I have been browsing online and in local stores recently and noticed a new trend: the fold-over or “bell bottom” boot.

They come in many lengths and styles:

The Buckle Fold-Over Ankle Bootie:

The Mid-Calf Zip-Up Boot:

The To-The-Knee Western Bell Bottom Boot:

The Back Zip To-The-Knee Wedge Fold-Over Boots:

Personally, I am loving theses “to-the-knee” styles and would love to find a pair. They’re modern, sleek, and would really add some flair to my wardrobe. You do have to have a bit of daring to wear them.

How about you? Are you liking the fold-over boot trend? I would love to hear opinions from fashionistas.

If you were a fan of Christian Siriano on Project Runway, check out his new shoe line for Payless, released September 8. Here are my favorites from his Egyptian-inspired collection!

He has a couple of great flats in his line — feminine and stylish with great, luxe details. Isn’t the turquoise a great color?

I’m a fan of tough-looking shoes, and Christian’s heels and boots don’t disappoint. Hardware and zippers on shiny, leather-like material — I love it!

The best part? You can snatch these up for no more than $50. Now that’s fierce!

It happens like clockwork: each winter I haul out my boots and warmest sweaters and begin to sacrifice style bit by bit in favor of the comfortable and the cozy.

Part of my rationalization for not being more creative is because I know I’m going to put a coat over everything I wear. If that’s the case, why bother trying?

Well, I should bother because there are lots of fantastic (and warm) winter style options.

1. Wear this adorable toggle sweater over a long-sleeved shirt, with skinny jeans, boots and a bright scarf.
2. Most waterproof and practical winter boots are fairly ugly. However, this cute pair from Target has a tie back so you can tighten the top around your jeans (preventing snow from wetting your socks). They also have a subtle wedge heel, which will glam up your outfit a couple notches.
3. This newsboy hat has a Blair Waldorf-like bow on the side.
4. Fingerless gloves are really practical: it’s easier to drive, text and open your chapstick. These have a cool military-inspired look.
5. Shawl-collar cardigans are chic and so comfortable. They look best with a more fitted look on the bottom (either jeans or a pencil skirt, for instance) and really interesting oversized jewelry.
6. If you have the moxie to try out a funky, faux-fur hat, by all means, wear one like this!
7. A traditional holiday sweater like this looks good with more modern pairings. I would try it with dark leggings, flat-soled boots and a great pair of earrings.
8. I would really like to open these Nine West boots on Christmas morning. I can’t lie: I love them.
9. Wear a spin on the traditional Ugg boot style with these cuffed sweater boots.
10. I really like these London Fog boots: they have a little wedge and are fur-lined on the inside.
11. When it comes to scarves, you can’t go wrong with plaid.

What do you like to wear when the weather turns cold?

One of my favorite fall combinations is boots and bottoms. Bottoms are anything that covers, well, your own bottom. Skirts, dresses, leggings, tights, pants and jeans all qualify.

Here are some really varied combinations of boots and bottoms so you can find a set that fits your personal style.

1. Look 1 from Forever 21 combines the trendy and the retro. Can you guess which is which? Although the dress is from Forever 21, it has cute, 50’s styling. Ankle boots, which were popular in the 80’s, have made a huge comeback. To spice up the look: Add a scarf, headband and black or colored tights. For something more edgy, wear leggings with the dress.
2. Look 2 from Delias is for the daring fashionista. When I saw these boots, my eyes nearly popped out of my head. Pink! And plaid! And a button! These boots include so many fashion trends in one small package that it’s hard to figure how to pair them. The best way to make these boots be the stand-out item is to pair them with other solid colored clothing. These black skinny jeans, for example, let the boots stand on their own. To spice up the look: Wear the boots with a contrasting solid color up top. Bright blue, maybe?
3. Look 3 from Urban Outfitters is all me. I like wearing muted patterns and colors–nothing too wild!–and pairing them with interesting footwear and accessories. These boots are versatile and stylish, and I can’t say enough good things about this Urban Outfitters shirt dress. To spice up the look: Add a bright-colored jacket (yellow, orange, etc.), throw on some gray tights and put on a chunky necklace.
4. Look 4 from Target is the epitome of ladylike-chic dressing. This dress is fantastic–I love winter white. The boots, though, are the real catch. Less than $35 from Target, and they look hot. I love the mini wedge. Perfect for winter, perfect with a dress like this. Add some tights or leggings if you get cold. To spice up the look: Throw on some big sunglasses and belt that dress!
5. Look 5 from Alloy is trendy, trendy, trendy. From the colored pants to the low-heeled boots, there is nothing subtle going on here. Step out in confidence–after all, colored pants are all over the place right now and be amazed as the compliments roll in. To spice up the look: Wear something patterned on top. A houndstooth scarf with a simple, chic peacoat would lend a mod edge here.

Per bee’s request, I’ve decided to do another post detailing adorable ways to wear Lucky staffer’s “Cute Outfits of the Day.”

Like I mentioned in my previous “Get the Lucky Look” post, Lucky magazine is a great source for hunting out new trends and styles to incorporate into your own wardrobe. The only problem with Lucky? Most of the clothing featured is way out of my price range. $250 for a blouse? $400 for a casual dress? I don’t think so!

Instead, I like to see what Lucky staffers wear to the office each day—and then find inexpensive ways to copy their outfits or styles. They’re in the fashion magazine industry, so I think “Cute Outfit of the Day” is a fairly reliable source for fashionable and creative style ideas.

Here’s some of the outfits that caught my eye recently–and ways to recreate them for much, much less.

Jenny Kang, Fashion Assistant

Jenny’s wearing a mix of high and low-end clothing: H&M, American Apparel and Chloe brands are all incorporated into her outfit. I like the casual-chic look of this, and you could wear flats or Chucks instead of heels for a more weekend-friendly version.

Jenny wore a three-quarter length sleeved white blazer with her outfit, but for the warm weather ahead, I prefer this Forever 21 short-sleeved version. The price is unbelievable: less than $16! This gray tee from Urban Outfitters adds a neutral base to the outfit, and I like the extra length on it, which gives a good proportion to the whole outfit. Skinny jeans are a must–and if you don’t have a dark wash pair already, these Truck brand skinnies from Alloy.com come in petite, regular and long inseams, as well as multiple washes and colors. These Madden Girl wedge heels have a little bit of a retro flair to them, but in case CutesyGirl runs out of your size, these 70’s-inspired Target wedges will also do the trick. For a last bit of flair, throw on a purple scarf: either this one from Forever 21, or this multi-colored one from Urban Outfitters.

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Until attending school in Maryland, I never had a reason to buy boots. Sure, they were cute, but to a Southern Californian, they’re kind of like umbrellas or wool coats — you’d look fashionable wearing them, but everyone knew that they weren’t really necessary.

Then I encountered temperatures below 50 degrees and this thing called snow, and the need for boots became apparent to me. (Plus, I realized that I was missing out on a whole aspect of seasonal dressing!)

So, join me on my quest for the perfect collection of boots, won’t you?

These calf-high pewter leather boots look comfy and stylish — and they’re actually from Crocs’ new line, You by Crocs! Quite a deviation from their earlier work, no? (They’re also available in black and chocolate lambswool.)

A pair of cognac slouchy boots are a must for fall/winter dressing, and I bought these brown double buckle boots over the holidays — at a very affordable $39.50!

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