Personal spring trend, "Shooties" or "shoe boots": Somewhere between an oxford and an ankle boot...

...lies a world of flat-ish, comfortable, and decidedly solid shoes that defy categorization. Some might call them flat ankle boots, though it's not quite accurate, because "ankle boot" should refer to something that actually covers your ankle. Maybe the Frye people got it right when they called it a "shootie" because that captures the neither-here-nor-there nature of such footwear. Or, as Garry quipped, sh'booties.

These shoes have been creeping into my consciousness through several other style blogs (jakandjil and thesartorialist), as well as girls selling vintage oxford/ankle boots on the laws of general economy.  And, of course, my recent acquisition of a pair of Cydwoq Vintage oxfords. Now, I have a full-blown shoe crush on my hands that needs consummation.  Some fine examples of the shoe boot/shootie phenomenon:

The only criteria that seems to tie this class of shoe-boots together are:
  • COMFORT.  You could walk in these shoes all day and still be happy as a clam.
  • Made out of high quality, structured leather
  • Low heel, less than 2 inches if possible
  • Super low  or non-existent shaft (exposed ankles preferable) with a no-fuss slip-on design
  • Cool details like buckles, ties, buttons and hand-tooling a plus
  • Decidedly mannish or androgynous in style.
These shooties tend to fall into one of two style categories - either the Western ankle boot or the embellished oxford.  Also, they seem to abound on vintage sites like Etsy (and sell for quite cheap, less than $50).  Which makes them both accessible and unique, as the unisex nature of these shoes means it takes a girl with some balls to pull them off!  

On that note, I am definitely l ooking forward to finding my perfect pair of oxford/western shoe boot/booties.  Here's the best of the rest:

P.S. If you have questions on where to find any of the boots shown above, please leave a comment or e-mail!
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6 responses
you know. i haven't been massively hearting this current style, BUT now i definately need to know where I can find number 9 on your list. They are super cute!
— frockeryandcupcakes
@frockeryandcupcakes I wasn't sure if you meant #9 in the first batch of photos or #9 in the second batch.  The first one is from etsy.com, unfortunately I don't remember the seller's name but just search for "low ankle boot" or something like that.
The second one went up on the laws of general economy; not sure if they are still available but you can try asking the seller!  Good luck!

— Stephanie Lim
Love the images you selected for this post. My mind has been thinking about buying a pair of oxfords for quite sometime now it's just a matter of the right pair for the right price, not always an easy thing to find.
— Kimberly
@Kimberly well you can try etsy - lots of choices for very reasonable prices!
— Stephanie Lim
i'm so in love with those "shooties".. especially no. 1 of your list (1st batch)..who are these from & where can we get them?
— Vern
@Vern glad you like them! The first pair of shoes you're referring to, I found them on etsy (you can see the listing here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36187352) but unfortunately they have sold out. You may want to see if the seller has similar shoes up for sale, or just search for "ankle boots" on the etsy site and you'll find lots of similar styles.
— Stephanie Lim
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