Burgundy boot toppers

I remember a time (was it only last year?) when the notion of letting your socks show over the tops of your boots was completely novel to me. Now it is one of my favorite tricks for integrating my shoes better with the colors of my outfit. Here's a classic example.

I am wearing an all-burgundy sweater dress. Normally I'd pair this with some dainty heels, but I was planning on doing some walking outside that day, so flat knee-high boots were a comfortable and warm alternative. The boots were a fairly pale shade of brown, and, next to the dark color of the dress, I thought they stood out too much and needed a unifying influence.

That influence was boot toppers! Now, they sell accessories specifically designed to go over the tops of boots, but an Unfashionista would never drop money on something with such a limited use, so I was delighted when I realized (don't laugh—I'm sure to many of you this goes without saying, but to me it was a veritable revelation) you can wear leg warmers as boot toppers!

Suddenly I had a whole new option for those burgundy-pink-white striped leg warmers that I'd gotten at the thrift store and been unable to wear with anything for months! As a bonus, not only were they the perfect accessory to make my boots and dress live in harmony, but I could also pull them up to cover my knees and thighs when walking across campus in the cold!