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Fall Fashion 2000: Boot force: Sassy, sexy and bold, they go to many lengths to make a statement
Sunday, September 10, 2000 By Marylynne Pitz, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
This fall, boots made for vamping, stomping, stylin' and yes, even walking, are back -- big time.
Really bold boots are made of snakeskin, lizard, crocodile, ostrich or denim trimmed in leather. Sassy leather boots trimmed in fringe and beads evoke the '60s. A pair of purple snakeskin boots could make your day.
Suede boots with high shafts hug the calf and balance the foot on slim, stiletto heels for a dressy look. Stylish, waterproof boots keep your toes snuggly warm with luxurious shearling.
As is often the case, ankle boots and knee-high boots are abundant. But this fall's newest shape is a midcalf boot that is neither high nor low.
"It does work with pants and skirts. The midcalf boot can be worn with cropped pants," said Jill Rubinstein, owner of Footloose in Shadyside.
If you still own a pair of knee-high, leather riding boots with a flat heel, that look remains classic, Rubinstein said.
Western boots "are definitely making their influence felt," Rubinstein said. A true Western boot offers a thick sole, pointed toe, a stacked heel and two loops of leather that the wearer uses to pull the boots up.
Rubinstein loves to ski and carries weather boots from Aquitalia with a fur cuff that sells for $244.
In addition, Footloose stocks boots from Franco Fieramosca, who has designed a knee-high boot lined in shearling. Available in black or winter white, the Fieramosca boot sells for $245 at Footloose, also at the Galleria, Mt. Lebanon.
While boots made of leather and stretch suede abound, embroidered denim and stretch cashmere boots are available too, Rubinstein said.
Amy Bertoncini, manager of Gordon's Shoes in Bloomfield, favors the Santana line of fashionable, weatherproof boots from Canada, where people are serious about dressing for cold weather.
Santana's boots mix style with warmth and waterproofing, which means they are a practical choice.
"It's functional fashion. It's like wearing shoes indoors," Bertoncini said, adding that she has worn her Santana Hazel lace-up boot for the past five years.
Many of Santana's boots and shoes are made in narrow, medium and wide widths, up to size 121/2. Gordon's does not stock every size, so if you have difficulty finding the proper fit, ordering early is a good bet if you want to be prepared for trudging across Pittsburgh's frozen tundra in February.
If you crave a fashion boot, Gordon's also carries Sudini, an Italian company that promises to deliver, "shoes that make love to your feet."
The company's black leather boot features a side zipper and stacked heel. One style of Sudini boot is so reminiscent of those worn by the Beatles that after putting a pair on, you might sing, "ah, one, two, three, FOUR" and hear guitars in the background.
Sudini's soft leather boots are available in narrow widths from sizes 6 to 12 and size 13. Sudini makes boots from sizes 4 through 12 and size 13, in medium and wide widths, but, like the Santana boots, Gordon's does not stock every size, so shopping early is a wise tactic.
Dan Gionta, manager of the shoe department at Saks Fifth Avenue, said the Downtown retailer carries two new high-fashion Italian lines -- L'Autre Chose and Goffredo Fantini.
The Fantini boot, priced at $390, fits like a glove because the sides have elastic gussets.
"Women come in and put these on, walk to the mirror and it gives them that sexy, dressy look," Gionta said. The black boot, which is up to the knee, is made of leather, which splits on the back of the calf.
This fall, Gionta said, "the heel is where the big focus is" in high-fashion boots.
Many designers accomplished a neat visual trick with heels by making them look thick and chunky when viewed from the back but tapered when viewed from the side.
Salvatore Ferragamo, a shoe company known for its conservative line, mixes panache with pizazz in a two-toned ankle boot that combines a red and brown print with a gold buckle and brown leather trim ($480).
To achieve the ultimate femme fatale look, Stuart Weitzman took a midcalf black suede boot and covered it with matching black lace ($390). Weitzman's two-toned snakeskin boots stop at the ankle and sell for $278 in combinations of red and black or natural and gray. Bruno Magli's black microfiber boot mixes with spandex and sells for $285.
At Littles in Squirrel Hill, there are plenty of boots in shades of purple, the hot new color for fall. Boots are a must-have for children as well as adults.
Designer Steve Madden made boots for children called Stevies, a line that copies the platform boots and animal slippers available for adults. The clever "Stevies" ad campaign is "Make Your Big Sister Jealous."
Rocco Procida, general manager of Littles in Squirrel Hill, says teen-agers are buying the high-fashion, high-heeled boots. But he does not think working women will go for the sky-high feature.
"I just don't see the normal lady wearing that high of a heel. They are so used to being comfortable," Procida said.
Madden's boots have sold well, and so have funky, snakeskin boots, he said.
"We'll sell high stretch boots and low stretch boots. It was such a great market last year that we hope we have the same type of market this year," Procida said.
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