Fall Essentials - Boots

Obviously, the change of weather in fall means that you must have shoes to handle the puddles, the mud, the ice and the snow. This means breaking out the boots. New or old, boots are an absolute essential in fall, and this season is no exception. In fact, more boots are popping up at more stores and by more designers than ever.

I am digging the round toed boot this season (square toes are so 2000). I also am a fan of buying brand new clean, non-distressed boots and breaking them in yourself. With as much as you will be wearing the boots this fall, don't worry soon they will have their own patina, their own scratches and wounds, their own individual wear and tear. They will be uniquely yours. The best way to break in a pair of boots is to wear them out one night to a crowded bar, that many drunks will be sure your boots are good and scuffed up. Also this season I am voting for brown boots, I just like the way brown boots get broken in. I like it better than black.

If you don't know how to wear brown boots, well try am with your favorite pair of jeans an oxford and a navy blue blazer. Or wear them with some tweed slacks, a dark shirt and tie and a matching leather jacket. You can also wear them with chinos and a cashmere sweater for a casual relaxed date look. Its the total cat's meow to wear a pair of chunky boots (scuffed or un-scuffed) with a heavy weight suit (make it a heavy wool, tweed or herringbone, the fabric needs gravitas for it to look right). Boots are the winters version of Chuck Taylors, they can be worn with almost anything and anytime and look damn good.