are not for you.  All a pair of booties will do is draw more attention to a problem area and make you look heavier and shorter.  Not pretty.  But this doesn’t mean that only ten-foot glamazons with mile long legs can wear booties.

Real women have curves.  And if you have a fuller figure but proportioned, shapely legs you can still wear booties.  The secret is to find a pair that doesn’t cut you off right at the ankle.

 

LAMB Raina Bootie (Nordstrom, $247)

These booties have a wider opening to show a little more skin.  This little bit of skin helps lengthen the leg and balance the look for women with a thicker leg.  But if you’re looking for a more subtle style, try the Gerry boot by Tahari in grey or stylish purple.  With a purple tight, that is a great look.

One of my dearest friends has no calves whatsoever.  She is the calf-less wonder of Washington, D.C., and when she wanted to buy a pair of booties she couldn’t find a pair that didn’t look heavy.  It took some time, but we found her a pair that emphasized her long legs and actually added a little oomph to her calves.

 

Boutique 9 Siaka Bootie (Nordstrom, $250)

These boots made her ankle look skinnier which made her calves look more shapely.  And the buckle detail is so hot right now that it makes a mid-price boot look like a designer item.  The key to giving your legs a good shape with an ankle boot is good construction, and this boot definitely has it.

If you still aren’t convinced that you can wear a bootie or you’re not sure booties are for you, try a bootie-shaped sandal.

 

Boutique 9 Jayleen Sandal (Nordstrom, $149)

First off, these sandals are a neutral nude that will help lengthen the leg.  Secondly, they have a light construction that won’t weigh you down or overwhelm you.  And last, the wider opening won’t cut you off at the ankle.

Finding a pair of booties that will work for you is like buying a pair of jeans.  Yes, it can be that torturous.  Go to the store, try on as many pairs as necessary, and don’t be afraid to fail.  If booties aren’t for you, there are still tall boots, pumps and sandals galore.

 

 

Ask Belle: Shoes for Rainy Evenings

Belle,

I just moved to DC from CA a few months ago and the weather has been both lovely and absolutely appalling. I still can’t believe I carry an umbrella around with me.

My footwear question:

What can I wear that will be comfortable but still stylish, comfortable (relatively) and waterproof in the evenings? I dont really want to hit U on a friday night in my rainboots.

I’ve been wearing my lower heeled Weitzman pumps around town but I’m thinking I may need to go for booties. Problem here is that I’m a short & rather (ahem) voluptuous figure. Booties = travesty.

Any suggestions?

Best, Stephanie

First off, let me offer you my congratulations.  This is, without a doubt, the most difficult “Ask Belle” that I have ever attempted to answer.  In fact, it’s so complicated that we’ll need to answer it in two parts.  Part One: cute waterproof shoes.

Finding cute, waterproof shoes to wear on a Saturday night is a challenge.  There just doesn’t seem to be anyone making waterproof high heels that don’t make me want to cry.  However, I did find two pairs of waterproof boots that are certainly stylish enough for a night out.

Dolly by Aquatalia (Piperlime, $398)

These Aquatalia tall boots are perfect for a rainy night on the town.  The heel is a comfortable 2.5 inches, the shaft will help keep your legs warm in the freezing December wind, and they’re waterproof.  And the best part?  They don’t look like rain boots.

Want a tall, wedge boot that looks more like a stylish shoe than a Wellie?  Try the Wales waterproof boot by London Fog.

 

Corinthian by Sperry (Nordstrom, $148)

If you’re still afraid that a knee-high boot will look too much like a rain boot, you can try a waterproof ankle boot like this one.  This boot would look great with a pair of black tights and a sleek evening look.  I also like the silver adornments to add a little pop.  The only drawback is that I’m not crazy about the block heel, but the slight tapering keeps it from being too much.

However, if you’re afraid that booties aren’t suited to your body type, then come back later this afternoon.  Because just like with any shoe, not every bootie is right for every person.

 

Outside of the United States, Veterans Day is known as Armistice Day in remembrance of the cease-fire on the Western Front during WWI.  And while we often wear flag pins on our lapel, Canadians, Britons and our other European counterparts wear poppies.

These bright boutonnieres were inspired by the poppies that grow wild in Belgium.  The flowers provided a stark contrast to the often barren landscapes of the trenches, and inspired one of the most famous and hauntingly beautiful poems ever written.

 

In Flanders Fields

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

______________________________

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

___________________________

So if you’re in the mood for a pop of color beyond the red, white and blue, don a poppy this Veterans Day.  And if you can’t find a lapel pin, Kate spade has you covered with this chic and exuberant bracelet.

 

That Won’t Make It Better

If you were trying to hide the Ugg-liness, this is an epic fail.  After all, nothing conceals like a shimmering hot pink heart or sparkly butterfly tripping on acid.  But hey, at least they aren’t signed by Rachel Ray and tattooed with the phrase, “Yum-O.“  Cause that would be really tragic.

 

10th Commandment: November 10

Elected Official

Jimmy Choo Tube Metallic Clutch (Netaporter, $1,050)

Hill Staffer

Denise Satin Clutch (Shirise, $185)

Unpaid Intern

La Regale Clutch (Endless, $32)

 

Have Holiday Shopping To Do?

Bloomingdale’s is having an awesome pre-holiday sale to get you into the mood.  I know, it’s a bit early for Christmas but if the red Starbucks cups are out, it’s time to start shopping.  Plus, this way you can buy all your gifts and get a gift card for yourself in the process.

 

The Wall Came Tumbling Down

When I was in elementary school, The World Map looked much different than it does today.  Central Africa looked nothing like itself.  The Balkan states didn’t exist, and all those unpronounceable, frequently misspelled -Stans were but a glint in the Soviet Union’s eye.

And then there was that thick black line running between East and West Germany, it’s crazy to think that there’s a whole generation of school children who won’t remember that line.

I still remember where I was standing when I saw the first video of the Berlin Wall coming down. I was seven, and I was watching the Today Show with my father as he tried to explain why all these people were crying and singing and laughing while they watched the wall being broken into pieces.  And while I couldn’t quite understand why, I could feel this overwhelming sense that the moment was important.  That it mattered.

Now, there is no line on the map to differentiate the good guys from the bad guys, us from them.  America lived for four decades in a world where it was easy to figure out who was an enemy and who was a friend because it was simple geography.  You were either on our side of the line, or you weren’t.  It’s not so simple any more.

Was life easier in the days when a tidy line etched out by a cartographer symbolized your place in the world?  Maybe.  One terrorist attack and two wars later it’s hard to remember whether life was less scary then or whether it just seems less scary in comparison.  Fear, like everything else, is relative.

Two decades later, you’re more likely to see Gorbachev in a Louis Vuitton ad than you are at a press conference.  Red Square is a tourist attraction.  And you can buy pieces of the Berlin Wall on eBay. To those of us who lived it, it seems impossible that some of you are too young to remember a time when those statements would have been laughable.

One day all of our most poignant memories will be enveloped in a fog of yesterday, remembered only on anniversaries and in PBS documentaries.  But hey, that’s history.

PS. I also remember what I was wearing.  Thundercat pajamas and a pink headband. (Thunder Cats ruled.)

 

 

10th Commandment: November 9

Elected Official

Temperley London Isabel Skirt (Netaporter, $725)

Hill Staffer

Tropical Wool Flounce Skirt (Ann Taylor, $130)

Unpaid Intern

Elastic Waist Pencil Skirt (Arden B, $38)

 

10 Girly Things I Will Never Do

When it comes to my appearance, I’m a girly girl.  I like curly hair, ruffles, high heels and anything covered in sequins.  But despite my sartorial leanings, I find many female behaviors very puzzling.

Perhaps, I have a less than girly perspective on certain matters because I grew up in a hard scrabble mining town where the men were men, and the women were tougher than the men.  This perspective came to light last night as a male friend and I commiserated about the things we don’t understand about women.  He had hoped that I would be able to shed light on certain female tendencies, and sadly, I failed him.

But alas, the conversation led to the creation of the following list: 10 Girly Things I Will Never Do.

1. I will never read Eat, Pray, Love or anything in the “woman on a journey of self-actualization” genre.  I don’t get why these books are so popular.  If you want to try to explain it to me, feel free.
2. On a related note, I will never read any book written by Stephanie Meyer.  I’m sorry Twi-hards, but your obsession is beyond my comprehension.  I mean, for goodness sake, the blood sucking, murdering vampires sparkle; how weird is that?
3. I will never watch The Notebook.  Sure, I chick-flick from time to time, but for the sake of my dignity the line has to be drawn somewhere.
4. I will never go to a bakery with my girlfriends to eat cupcakes.  How women have been roped into believing that paying $5 for a cupcake is a magical experience, I will never know.  Julia Allison, I am talking to you.
5. I will never order dressing on the side or ask the waiter to substitute everything in my order for something with fewer calories.  If you need to be totally in control of your meal for the purposes of weight loss, eat at home.
6. I will never visit a psychic, a palm reader, a fortune-teller or astrologer.  Life is unpredictable, that is what makes it fun.  And those people are full of crap anyway.
7. I will never tote my dog/pet around with me like a purse.  Your four-legged friend is a companion, not a fashion accessory.
8. I will never tell a woman a piece of clothing looks good when it doesn’t.  If you want my honest opinion, you will get my honest opinion.  You are not helping anybody by letting her walk around in a skirt that gives her a muffin top.  And there is a special place in hell for women who want to sabotage other women to make themselves look better.
9. I will never watch the Tyra Banks show.  Self-indulgent publicity hounds who tell women that it’s okay to gain weight and then publicly celebrate every lost pound anger me.  Same goes for any show with Jennifer Love Hewitt.
10. I will never get upset with a man for holding the door for me, nor will I get upset with him if he doesn’t.  It’s a door, not a social lightning rod.  Don’t turn the simple act of entering a room into a commentary on feminism/your relationship/gender roles.  Again, it’s a door.
11. *Update* I will never speak in a baby voice unless I am nose to nose with an actual baby.  Why do women do that?  It’s not cute, it’s annoying and tiresome.

So what girly things will you never do?

 

Faux Pas: I’ve Got Chills, They’re Multiplying

Vivian stumbled into her roommate’s closet for a Vera Bradley photo safari.  Observe, faux pas in their native habitat.

Look at the way they lay there, in all their schlumpy glory; their garish patterns burning the retinas of all who gaze upon them.   If they see us, one of them might reach out and affix their paisley tentacles of death to our arm.

I suggest that we back away slowly, without making any sudden movements.

P.S. Are those wire hangers? Not to go all Joan Crawford, but NO WIRE HANGERS EVER!!!