Boots

There is something totally affirming and comforting about boots. They are really 3-season shoes, as they are pefectly suited to all but the hottest months. I think I own more than 15 pair, from ladylike and dressy to weathered utilitarian. In boots, I can feel like a woodland adventurer even if I'm just sitting around the office. They look great with everything, but my very favorite look is a summer dress with boots and a sweater in one of the transitional season, spring or fall.

As a Southern girl, I grew up around boots. They remind me of capable hunters, accomplished equestrians and all around "can-do" people. People joke that Kentuckians don't wear shoes, but you better believe that when I hit the Zappos outlet in Shepherdsville, I head straight for the boots. That's right, a Zappo's outlet in rural Kentucky. Not only do we wear shoes, but we wear amazing shoes for half the price most people pay for them. My latest score-Type Z Sharris in this gorgeous earthy brown. I won't tell you what I paid for them, you'd just be jealous: