Letter of Rec #061: The forgotten boots

“There is no bad weather, only bad clothes:” Practical boots for inclement weather that actually have a point of view

Toteme sweater scarf and shearling boots ($450 from their orig $900), Skall Studios jacket (its completely sold out; Toteme’s is still available here but I think this is the alternative), Khaite jeans, Delarge sunglasses, Spolia New York wood clutch

Here’s the bedroom chair look of the week: one part padded anorak, roomy enough to layer over an overwhelmingly warm knit, with the same jeans from last week and two spoils of the recent and very good Toteme sale:

• a pair of suede shearling boots ($450 instead of $900)

• and this cape scarf thing (purchased for $270) I have thought about off and on since it came out for Fall 2022 (it seems to be completely gone, but you’ll accomplish the vibe with a bib like this or even an open hem v- like this).

I love in particular how it layers over a coat with a button-to-the-top collar.

See what I mean? Tender!

But it’s nice over an outfit too — like to wear in doors with everything else you have on

A denim on denim combo (By Malene Birger jeans, Khaite jacket) being one among the easiest texture-plays to go with. Gold jewelry is the right compliment here

Speaking of BMB, By Malene Birger’s turtla scarf could get the job done. (Book ended by Alex Mill coats)

One more edit with the Margiela v-neck pull overs. The blue one would look great over the red coat (J. Crew, on sale, it’s mens but I’d go with a medium then roll up the sleeves) with khaki trousers and the oatmealy one is a great compliment for a classic field jacket, like the Barbour one at left. Tbh though, this one from Fortela has me in a headlock.

The funny thing about winter dressing is that for as many more layers as you’re probably wearing, and as much as you still might care about getting dressed, you can get by with a lot less stuff. Or what I mean really is, you can get by without feeling the need to say so much with your clothes. To change it up so often, to have so many points of view.

Wheel reinvention seems more like a quality of warm-weather dressing. It’s a spectator sport in the summer. But these days are wrapped in the convenience of getting warm so you can enjoy the little things like fresh, cold air rolling through your lungs after too much time in a heated, stuffy room.

This is the first winter season in so long that when I step outside I feel pretty grateful for the crisp cold air that meets me out there, it’s as good as the warm embrace of a balmy day. I do wonder if it’s because I have been prioritizing getting warm as opposed to looking cool that I’m feeling this way at all.

Or maybe my warm weather accessos are just getting better. Like I’m taking them more seriously. Lately for example, I’ve been wearing a pill box hat with my hair up in the back, it feels like a sleek little passageway that makes room for a sense of humor in my style and I love the idea of that.

Mine is from The Row, but like…

Next week’s send is all about how to make the most of your warm weather accessos so we’ll get into it then. For now I’ll just say:

Practical shoes don’t have to be ugly. Something tells me it’s going to be an icy winter, and to compliment it, I’ve had Italian hiking boots on my mind, so without further preamble, I give you:

A tight edit of Italian-style hiking boots (and how to wear them):