The dark horse candidate for my shoe of the summer are my black cowboy boots. They can be egregiously impractical on 90-degree days, but I am a girl whose nascent sartorial sensibilities were formed during the golden age of Kate Moss Glastonbury paparazzi photos, so boots with anything short is an automatic yes. Since entering my late 20s, however, boots and cut-off shorts aren’t really something I can get away with wearing to the office, so I’ve been on the hunt for warm-weather outfit inspiration where I don’t have to put all of my winter shoes into storage. Here, I’ve gathered some of my favorite summer boot formulas that you can emulate when your sandals are giving you blisters.
Cowboy Boot + Long Romantic Dress
Photo: Getty Images
I love this combination of a flowy romantic dress paired with cowboy boots. I wear a fluttery periwinkle floral dress with my black boots, but these colors are gorgeous. As long as the dress is made of light materials and is loose on the body, you should stay cool. I will be daydreaming about wearing this outfit on a little farm in upstate New York for at least a week.
Tall White Boots + Jorts + Sweatshirt
Photo: Getty Images
This outfit makes the strongest case for jorts I’ve seen in a long time and is a fabulous example of repurposing winter boots for summer. For hotter days, you could replace the sweatshirt with an oversized T-shirt or a breezy button-up. On cooler days, simply throw on a jacket (I'd do something at about the same length or slightly longer than the inseam of your shorts).
Chunky Boots + Minimalist Oversized Dress
Photo: Getty Images
This summer, we are going oversized. The Olsens have long proven that drowning in cloth is incredibly chic—the trick for summer is to ensure the fabric is breathable and doesn’t cling close. Chunky tall black boots balance the outfit and add a little formalness and edge.
