Thank You, New Yorker

We're a touch tardy on this shout-out, but a big thanks to Patricia Marx for her article in last week's The New Yorker ("Sole Sisters" September 1, 2008) which summed up our shoe philosophy in one master stroke:

"With the possible exception of ... a few others, men don't get it when it comes to shoe shopping. (Women, you may skip this paragraph.) A woman loves trying on shoes because she can do it without taking off her clothes. So, no matter how fat or unlovely she feels, she can slip into a Giuseppe Zanotti silver stiletto sandal with a crystal-encrusted skeleton of a trout swimming up her ankle and, just for a moment, believe that she is as come-hitherish as her foot (Bergdorf Goodman; $850)."

And just as we finished adding Ms. Marx's quote, we happened upon this comic in the very next issue by one of our personal favorites, Alex Gregory (available online):

It Takes a Tote.

We love the forthrightness of whateverittakes. This is a charity with moxy written all over its URL. As the online face of not-for-profit 21st Century Leaders, the goal of whateverittakes is to raise $3 million over 3 years to fund charitable projects in the developing world. Most of those projects involve helping impoverished groups in developing nations reach global marketplaces to sustain their communities.

We like this "teaching to fish" approach and the dignity it affords. 21CL raises their operating budget by creating and selling "merchandise with a meaning," meaning, in the case of Lori's, a collection of fresh canvas totes designed and signed by cultural limelighters.

Bags of Personality: Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B.-like tote (left) and Kayne West's improv batik.

The bags are appealing on a number of levels. On one hand, fill your celebrity-guest-designer-fashion-bag wardrobe requirement for a sliver of the usual cost. And when we're talking about prolific and high-profile producers like Kayne West, Snoop Dogg, Lucy Liu, Gwen Stefani and Stella McCartney, that's significant. At $34.00 they are slightly more affordable than, say, McCartney's sueded appaloosa handbag for $1,295.00 or iTuning all of Kanye West's albums or Stefani's L.A.M.B. collection (though the spontaneity of her scribbled designs reflects that Harajuku élan.)

Global Fashion: Stella McCartney's totes reflect the spritely optimism of her Spring 2009 line.

We're suckers for the sense of hand in these bags. Sure, it's a trick we've been familiar since those melamine plates we made in 3rd grade, but it is potent for the same reason – that sense of personal touch preserved in an otherwise generic product. Personality is important; these bags portray a real sense of energy and personal investment about something that's meaningful to us: the ability for creativity to benefit others. Because proceeds from every bag fund 21st Century Leaders, buying these bags isn't just consuming, it's also participating.

Besides the requisite paeans to green and earth-friendliness, each medium-weight cotton canvas bag has self-lined handles and a hidden zip side pocket. Sides are gusseted to hold as much organic, grass-fed, free-range, no-trans-fat goodness as you can stuff in there at the grocery. (And if you, like us, sometimes yearn for something a little less earnestly responsible, perhaps this is insouciant enough.)

Buying this bag won't save the world, but it will save you some money, send said same to a cause we (and our pop culture idols) believe in, and make you look good doing it.

More Menswear Inspiration: The Fall Hat

Fall's not just a great time for shoes and boots; it's also a fantastic opportunity for gloves, scarves and hats meant for weather that's cool but not yet cold. Our go-to hat provider, San Diego Hat Company, has turned out a number of hat styles perfect for fall trends.

As in shoes, we're seeing (and loving) the migration of traditionally masculine styles into womenswear. This fall casual newsboy caps, engineer and fishermen caps get dressed up and formal fedoras and equestrian riding helmets get a dose of urban chic. Both trends point to a season of refined dressing and smartly tailored looks tinged with pastoral romance.

In addition to boots, equestrian styling is inspiration for fall chapeaux. The traditional English riding helmet with its black velvet covering has been remade by San Diego Hat Co. in a structured wool. We love the short, peppy brim and SDHC's addition of a front band secured with eagle-stamped gold buttons. The traditional ribbons at back have morphed into a tab at the cap's peak.

Sew on a colorful ribbon at back to reference the hunt (and give you easy DIY style options). Pair with riding-style boots, but forego the white breeches and scarlet coats. Instead, riff off the formalwear with a shrunken, tailored, dark blazer. (Or go with a Prince of Wales or other glen plaid to make it really pop.)


Another great women's hat this fall is a mashup of several styles. Part Greek fisherman, part engineer's cap, this style has a softly structured, roughly cylindrical top and a short brim braced with a decorative hatband. Brando immortalized a softer, foppier version in The Wild One.

What makes this hat a seasonal fave is the vast range of fabrics and patterns being used. San Diego Hat Company's purple plaid engineer cap (shown, also in red) is a casual-chic boho example, the three-button band a nod to the rakish tilt of Brando's lid. Plaid's just the start: look for embroidery, mod herringbones and a variety of tweeds.

With hats this bold, amp up your look. Plaid cap? Add more plaid in the form of a scarf, blazer or pants. Contrast the big tartan pattern in this hat with a smaller, more subtle design in your outfit. Make it clash to make it work. And the shoes? The shoes. Or rather, the boots. High, polished, dark, heeled.

A more youthful version, the newsboy, is also well-stocked here at Lori's, the biggest difference being a larger, floppier crown (perfect for tucking away long tresses or an ad hoc role in Newsies). Throw on some oxford pumps or a wingtip pattern under pants.

Last but not least, a classic of mid-century menswear, the fedora, has found its way back into our wardrobe. Characterized by a higher, structured crown and wide brim, often with a wide fabric hatband, the fedora was a ubiquitous - and required - piece of men's attire until the '60s when style icons like JFK famously went lidless. The demise of the hat quickly followed.

Or so we thought. We're carrying some cute versions this season in more relaxed fabrics and with a short, snap brim that reminds us of fast-talking newspaper reporters. This look would be great over a structured top like a white menswear dress shirt and some spectator pumps.

A Penny for Your Thoughts

School's in and so are collegiate fashions as preppy looks score high marks this fall. This is fine by us. There's something about the classically conservative styling of Ivy League-inspired togs that's so ... workable. These time-tested styles are a great foundation on which to build an outfit and capitalize on fall trends. We've picked some fall college-inspired styles for you to work with.

The Penny Loafer
Pop quiz: How cute is this shoe? Answer: (a) supercute. Continuing the menswear trends this fall (spectators, workshoes, kilties, oxford and wingtip details), the penny loafer by Jeffrey Campbell has an adorable rounded toe with a short vamp. Sawtooth edges, patent finishes and snakeskin patterning add a more feminine feel. Or not: Enzo Angiolini's Mendoza is a sober penny loafer straight out of the men's department and perfect under a subtle windowpane plaid wool pant for the office.

Wear with dark and neutral leggings like steel greys, chocolate browns or a deep aubergine or burgundy. (Check out HUE's palette.) For the globally engaged college look, accessorize with something a little less conservative, like square fringe scarves in neutral plaids with kiffeyeh styling. For cooler days bundle up with a heavier weight cable-knit scarf in classic ivory.

The Mary Jane
The Mary Jane pump is a great fall trend and the O, Please by Gentle Souls with its clean lines, rounded edges and leather-covered button is a great example.

We threw in some cashmere tights by B.ella, an aubergine day bag by Pietro Allesandro that folds into a large clutch for after-school events and topped it off with a slouchy, plaid engineer's cap by San Diego Hat Company. The tights and bag will dress up the shoe, the cap adding a cool riff on the overall color scheme while tapping into this season's plaid addiction.

The Campus Boot
Frye's Campus boot has been a hot commodity ever since the Civil War, though we associate it more strongly with college life in the '60s and '70s. The buttery caramel color of this stacked heel boot is eye-catching without being blatant.

We've paired it with a Mod engineer's cap in a wide, woven herringbone that picks up the boot's color. The grey of the cap works back to the Sterling silver in Wendy Culpepper's Louie organic shape necklace and HUE's knee socks in cobblestone blue. A Carla Mancini shoulder bag and a cute bird keyfob by Livishy add fun period touches.

A Leg Up

We were idly flipping through the September issues of Vogue and Harper's the other day (ok fine: we pored over them in avaricious, greedy glee, basking in the detailed glory, lost amongst the finery for well over a few hours) and we saw a look we really like: the legging. And, what's more, the legging under the high boot.


This look is a compliment to high boots and over-the-knee styles. Leggings provide a great opportunity to pop in bold color and bridge the gap between boot top and skirt bottom. The sweater dress is another winning top, especially something classically modern like Lutz & Patmos's Omi & Opi Sweater guest-designed by Kirsten Dunst: a long sweater or high-thigh dress perfect for this look.

The look is so easy and so versatile. Pair with a clean, structured top like a short-sleeved peacoat shape or short trench and A-line skirt. Let the tights' color lead down into your boots -- we're seeing such attention to detail and materials this year that the boots will end up carrying your look (literally).

With all the layering going on in long dresses, we were happy to see it extend to the shoe as well - layered leggings are a great way to add some quirk and edge to your look. Pull in some color with HUE's range of tights, find your favorite Gucci-inspired hyper-stud pump and overlay the Calvin Klein toeless knee highs for a new look.

Fall: A Primer

We're running willy-nilly through trends this fall, so we thought we'd pause, catch our breath, and give you a run-down of our favorite fall trends. Keep in mind that a number of shoes this season are under the influence of multiple trends. There's a lot of crossover out there, kids!

1. Peeptoe Shooties & Pumps
The Look: Pumps with coverage up to the ankle with a moderate-to-high heel, often decked with style elements borrowed from men's shoes (wingtip punching, oxford footshape, panel color contrast) and kept feminine with a cute peeptoe front.

Shown: Steven Midory
Exhibits traits of: Peeptoe, shootie, New Wave, pump

2. Spectators/Co-Respondents
The Look: Inspired by the co-defendants in British adultery cases, the Co-Respondent is defined by masculine two-tone styling, wingtip punch patterns and an oxford silhouette. This gets feminized with a heel, softer colorways and details like grosgrain bows, patent leather and that ilk.

Shown: Jeffrey Campbell Tomba
Exhibits traits of: spectator, pump, shootie

3. Equestrian/Calvary (or, Military by Way of Horses)
The Look: Thank endless wars for an ongoing military chic. This season's crop focuses on tall boots with pronounced equestrian detailing like a high front fender, harness details, a mid-height heel and cinching at shaft top. If you don't own any jodhpurs, pair with a skirt of your choice just above the knee to mid-thigh.

Shown: Frye Paige Tall Riding Boot & Progetto C482
Exhibit traits of: equestrian, calvary, hero boots

4. Grunge Chic/New Wave Glam
The Look: Goes two ways. Grunge comes straight out of Seattle Scene revival nostalgia and is a rejiggering of early-'90s work boot/industrial/Goth styles; a prettified Doc Marten. New Wave is a reaction to punk and looks a decade further back to the early '80s -- expect glam versions of Doc Martens and deconstructed, slouchy shoes.

Shown: MIA Dominic
Exhibits traits of: grunge, glam, Doc Martens, New Wave

5. Hero Boots (Over-the-Knee Boots)
The Look: Ultra-romantic boots that hike over the knee or fold down for knee-highs. Reference superheroes, Blackbeard (or, perhaps, Captain Morgan) and 18th-Century aristocrats. Often meant to slouch or scrunch for a casual look, or hike all the way up for a boot that is your look. Wear with shorter skirt/dress to draw attention to the leg between boot and hem, and thus to legs and sexiness in general. Wear brightly colored or patterned tights for a more hermetic, more put-together look.

Shown: Lamica Iride
Exhibits traits of: equestrian, hero boot, over-the-knee, purple-related colors

6. Purple
The Look: Purple is the color of royalty and Heathcliff-style romance passion (think of all those moody moors covered in heather). It's also close enough to black to work with your outfit whilst adding warmth and chroma. Look for it in hues closer to blue than red.

Shown: Pour La Victoire Ophelie
Exhibits traits of: pump, spectator, purple hues

7. Fringe
The Look: An applied-texture look ranging from your typical SF hippie moc style to more Nouveau Riche arriviste stylings taken from golf decor. Ranges from casual to buttoned-up depending on the style of silhouette it's paired to. A versatile option.

Shown: Steven Bijoux & Max Studio Daphne
Exhibit traits of: fringe, pumps, masculine styling, '80s excess, '60s hippie chic

Boots are a Battlefield: A New Wave of Heroes and Shooties

While the grunge chic trends we've covered issue from the muddy banks of the Wishkah and earlier British punk influecnes, a concurrent fall trend grew out of a reaction to punk's early-'80s dominance.

We're talking New Wave; we're talking shooties, hero boots and glam grrrls.

New Wave's distancing from punk pushed it toward an embrace of mod's tailored, even dandyish lines mixed with influences of then-contemporary late '70s-early '80s scenes. The shootie, a mash-up of shoes and boots with the coverage of an ankle boot and a pump's silhouette, fits right in. Steven's Midory is a pitch-perfect example. The deconstructed upper with leather tab and spike heel are lovely. They make us yearn for the old CBGB . The peeptoe is a nice touch. Wear with tights. Who owns this look? Pat Benatar. (Black PVC optional.)

Over-the-knee hero boots are showing up this season, most famously in Christian Louboutin's suede thigh-highs. The look is the murky intersection of Punk, Disco and New Wave with touches of glam, military and romance dominating. We love Lorenzo Masiero's 6730s in chocolate leather. Wear this look with a short skirt or dress, flaps flipped up to cover the knees. Again, tights here in a bright color or pattern will be a bold and brief pizzazz. Who owns this look? Deborah Harry.

Glammed-up combat boots perched atop platforms and lug soles are required uniform for punk/pop crossovers that take the attitude of Brit-punk and run it through American New Wave toward a brighter pop sound. These boots also commandeer a typically masculine style and convert its aggression into sassy feminism. (Girl Power!) We think a dose of Zamagni's 10410s in black patent are in order. The tall shaft sports paratrooper details like a side zipper and harness, all balanced on a 3-1/2" chunky heel and one-inch platform with lugged sole. Who owns this look? Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go's.

Redacted: In which we correct ourselves.

Recently (read: Tuesday) in our article on grunge chic we advised you to not " ... get your flannel out just yet." Well, we've changed our mind: Please get your flannel out. Or, at least, your grungy-looking plaids.

To be honest we only made our original statement because our squad of crackerjack researchers couldn't find just exactly the shrunken plaid flannel blazer with a tailored waist we demanded for those boots, so, we glossed over it. However also very recently (i.e., Thursday) we received new scarves from Echo Design and they are a perfect substitute.

Measuring two feet wide by six feet long, these 100% wool scarves are cut from beiges, blacks, purples, maroons and blues for a muted Seattle Scene feel. Elastic threads sewn lengthwise keep the scarf gathered to about a foot wide, lending a movement and shape.

We think they'd be perfect with a industrial, three-eyelet oxford like MIA's Dominic. Gussied up in black patent leather over a thick lug sole, this shoe is the perfect balance to Echo's muted, textured scarves. In between try ACNE's Generic Girl Tab jeans, a close-fitting white bateau tee under a cropped jacket, and, if you dare, a cap.

Buffalo plaid was a hot second last fall and we're thinking with all the nods to Doc Martens, grunge rock and general '90s retooling, we'll see sophisticated plaids again this fall.

In-store only: 30% off sale items

SUMMER BLOW-OUT SALE

For a limited time, take 30% off already reduced merchandise at our Armitage, Northfield and Highland Park locations. Sale runs Thursday, August 7 through Tuesday, August 12.

This offer is valid in-store only; it does not apply to online orders. Valid only on already reduced merchandise.

See our stores page for hours and contact information.

Trending: Grunge Chic Detailing

Recently in our secret-but-awesome and enticingly lit marketing lair, our ticker-tape machines started chattering, klaxons rang and our RSS feeds went atomic. "My," we wondered aloud to ourselves from the recesses of our expensive-but-tasteful designer couches, "has Guitar Hero: Metallica finally been released?"

Unfortunately not (your best Enter Sandman will have to wait until '09). It was word of new fall trends: grunge chic has arrived. Don't get your flannel out just yet; it's more tasteful than it sounds. Think subtle details picked up from the Seattle Scene of the early '90s who pilfered them from the Punks before that, and the Rockers before that and the skinheads (the good kind) before that.

While the shape of grunge footwear revolves around so-called blue collar detailing like lug soles, steeltoes, eyelets, bulky oxford shoes and workboots, the chic additions include luxe materials in contemporary colors with fashion-forward detailing.

A common feature we're loving is the outspoken utilitarian look. We see this a lot in the boot shaft cinch. This comes straight out of performance motorcycle-wear and workwear like logging boots. This fall it gets dressed up with luxury suedes and supple leathers finished with stylish buckles as in Matisse's Mike (left).

These straps are mostly for looks - there's a zipper on the other side - but we like how this boot makes gracious an ungainly concept. While they can be used to perfect the fit through your calves, they also lend the impression of a form-fitting cavalry boot that means business. Contrast with a girly skirt or dirndl.

The Zamagni 10347 (left) takes the concept into future-grunge chic with a seamless leather vamp and stretchy Nylon back strapped in with two leather straps. A rubber wedge sole makes these perfect for a lounging on the U.S.S. Enterprise.

The Nylon shaft ensures a tight fit and the straps will draw in material around the ankle, keeping your silhouette clean and lean. Try wearing an outfit that resonates with the sleek, straight lines of this boot. An above-the-knee skirt - not as full as a dirndl, not as lean as a pencil - would look great here.

Jeffrey Campbell's Pledge takes the long way around: their vertical buckle connects a leather footing with a wide leather cuff at the leg opening. The shaft is made of soft, scrunched black suede. Adjust the buckle to raise or lower the boot's height.

Go long with these: layered mid-calf to ankle-length skirts are Fall's look. Let the scrunchy folds of these boots get caught up in the folds of fabric. Choose a same-color long skirt and let the play of materials as you move make the outfit sing.

And if its arias you're after, JC's Buck in black is the Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Fourth Movement filtered through Marilyn Manson's cover of Tainted Love: a romantic rider dipped in Goth funk.

Again, take it long: full-length layers in voiles or lightweight flannels will offer tantalizing views of these knee-highs with a slight dom edge to them.

And finally (OK, can you believe it?), Doc Martens are back. This is the sine qua non of the grunge chic look. And while the 8 Eye Boot we're getting hasn't arrived yet (and doesn't have any shaft straps), we needed to share it with you.

What surprised us was ourselves: we thought the ol' Docs looked pretty good. Fifteen years ago we were gagging in the streets; the boots had a brand recognition equivalent to oxygen. They were everywhere. Expect the Classic boots this fall as well as new patent treatments in bold colors.

We'll let you know when they are in. In the meantime, we have to continue petitioning for the release of Guitar Hero: Mudhoney.

Rise of the House of Ugg.

A couple-few years ago when Ugg put forth their Baby Blue and Baby Pink Classic Boots and Oprah added them to her Summer List, the fashion world came slightly unhinged in a mad, avaricious scrabble to claw them up and parade about in pastel sheepskin. Uggs were the new narcotic; those softly shapeless moonboots with the fleece on the inside were everywhere, in every weather.

And then they were gone. A season changed and so did the style. Those fluffy boots in baby colors vanished overnight. Ugg seemed down but, as we'd find, far from out.

The renaissance began about a year ago when Ugg opened flagship stores in Chicago, New York and Montreal. Flagship stores. (yes -- plural!) For Uggs. Clearly there was more to these purveyors of sheepskin than we'd suspected. Approach fall of 2008 and with it, a deluge of new styles in updated, more adult colors and styles.

The tall Classic is back in a troika of grays, along with some house-happy Cozy slippers and moccassins.

We were particularly impressed with the Cove style. With a shorter legging, thong ties, shearling edges and welted rubber sole, this bootie has Minnetonka stylings and, we think, better performance in sloshy weather. Plus, that color? Fieldstone? Sold. (Also available in Toast and Black.)

But not everyone is. Even amongst our staff we have our Ugg partisans and the rebel alliance committed to "heels or not leaving the house." The pro-Ugg contingent espouse the Ugg's comfort, their warmth in winter and cool relief in summer (-30F to +80F according to the official website), their supreme easiness. The protesters, too, point to their supreme easiness, citing Uggs as an enabler of the poorly put-together. To which the Ugg-friendly reply well at least we're comfortable and not so stuck-up and then the Ugg-uneasy say well at least our boyfriend didn't dump us at Christine's party last Saturday and then someone throws a piece of leftover birthday cake from the breakroom and it's a time-out for everybody.

So we may as well ask you:



No matter what your opinion (or ours), we think this season's collection is the strongest we've seen (especially that Cove, calling to us with it's Siren song in the boot aisle ... ) And speaking of sailors, we'll leave you with this little tidbit. (He must be a fan ... we're pretty sure he's wearing the black Kohalas).

Back in Black (and Blue)

Yes, we really are going to recommend you wear black and blue together. In fact we're a little bit peeved that Vogue beat us to the punch in the August issue. These dark and stormy hues are big news for fall and with a little moxy you can pull it off.

The retiring coolness of a rich blue and the flatness of the black are going to push and pull against each other, forming a marvelous core tension around which to base a look. Browns, taupes and neutrals are hot with these shoe colors. Grays? A miracle.

Just look at Pour La Victoire's "Ophelie." This is a brilliant shoe. It has a soft, deep indigo suede body clad in the hard shell of black patent with sawtooth edges. A winged captoe with punching is a nod to the spectator trend. Triple patent straps with sueded buttons feel modern, but also remind us of frogged military jackets. And a four-inch, wrapped leather heel makes them just plain sexy.

The spectator and military aspects give this shoe a masculine spirit that makes it ideal under a wideleg wool pinstripe dress pant in black, navy, gray or taupe with a smartly tailored white blouse. We also have visions of the Ophelie paired with a sexy pencil skirt in gray. (And may we recommend Bill Cunningham's slide essay on New York City pencil skirts?)

You can take this in a similar direction with shoes that balance the two hues. Jessica Bennett's Jilt in Blue Patent is such a deep lacquered blue that it shifts into fathomless blacks as the light plays off its gloss.

The concept of "black" is made deeper by the punchy richness of the navy, a sense of depth reinforced by the patent coat. Blacks on their own can be mercurial - some warm, some cool. They tend to flatten and turn green under lights. Blues keep things dark and vibrant, sometimes looking more lustrous and "black" than the black itself.

Blue and black combinations are the slant rhymes of outfit co-ordination. They don't quite dovetail and this mismatch resonates. That gap between them is exactly the kind of sprezzatura we love -- it signals your confident ability to put together a knock-out ensemble, to be just a touch off and therefore right on target.

Lori's in the News: ShopWalk

Lori's -- online, in-store -- is no stranger to crowds. (It's a common misconception that Milton coined the term "Pandemonium" for Satan née Lucifer's new digs once kicked out of heaven; we think it's more apropos of the Armitage store on a Saturday afternoon.) However, we are bracing ourselves: the ladies of ShopWalk are descending and they're bringing determined shoppers and the folks at NBC along for the ride.

The brainchild of Chicago entrepreneur Danielle Lutz, ShopWalk is an urban safari of local boutiques and independent retailers that is no callow endeavor. Michigan Avenue and chain stores are strictly verboten, emphasis being placed on the small, the unique, the tucked-away. Shops are researched, routes are planned, agendas created and deposits taken. Groups meet in a local cafe to discuss their plan of attack and then? The attack.

Guided tours mean no maps, no lost ways and plenty of time to concentrate on the shopping. Stores participate with day-long discounts, champagne, hors d'oeuvre and plenty of personal attention. Lutz likewise acts as personal stylist to her group, transforming a shopping trip into a lifestyle revamp.

And Lori's is on the list. We're spiffing up the place, straightening boxes and rearranging the merch. Our floor staff is running drills and we're icing down the beverages. In short, we'll put our best foot forward (probably in a cute pump) and ready ourselves for the professionals.

Some Spaghetti, Some Western: Laredo

Americans may have writ themselves a Manifest Destiny, but the Italians have proven themselves great copyeditors. Hell, if Amerigo Vespucci hadn't mapped the coast when he did, who knows what we'd be called (The Cortézians? The United States of León?). Speaking of, westerns weren't Westerns until Sergio Leone's off-shore "spaghetti westerns" mythologized and codified our love affair with the Wild West.

Now they've done it again: Italian line Laredo has taken our well-worn and much-loved boot styles like the campus and harness and tweaked them ever just so to reinvent a classic.

The 8359 in black leather (shown) or taupe suede is a motorcycle/harness boot extraordinary. The basic shape is unchanged -- 1-1/4" heel, calf-length shaft to protect from hot exhaust pipes, harness rigging over the vamp -- but Laredo added masterful touches: a bellows at top with cinches makes slipping these on easier while emphasizing rough and ready bike couture. They've also rounded out the toe, more NDC than Frye, for a boot with more fashion focus. Plenty of halter rings and judicious studs keep this boot aggressive and seductive.

A final hidden touch: the sole is stamped with the Japanese alphabet in red. Makes us think "Yojimbo," and then we get to thinking of "A Fistful of Dollars." Leone would be proud.

The 8349 (high heel) and the 8207 styles (low heel) dance around the classic campus boot, the 8349 being a touch more true to the Frye original, a style popular from the start of the Civil War to Neo-Tokyo in 2019. Laredo has again left the basics -- high-calf shaft, rounded toe, higher heel -- alone and focused on details: a belted leg opening and a distressed, wrinkled leather treatment that invites touching. The suede version is equally as tactile and supple.

If heels aren't your thing this season, the 8207s give you the same boot height with a flatter, 1-1/4" heel and a decorative outseam with pulls. Available in brown and taupe suede.

And the best part? Laredo is exclusively available at Lori's.