FAB AVE.

"Bootleg"

By Jonaye' Taylor

            Personally, I do not condone any illegal activity and thankfully, that is not what I am discussing. I want to spin-off a little bit from where I left off previously and inform you wonderful readers about the amazing boot sales going on currently.

            Now you may be speculating as to why I would even talk about boots when spring is on the rise. Well that is a valid point, and I owe you credit when its due, however, you must stock up on winter items not only for now, but for next fall and winter as well. I believe this decision is only common sense, you would be a fool not to! The great thing about boots is that they never go "out of style" or get "played out," however you want to phrase it. Boots are here to stay, you can wear them repeatedly until the heel breaks! Okay that is a little extreme but you get the point. Boots are a great investment, so I recommend you spend spend spend, but spend wisely!

            With some people, boots are not everything and that is understandable, however, one or two pair of classic boots is a wardrobe must have (the black boot with 3 ½" heel)! For the average fashionista, your boot collection is far from average! If not, there are plenty of styles to choose from out on the market. My new favorite style within recent months is the thigh high (over the knee) boot! These boots are hot and chic and you definitely will not miss a beat on Fashion Street if you rock these. You can pair them with anything from leggings to skinny jeans, or if you are going out for a night on the town wear them with pantyhose and cute shorts!

             Next, I love booties (small ankle boots, not butts to all the knuckleheads who thought I was referring to that). This cute little shoe is wearable throughout the season all the way up to 50-degree weather. You unquestionably cannot go wrong with a peep-toe bootie because they do not contain several amounts of excess bulky material like leather or suede coming all the way up the calf. Unfortunately, these boots are limited to specific items in your closet like skinny jeans and leggings, ladies please do not pair these uber chic boots with pencil skirts (how tacky). Luckily, you can wear these "out" as well especially with a cute mini dress!  Also, do not shy away from color, a monochromatic outfit topped off with a colorful boot is definitely stylish, matching it with a handbag is fabulous too!

            Furthermore, for the more casual college students there is the UGG boot, which to me is short for UGG-ly because they are downright hideous. Now, do not get me wrong I have a pair of knock off ones that I wear during the treacherous weather or on days when they are most convenient. Nevertheless, I refuse to spend my hard-earned money on these (boots) especially since they run from $150 to $200. Absolutely not, are you kidding me? The UGG boot serves its purpose based on their originated functions...to serve people well in bad weather, however, they are not wearable for any fashionable reasons whatsoever. If you do decide to try your luck the fashion police may have to fine you, I mean I just let you off the hook with a warning next time you may not be so lucky!

            Lastly, if you are a boot freak then Aldo and Bakers are definitely your go-to stores! Do not be afraid to venture off into Macy's and JC Penney, you may find some "cool and hip" items there as well at reasonable prices. When trying on shoes, ladies please make sure the shoes fit properly. Recently, my foot was in tremendous pain because of wearing improper footgear. For extra comfort and support check to see if the shoe stores sell foot cushions (which the normally do) and slip-free stickers (for the outside ball of the shoe)! This is all in your best interest , think about it, we can buy just about any new body part we desire, sadly, we cannot buy new feet! Therefore, we must treat them with numerous amounts of tender, love and care! Remember, you are doing this because you want to shop and stock, try to get a few wears out of your boots before it becomes completely spring, which I do not see happening anytime soon, but you never know what mother nature has to offer these days.