Battle of the Cowboy Boot

When trying to decide today's topic I was looking up events that occurred this day in history. I believe I was pushed to this topic by three events: the conclusion of the Louisiana Purchase, the birth of Willie Nelson, and the Battle of the Boot in World War II. Clearly, it is time to do a piece on the cowboy boot.
The cowboy boot is a form of an equestrian boot designed originally for the cavalry and ranchers. Although the Wellington Boot was popular during the 1800s, the American cowboy boot rose in prominence after the civil war. Cowboys would have several types of boots, including working boots and decorative boots. The decorative boots were generally worn in town and saved for special occasions. The one featured below is similar to this type of western boot. Interestingly, one of the most famous bootmakers resided in Olathe, Kansas and ran Hyer Brothers Boots. The classic style continues to be popular today and has been converted to fit women's fashion a bit more, incorporating brighter colors and higher heels.

My cowboy boots are one of my favorite items. I bought them at a little store in Wichita and they have lasted me several years. They resemble the boot below, with turquoise and caramel brown details. I can wear them with skinny jeans tucked inside, a fun skirt, or floral dress. Below are some ways that I choose to wear my boots.

Battle of the Boot by HistoryandHighHeels

Print dress, $50
Cotton blouse, $333
Kiki de Montparnasse lace trim tank, $350
TopShop skirt, $55
Almost Famous skinny leg jeans, $35
Buckle messenger bag, $80
Lulu Frost turquoise jewelry, $315
Kenneth Jay Lane turquoise earring, $75
77 girly jean jacket, $35
Charlie One Horse by Lucchese Cowgirl Charlie One Horse by Lucchese, $266

Style Icon: Kate Middleton

With the Royal Wedding looming into view, I figured now would be an excellent time to reflect on Kate Middleton's fashion sense.

Cath Kidston Royal Wedding Tea Towel, found here

She seems to have taken a liking to wrap dresses and who can blame her? These dresses are super comfortable and easy to throw on in the morning. It is such a versatile piece. During the day you can dress it down with a pair of Sperry's and a cardigan. At night, just throw on a few sparkly bracelets, high heels, and a cute jacket and you are set for an evening out. Additionally, another British favorite and a very popular item this spring is the trench coat. As a general rule, trenches should be above the knee and are super practical. They do well in the rain (know wonder they are so popular in England!) and look sleek and professional. A dark trench coat can work well for an evening out, especially if it reaches about mid-thigh, while a lighter trenchcoat (like the one below) can be worn to work or out running errands. While the trench coat below is a legit Burberry coat, you can find quality trenches at Dillard's for a fraction of the price.

Style Icon: Kate Middleton by HistoryandHighHeels

T Bags v neck top, $280
Burberry coat, $1,195
Miu Miu glitter pumps, $595
Coach feather handbag, $298
Olivia Collings Antique Jewelry diamond jewelry, $15,395
White necklace, $310
Platinum jewelry, $9,200
Helen kaminski hat, $295
Tarina tarantino, $50
D&G dress

Obsession: Long Cardigans & Short Shorts

One look that I have been dying to try is the short shorts and long cardigan look. It looks refined, yet comfy. J. Crew has been really rocking this look lately, as you can see in the picture below. This outfit gives you the chance to wear your cardigans before they get put up for the midwest heat wave!

Long Cardigan & Shorts by HistoryandHighHeels

J Crew top, $60
Maison Martin Margiela knit top, $745
Christian louboutin handbag, 535 GBP
Oasis diamante jewelry, $22
Modstrom shawls scarve, 30 EUR
Buckle belt, 6 GBP
Theory short

Linen for Lenin

Today is Vladimir Lenin's birthday, so I thought I would give you a little information about this famous Russian Marxist revolutionary. Vlad was the creator and leader of the Soviet Communist Party, helped instigate the October 1917 Russian Revolution, and was founder of the USSR. In his philosophy, the ideal state would be a dictatorship of the proletariat (or the industrial working class). His most famous quote was "A lie told often enough becomes the truth." He's a real optimist.

In honor of Vlad's birthday, I present Linen for Lenin, a mix of a few of my favorite linen pieces.

Linen for Lenin by HistoryandHighHeels>

L Wren Scott embroidered sweater, $1,385
A P C long sleeve top, 135 GBP
Smythe linen jacket, $685
Moschino high waisted skirt, $860
Kate spade jewelry, $275
Burberry square scarve, 234 GBP
Dorothy Perkins black belt, 6 GBP

Style Icon: Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow is my style inspiration this week. Her simple yet chic style has gotten her a regular place on InStyle's Look of the Day and in fashion magazines. She has recently graced the cover on Self magazine showing off her workout routine and healthy eating tips. Paltrow has been a guest star on Glee, the lead actress in Country Strong, just wrote her own cookbook, and opened an exclusive gym in New York, not to mention is the happy wife of Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay. This rocking actress is truly a fashion icon. 

Leather & Lace

One of my favorite things is to have a wonderfully contrasting outfit. A mixture of leather and lace accomplishes this. A lace tank with a leather jacket or skirt offers just the right mixture of sweet and tough, without going too far either way.

Leather & Lace by HistoryandHighHeels>

Dorothy Perkins lace cocktail dress, 24 GBP
Rick Owens leather jacket, 1,510 GBP
A L C pleated mini skirt, 138 GBP
Cowboy boot, 44 GBP
Dolce Gabbana zip tote bag, 1,349 GBP
Rue21 stone earring, $5.99
TopShop hair accessory, $8