Can it Frye boot?
Styling my riding boots
Introducing my Enzo Angiolini boots from DSW circa 2014:
I have treated these boots with care in the 10 years I have had them, cleaned them, conditioned them. They were gifted to me by my parents for Christmas. Earlier that year I, a tweenager, had insisted on getting the Steve Madden suede slouchy boots that were popular. My dad had counseled me that he didn’t think those were going to be in style much longer — wouldn’t I like a pair of riding boots instead? Nope, I swore I would wear the slouchy ones. They got me the riding boots for Christmas anyway, and well, dear reader, which pair of boots is sitting on my closet floor currently and which aren’t?
The boot du jour is the Frye boot, an item so coveted that it is reselling everywhere for hundreds of dollars. I have seen questions on social media as to whether it’s more worth it to get Frye boots, specifically the Campus boot, or Botox. The comments cry in resounding unanimity that Botox is temporary and the Frye boot is forever! I don’t need to preach to the choir here on the ephemerality of “forever” items, but I sort of get this one. Unlike my Enzo boots, which are not what I would have picked out, the Frye boots have a streamlined quality often possessed by other “classic” items — no buckles, studs, elasticated panels, or other “detailing”1. I am reminded of an interview Charli XCX did with GQ earlier this year where she mentioned her Balenciaga black riding boots as one of the 10 items she can’t live without. And that totally makes sense to me: simple, black no heel, knee-high riding boots are an infinitely versatile shoe.
If I were to buy a pair of riding boots today, I don’t think I’d buy the Frye boot specifically. (Am I showing my age by referring to them as “riding boots” in the first place? lol) I also wouldn’t repurchase the ones I have, but they’re what I’ve got! I wanted to style my boots using outfit inspo from Pinterest outfits that include Frye boots, to inquire as to whether there is something uniquely magical and versatile about this particular style of boot.
Outfit #1
Honestly? Never in a million years would I think to pair boots with shorts, and maybe that’s an embarrassing admission from someone who claims to contribute to fashion Substack. Navy sweater, cutoff shorts, boots. I think you would be super safe subbing in any form of tall boot with this outfit. It needs more accessories, in my opinion, but really that’s all. Saving on my Indyx!
Outfit #2
I don’t think this is working for two reasons: 1) the lighter color of the Frye boots lends itself better to the lighter colors of the skirt and top in the inspo picture than my dark boots do and 2) my skirt is longer and covers the straight shaft of my boots, so the only part you can see is the slouchy part at the ankles. This is reminiscent to me of the slouchy pirate boots above. I think this slouch in the ankles is somewhat unavoidable over the course of wearing soft leather with gravity for 10 years, and would probably happen with Frye boots as well, but I don’t love it with this particular skirt. And for that reason, I’m out!
Outfit #3
Pretty idiot-proof! Caleb actually has a denim shirt that’s more similar to the color of the chore coat in the inspo photo, but he took it with him on a work trip this week (how dare he!) so I had to steal this one from him instead. Neutrals are going to be more translatable across different leather colors and so even though white is a part of this and the previous look, this one works better.
Outfit #4
I liked this outfit better when I had it on than I do looking at the photo now — I think I would have picked a sweater that was lower contrast or more neutral next to the white dress. Nonetheless, I think this formula is also fairly idiot-proof! Many of the outfit inspo pictures from Pinterest paired the Frye boot with long, Doên-y type white skirts, but I like the short skirt version better for the slouchy ankle reasons discussed above.
Outfit #5
There comes a time when we all must ask ourselves: is it a good outfit or is that person just hot? You guys can tell me in the comments what you think. Maybe this is user error, and I should be pairing this with a T-shirt that’s a little less “from my grandma” (which this absolutely is) and a little more Motomami… overall, though, this outfit is not a keeper for me.
I don’t have any grand conclusions from this exercise, other than it’s always fun to wear items you already have in ways you wouldn’t automatically think to or haven’t historically styled them! I get the Frye boot hype; I won’t be purchasing them, mainly because that mustard-ish leather color is not my favorite. But I’m proud to own a clothing item that I have worn for 10 years, and will continue to wear as trends come and go, even if it’s not my platonic ideal of a boot.
Side note: I have big pet peeves around fashion buzzwords that have become popular in the short-form video era. “Piece” is one of them — is my favorite black T-shirt dress from Old Navy that I thrifted from Goodwill a “piece,” or is it a T-shirt dress from Old Navy? Let’s be real with ourselves please. “Detailing” is another neologism for literally any accent on any piece of clothing that a creator doesn’t have a more specific word for, and it drives me up the wall. One of my high school teachers would ding us on papers or in Latin translations for using the word “thing.” Say what it actually is, not some generic catch-all! I think this pet peeve might be personal to me but I bet when you hear “piece” or “detailing” now I bet you will clock it. Laini Ozark mentioned another one — the phrase “my personal style” is redundant, because “my” inherently indicates that the style is personal to the person.