Searching for an 'Ugg-Alternative'.

Hi everyone!  Hope you all are safe and sound and have electricity back after Hurricane Sandy and the follow-up Nor'easter.  After an abbreviated school week, I ran into a fellow Mom in the parking lot of school who was bemoaning her Uggs.  She's pretty fashion-forward and complained how she wished she had an 'Ugg alternative'; she wants something easy to slip on, warm, maybe water-resistant, and definitely a little more stylish.  I told her I'd research.

Ironically, her request came on the heels of (pun intended) my reading an article on Yahoo! asking if 'Uggs are over?'.  For my 2 daughters?  No.  For me?  Probably.

After a little research, these are some options that I like.  First, I wanted to see what La Canadienne had to offer this year.  I picked up a great pair of La Canadienne booties last winter (which I put on today for the first time this season and love just as much as I did last winter).  This year they have a couple interesting options.  First, the Camilla Stone Oiled Suede boots caught my eye.  I can see leggings and skinny jeans tucked into them as well as a skinny bootcut jean over them.  They are waterproof, hip, and pretty easy to put on (just one side zipper).

Image from zappos.com.

Another one from La Canadienne is the pull-on Trevis boot.  Shown on Zappos in black or charcoal (loving the charcoal color!), they can be pulled on, worn tall or folded over, and might just be a great Ugg-alternative.  One review on Zappos simply stated "Great purchase.  All purpose boots, from walking the dogs to going out for dinner.  Worth every penny."

Image from zappos.com.

Another company that makes a great all-weather shoe is Aquatalia.  A friend (and reader!) pointed me in the direction of this boot - the 'Sweet' boot.  These boots are based on a classic motorcycle boot, but are waterproof and slip-on; the zippers and buckles are simply decoration.  Great alternative!

Image from nordstrom.com.

There is always the option of waterproofing any boot.  I use Meltonian Water & Stain Protector on all of my suede and leather winter shoes.  Using this spray opens a bigger set of options.

Image from amazon.com.

I like these pull-on Frye booties.  After waterproofing spray, Lindsay Plate Short boots are a great option for everyday wear.  They might not be as warm as the La Canadienne or Aquatalia options, but they are super cute.

Image from nordstrom.com.

Similarly, these Ryder boots from J. Crew might not be warm, but a little spray and these are really great pull-on booties.

Image from jcrew.com.

I think these Stuart Weitzman booties might be great.  They do have a zip up back (not a true pull-on boot), but they are so cute that I'd love to wear them.  The faux fur lining should keep feet warm and toasty; add a little spray and they are water resistant.

Image from zappos.com.

Finally, you know how I love Polyvore, so I put together a set of outfits featuring a couple of these boots.  Wear the Ugg-alternatives with jeans, black leggings, matchstick pants, or slim bootcuts.  And stay dry and warm. ~ JH

W2WW Ugg Alternatives

..."Bourbon, BBQ and Boots" is the party theme.

Well, it's party-before-the-end-of-school season!   Just today, I received 2 questions from friends about upcoming events, and while I've answered via email, I thought it would be fun to write about them here. First up, a friend from college, who has a birthday party coming up:

"We've been invited to a 40th birthday party by my friend, who is from Kentucky.  It's a "Bourbon, BBQ and Boots" party for her husband.  I asked her whether we were actually supposed to wear boots, and she replied that it's "encouraged, but not required".  But of course, I love a theme!  However, I'm not sure What 2 Wear to this party.  ;-)  Can you help?"

My first thought is "she needs to wear boots".  With boots as a starting point, I have a couple of ideas, depending on how dressy the party is.  Knowing that it's a party for the husband, I'm going to venture a guess that ties are banned and therefore, cocktail dresses aren't going to work either.

First, does my friend have cowboy boots?  If so, she should absolutely wear them, with white slim or skinny jeans tucked into the boots and a fun, party blouse (silk to make dressier) on top with a fun necklace.  (If she doesn't own a pair and wants one, Zappos has a large assortment, including these Ariat boots.)

Image from zappos.com.

If she doesn't have cowboy boots, hopefully she has some flat riding boots, kind of like these Frye riding boots:

Image from zappos.com.

They can be black too.  And if she has these, she is set!  (If not, head straight to zappos.com and get a pair.  They are so useful in fall and winter.  That's another blog post altogether.)

You can do many things with riding boots.  You can go the pants route and tuck in a skinny denim blue, white jean, or black leggings.  All of which you can top with fun party blouse, big necklace OR drop earring.

A skirt with bare legs into boots is fun too.  I'd add a wide belt to cinch in the waist with a blouse (silk) tucked in.  Super cute and fun.

The most daring route would be the shorts route.  Lots of celebs have been spotted with boots and 'Daisy Dukes' but that might be a bit much for the 40+ crowd.  A dark navy or black short or a lighter white short would look great with a cute top as well.  This photo is kind of inspiring although the look is too casual for a 40th birthday party.  You get the idea.

Image from pinterest.

I played around on Polyvore, and made a set that shows a variety of styles, from white jeans to a skirt, accessorized and all.  Good luck bootsie! ~ JH

Outfits with Boots for Party by jenhma featuring cowgirl boots

J Crew cotton blouse
$120 - net-a-porter.com

J Crew short sleeve shirt
$110 - jcrew.com

Splendid cotton tank
$71 - stanwells.com

Vince black t shirt
$235 - stylebop.com

Blazer
$70 - topshop.com

J brand jeans
$261 - my-wardrobe.com

Caroll skirt
€90 - placedestendances.com

American apparel legging
£33 - republic.co.uk

Enzo angiolini boots
$189 - macys.com

Dan Post cowgirl boots
$168 - sheplers.com

Corso Como knee high leather boots
$90 - bloomingdales.com

Cara Accessories metal jewelry
$58 - nordstrom.com

Amrita Singh 18k jewelry
$100 - amritasingh.com

J Crew crystal jewelry
$78 - net-a-porter.com

Wire earrings
$58 - boticca.com

Kendra Scott 14k jewelry
$55 - neimanmarcus.com

J Crew silk scarve
$55 - jcrew.com

...it's 80° one day and 50° the next.

New England weather has thrown us for a loop this March.  The high is supposed to be 80° today, but declining over the weekend to more seasonable temperatures.  Sometimes I feel like a meteorologist in the morning when I'm picking out my outfit for the day.  "The jacket worn in the morning will be removed by noon, with a 40% chance of the scarf coming off too."

Personally, I don't want to go breaking out all of my spring/summer clothes because in 4 days or so, we'll be reaching for jackets again.  Like I wrote in November, the key thing there is to LAYER.  When the high is 80°, use less layers.  When it's 50°, use more.  I just think it's too early to be breaking out the sundresses and shorts.  Just saying.

So, what am I wearing?  Here's a sample of how I've managed to get through these odd weather days without tipping too far into a summer look.

I've brought out lighter sweaters, like this one from Vince.  It's made of linen, and the loose weave makes it breathable.  Over a tank top with skinny jeans and open sandals, it's perfect for the warmer days.  Add a scarf, throw on a jacket, and change to ballet flats when it's back to 50°.

Image from vince.com.

Another option is a lighter cotton sweater, again with more of an open weave.  I need to check out this one from Madewell, the striped portstitch pullover for $68.  Again, layer with a tank, scarf, and jacket when it's 50°, and keep it simple with a tank and a pendant necklace over ankle-length pants when it's 80°.

Image from madewell.com.

Scarves are a must right now, for when it's cooler in the morning and warmer in the day.  Simply remove the scarf when it gets too warm.  The material of the scarf is critical to this - must be lightweight (linen) and not too bulky.  Calypso St. Barth has GREAT scarves - some are really pricey (like, gulp, $250), and some are more reasonable.  Currently, the fringe linen scarf ($95) would be perfect for this weather, and it comes in a multitude of colors.  This pink one would lighten up any outfit in a minute.  (Shopping hint:  Get on Calypso's email blast list - they always have a sale going on!)

Image from calypsostbarth.com.

J. Crew has a similar one right now, for about 1/2 the price.  Their linen wrap, in 3 colors, is $49.50.  Wouldn't this blue (called 'oceanfront') look great with a navy sweater or blouse?

Image from jcrew.com.

Ballet flats play a big role in this weather.  If you are like me and haven't had a minute for a well-overdue-pedicure, you might want to have a perforated or woven ballet flat in your closet.  Not as warm and constricting as one that's full leather, it's a little nod to the weather, while keeping your un-pedicured toes out of sight.  I have a pair of Jimmy Choo perforated ballet flats in a platinum color I have worn for years; they have been on my feet for the past 3 days.  Try one of these on for size.

High end:  Prada Woven ballet flats.  Cool and cute.

Image from nordstrom.com.

Mid-range:  A Frye (yes, that boot company!) woven ballet flat in a huge range of colors, $178.

Image from zappos.com.

And the Prada-knock-off, available at J.Crew for $158 in 3 colors.  Kind of fabulous.

Image from jcrew.com.

Value:  The Celia Perforated Ballet Flats for $79.50.  The come in 3 colors and are really adorable.  I couldn't capture an image for here, so if you want to see them, please click the link above.

Happy spring! ~ JH