Left: 3.1 Phillip Lim Danny Boot ($450), Right: Zara Flat Chelsea Boot ($99.90)
With Fall upon us, despite the misgivings of a better-late-than-never Indian Summer (although I suppose that is the definition of an Indian Summer, is it not?), we are already firmly entrenched in the phase of the year during which our stylistic purview is inundated with boots. If there is one sigil that fully represents sartorially inspired consumer-based trends of the season, it is The Boot.
And if there's one boot that remains steadfast each season, one boot we see iterations of every year since they days of Hard Day's Night, it's The Chelsea Boot. One of my personal favorites, its sleek, understated stylishness bestows upon even the most drab outfits a level of elevation and thoughtfulness that far few other pieces can deliver in one blow. A solid Chelsea Boot is truly one of those (maybe 5 in the entire history of fashion) pieces that will literally and actually never go out of style (note: this fact could be considered an argument in favor of investing in a more pricey pair like the 3.1 Phillip Lims).
And this season, with the help of the Fall lines from designers like Acne and Versace (just to name a couple), along with a general and rather assertive resurgence in a myriad of 90s vestiary virtues (more on that another time), we're seeing a marked propensity toward patent leather on all sartorial fronts—particularly in the realm of footwear.
All of which brings us to these two beauties. Their mannishness replete with the "of-the-moment" tendency toward menswear silhouettes and styling (90s!), these two present us stylishly inclined ladies with the perfect answer to the question (exclamation) I often ask myself during the Fall and Winter months: "UGH! It's raining! What's shoes am I going to wear NOW?!" Their water repellence, inherent comfort, provided warmth, and chicness at once solve 4 problems that together form a clusterfuck of a situation that otherwise render dressing oneself for public presentation on a rainy November day nearly impossible.
Both shoes are lovely, though Lim's sleeker aesthetic, often most visible in his footwear, does win out over the slightly more Hunter rain boot feel of the Zara pair here for me. As with most decisions, it's merely a matter of personal preference and pocketbook priorities as to which one you might choose. Either way, I doubt you'll be disappointed, rain or sunshine.
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