Sunday 7 – Autumn Ankles

Hello!  Isn’t September just flying by?!

I blame the kids.

Kids and their weekly routines just make each week blend into the next, with no rest-bite or break from the continuity and before you know it, it will be (whispers) C-h-r-i-s-t-m-a-s!

Yikes!

So I’ve been feeling pretty flat this week because our builders, who were on holiday for the last week of August, and, who were due back this Wednesday… were a no-show.  And whilst it’s quite nice to not have them around, I’m done with half of the upstairs being boarded off and having to use the uber-crappy-trickle-of-a-shower-over-bath not to mention the tonne of bathroom / bedroom furniture sitting in boxes in the kitchen, waiting to be fitted…

These renovations are also to blame for my current skinty-mc-glinty bank balance… I desperately need some new “every day” ankle boots, but have been trying not to think about it too much.

OK, you got me: ALL I’ve been doing is checking ankle boots, from sensible chelsea boots, to kitten heels to sky-high impractical ones which my knees wouldn’t even allow me to stand in let alone walk in… and, all the while I’ve been silently *sobbing* as I have to wait… always waiting *sniffs*

As my ‘ankles-out days start to dwindle, and my daily uniform of trainers stop cutting the mustard in the soggy days ahead,  here are some of the the ankle  boots which I actually, really do *need* in my shoedrobe:

7. Uterqüe – Black Nappa Low Heel Ankle Boots (£115)

Now don’t these look as though they’re made from neoprene from this photo?  Hopefully less so in the flesh.

But, I believe the finish of the leather- or “nappa” is meant to look that way.

So not the most exciting of boots, I’ll admit, but they are stylish and practical and leather and… kind of look sock-boot-ish so would work really well with trousers & dresses alike.

It’s their complete lack of ‘extra features’, or indeed, total simplicity of the boots which I’m drawn to.

And I actually don’t think they’re at too bad a price point really, but when you’re skint, every penny matters so… I’ve spotted these similar, cheaper, pleather ones in Zara:

Now these Zara Flat Embossed Boots aren’t exactly the same, but are a similar look as the Uterque ones, but for a fraction of the cost – they’re just £29.99.

However, I do make my ankle boots work hard during Autumn/Winter and given my really poor circulation, my eternally freezing cold tootsies probably wouldn’t be too happy with me if I made them wear these on a regular basis.

6. HM Premium – Leather Ankle Boots (£49.99)

 

I’ve always had a soft spot for kitten heels, they just make my heart sing a little.

These HM Premium boots have just the right amount of point and kitten-ness to float my boat!

BUT… to be honest, I need some flatter day to day boots for school runnings AND I need these as well for my little bit of “me-ness” when I have a mooch around town.

And in case you’re wondering: I live a 10 minute walk from town so end up going for a little pootle (for one reason or another) most days.

#smalltownliving

5. Mango – Heel Leather Ankle Boot (£49.99)

With a heel that’s half-way between the first two boots, these would be my choice for a red pair of boots.

Granted, I probably wouldn’t wear them every.single.day.

But… but… it’s nice to have options, right?

Plus, they’re a really good price for leather ankle boots, aren’t they?

4. Zara – Leather Cowboy Style Boots (£95.99)

Now I have been after a pair of cowboy “western” boots for y.e.a.r.s.

I bought some from Topshop last year but then bottled it and returned them… they were pretty awesome but just not fierce enough!

My obsession with fierce cowboy boots lays squarely at the door way of R-Soles on the Kings Road in London:

Now this particular tan & lizard tip pair are a mere £225 in the sale. Which is great, eh – I’ll take 3 pairs!

If only *sobs*

So, a little under 20 years ago, I used to live down the road from the R.Soles shop and most Saturdays, when I was still a newbie in London, my flatmate and I would take a walk to the Kings Road and window shop, and invariably I would always drag her into R.Soles just to fawn over the boots, and sometimes I would even stroke them.

I know, totally tragic.

But, non-sale R.Soles boots are over £300 a pair vs my monthly rent of £450 a month, my sensible flatmate would always talk me out of it.

However, there has been a western boot shaped hole in my heart for the past 20 odd years… and I suppose, anything I’ve “almost” bought just hasn’t come close enough to these lizard tips!

Suddenly the black Zara boots seem dull and boring right?

And they probably are… hmmm… seem to be talking myself into saving up for the R.Soles ones.

EEK! Send Help! Talk me out of this madness!

3. Office – Fly London Salv Chelsea Boots (£100)

Again, another blast from the bast for me… Fly shoes!  I think I still have some knackered old boots in the loft somewhere…

They are super comfy, and I like the chunkiness.

These would be perfect “running” boots: muddy-village-school run, ‘running’ around the supermarket boots… you get the picture!

However, I don’t fancy paying a cool hundred smackeroonies for these, and Marks and Spencer have a very good, more affordable version:

The M&S Chelsea Boots are pretty good for £65, don’t you think?

They are however sold out already in the smaller sizes… which is fortunate for my bank balance I guess.

#smallsilverlining

2. Topshop – Abba Pointed Boot (£62)

And so, it’s onto the boots I don’t really, really need.

But ones which I do really, really want.

More kitten heels.

In white.

Would look cool AF with jeans and the like?

And, and AND… they’re named after ABBA?!

Need I say more?

And finally, my number one this week:

1. Topshop – Monica Pointed Kitten Heel Boots (£69)

Because these are vitally identical to a pair of favourite boots I owned some 13-15 years ago.

It was pre-kids, and just before we manacled ourselves to a mortgage.

I love, love, loved wearing my “nude” kitten heel boots and I did indeed wear them to death.  I must have had the re-heeled a dozen times over!

These patent beauties are also available in Patent Black and Patent Red make them the most tempting of all the boots listed here today…

Not practical.

Not the most sensible.

Not the best for every day.

But… the heart wants what the heart wants!

*sigh*

Stinker of the Week: Next – Head Over Heels Ruched Ankle Boots (£40)

Now I love me a good-ole, worn-in-look, tan, flat, chelsea boot… and although it’s not the worst thing in the world, I’ve never been a fan of “ruching” on boots.

I just don’t like the way it looks when I look down at my own feet so wouldn’t go for these.

They look better on, I suppose… but no: just not my thing.

#Soz.

And finally, finally, onto the most impractical, but totally gorgeous going out boots:

Wildcard of the Week: Zara High Heeled Leather Ankle Boots with Openings (£79.99)

I mean look at those electric blue beauties!

(Zara describe them as electric blue – I’d say teal, wouldn’t you?)

And bizarrely, the “gather’ at the front of the ankle is a bit of a “ruch” (though not a proper bit of ruching, is it?)… and yet: I like!  I love!

I could never walk in them but I just love the idea of them!

How would I wear them though?

They’re pretty flashy boots, so for me, in my boring SAHM world, where I rarely go out, these would hardly get any wear at all.

But… if I did have cause to wear them, this is how I’d do it (and what a fabulous excuse to have a browse of all the loveliness I so very rarely have cause to check out!):

Look 1 – Winter Warming Cocktail Night: These boots would look just perfecto with a midi or maxi length pleated skirt like this M&S Velvet Pleated Skirt (£35) and this M&S Sparkle Turtle Neck Jumper (£27.50) in Navy.  I’d want a long-line understated coat with this outfit. Something like this Zara Oversized Coat (£79.99) again in Navy. Whilst I adore this look, the reality is that the skirt & coat would be WAY too long/big on/for me… so unfair!

Look 2 – Lunching in Town: I was looking for a maxi dress to put with the boots, which this dress is meant to be according to the description but really, it would be a midi on most (and yes, a maxi on me!): Zara Embroidered Dress (£39.99). Just add this Zara Cropped Leather Biker (£170) and a Topshop Remi Trophy Hobo bag (£34) and you are good to go!

Look 3 – Suited and booted: I adore masculine tailoring in women’s fashion although frankly, this is another look which I find tricky to pull of given my lack of height.  Anyway, I was looking for a super loud pink suit, but in the end, have opted for a rather safe navy option from Mango: Straight Trousers (£29.99) and Jacket (£35.99) but rather than going for a turtle neck under the jacket, if you go for a simple HM Premium Silk Strappy Top (£39.99) in this gorgeous blue, it would mean you could button the jacket up for that sexy “not wearing much under this” Madonna look circa 1989/90 … but, you could equally just leave the jacket open! Add a pop of red with this Mango Chain Leather Bag (£49.99) and perhaps a touch of bling from these HM earrings (£6.99)

And, so, at this point I’d like to return the kids and the blame-game: the annual September purchase of school shoes, trainers and football boots has swallowed up any budget I’d set aside for me & my boots.

You may at this point be thinking “surely you knew you’d be buying new school stuff?!” but in my defence, the 8 year old needed new school shoes /trainers in July.

Yup: his shoes just couldn’t last him the final 3 weeks of term… had it been just a hole in the shoe or a split sole, I would have made him suffer the final 3 weeks of term with tatty falling apart shoes in true #meanmom style; but alas, his feet had grown and toes were bashing on the end of all his footwear… and well, I couldn’t cope with his big toe-nail falling off or anything (*insert all the pukey emojis here*)

So, as you can imagine, I assumed he wouldn’t be needing any new school footwear just yet.

But I was wrong, wrong, WRONG… *wails: why did his feet have to grow in just 3 months?!*

AnyyYwaaaaay, as I polish my mothering-halo this evening whilst watching the second half of the 1990 tv mini-series of Stephen King’s “It” (which can you believe the husband has never, ever seen?!) I might just be taking a look at some more boots… all the ones I haven’t even touched on yet: pretty velvet ones, embroidered ones, tan boots (a whole separate blog post!) & my favourite – metallics!

Isn’t it always the way though: you want everything when you’re skint; but then, as soon as you’re a bit flush again, everything out there seems a bit “meh”.

Or is that just me?!  Would love to hear from you – leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.

Thanks for reading

Bx