Reader Susan emailed me to ask how to choose the right boots to go with your dresses, and I had to admit to her that I am (as the Brits say) pants at choosing boots. I have boots, certainly, but I don't have any boots that I consider successful, where "successful" means that I wear them constantly (and am always looking for more excuses to wear them).

In fact, I think the last pair of boots I bought that I felt that way about were some brown Knapp farm boots that I saw in a spread in Jane magazine back in the grungey 90s. They looked great with vintage dresses, especially if you were nineteen.

(Of course, in my opinion, that was the last time a fashion magazine was helpful about boots: what is up with the current craze for deranged-elf ankle boots worn with jersey mini-dresses and all the jewelry you own, plus a knit scarf? Yes, Lucky, I'm looking at you.)

Anyway, not only am I pants at boots, I have realized that I'm pitiably one-track with other shoes, as well -- check out what I found when I tidied up my closet:



Yep, that's roughly a dozen pairs of round-toe ankle-strap heels. And I'm not even showing you the picture that's all flat black penny loafers!

It might just be that there aren't any boots that look "right" with 1950s styles, other than those plastic rain boots they used to advertise in the back of Parade, the kind that come with a matching bonnet to protect your hairstyle. So I throw the question open to you. What are the best boots to wear with vintage dresses?