I bought them. Now what do I wear them with?

I am loving all the real world fashion questions that people have been asking me lately. My good friend, Sara, was so kind as to post one on the Facebook page. A challenge! I'm in. 

Steve Madden Arieel boot. Nordstrom. $129.95.

An abbreviated version of Sara's question: Halp. My friend, Reenie just bought some gray ankle boots and is wondering what kind of pants to wear with them.

First of all, I've been hearing about Reenie for years without actually seeing her; might I say she has great taste in friends and boots. I'll use these Steve Maddens above as inspiration.

BZR Sunset breeze ombre tights. $44. Velouria.

First, yes, skinny pants would be a great go to for sure. A few things to keep in mind. Depending on Reenie's body type, she can style the boots to flatter her figure. Let's say she's an Inverted Triangle (shoulders are wider than her hips). If that's the case, drawing attention to her feet balances out her frame. So, making her lower half the star of the show is the way to go. Colored or textured skinnies or tights work well. With grey boots, might I suggest black/grey textured tights for a more conservative look or go bold with ombre tights or red skinnies. Keep it simple on top, basic v-neck sweater or a card/t-shirt combo. 

Paige Skyline ankle peg cloud cover skinny jeans. $189. Paige USA.

Alternatively, let's say the lovely Reenie is petite. Going monochromatic elongates her frame and is very on trend. I know it sounds crazy, but it is true. Grey sweater, grey skinnies and grey boots with a bold colored coat gives the illusion of length. The same strategy can also work on a curvy woman who'd like to downplay her curves a bit. I chose a pair of Paige skinnies here because they work well on curvy bodies and a bold cape. While this bold print is best for an average to larger sized woman, ankle length skinnies with booties work for most everyone and are a great way to make use of the pants you already own.

Checked studio cape. $269. Zara.

Independent of body type, grey booties can be both exciting and challenging to pair. While grey is technically a neutral, in shoes it tends to behave more as a color in that it doesn't fade into the background the way black or brown shoes do. But, it matches virtually every color- looking best with other neutrals and bold colors.  After you get the hang of it, you'll quickly find that they are a must have. Enjoy!