When I was a kid growing up in the Northeast, white was a color reserved for summertime. We brought it out in all its pristine glory on Memorial Day, and shuttled it off to the dark recesses of our closets the moment Labor Day rolled around.

So, when I started seeing white ankle boots making the rounds on Instagram, I was hesitant. I live in the steamy South…who wears boots in the summer? And, I was raised in the frosty North - who wears white in the winter? Hmmm. A cultural style conundrum.

But, I’m a sucker for ankle boots (I literally have 10 pairs), I like to experiment, AND (this is key) I like to experiment on a no-guilt budget. Enter the $35 white ankle boots I found at every budget fashionista’s fave: Target.

The white boots that made me a believer

linked below

I scooped these babies up as I made a beeline between grabbing a loaf of bread and finding a 32 MB flash drive (don’t you just love how Target takes the concept of ‘diversity’ to a whole new consumer level?!)

The boots have a nice pointy toe that doesn’t taper too severely (e.g. my beginner bunion isn’t screaming “are you out of your effing mind?!”) and a heel that’s just present enough to declare itself fashionable, without pitching me headfirst into the produce aisle (e.g. just a tad taller than a kitten heel).

So, I snagged them and brought them home. Figured I’d keep the box and the receipt, just in case it turns out white ankle boots in the Fall only look good on avant garde Instagram feeds.

I started pulling things out of my closet and had myself a little Saturday afternoon try-on session. And…BAM! Much to my surprise, these little beauties are not only comfy - they actually look pretty snazzy with almost everything that I pulled out to pair them with! From a maxi-skirt to jeans, a leopard print skirt to a sweater dress - even as a way to winterize a navy summer jumpsuit…turns out that white ankle boots really are amazingly versatile! The white adds pizzazz, and the boot silhouette adds winter-worthy substance. White ankle boots are a lot like the sorority rushee who gets bids from everyone: they stand out just enough to fit in. They made my closet go-to’s look chic and updated.

So, if you’re like me and wonder if the white boot look is too trendy to bother with, I urge you to reconsider! See how I styled them below and then go take a peek in your own closet to start scheming - I bet several of these ideas will work for you, too! A pair of $35 white ankle boots gave me an easy way to up-level my Fall closet…so you can officially color me “happy”!

Styled with a Maxi skirt

I got this fun maxi-skirt with an uber-high slit from Rent the Runway and I love how the boots just take it to over-the-top chic! I could just as easily see them with a flowy black skirt, a statement belt and crisp, white blouse. So many ways to “maxi”mize these fun kicks!

2. With a Sweater Dress

Switching things up here…these little booties will go to great lengths to keep you walking in style! Here I’ve paired them with a sexy little sweater dress with a pleated skirt and fun grommet detail! (I’ve linked the exact dress here and it’s less than $40 from Venus.com.) I’m pretty tall, so this particular dress hits me mid-thigh and gives off a little bit of a 60’s go-go-vibe, but I think it’s kind of fun! And any sweater dress, at any length, will do. So…yeah. That’s the long & the short of it!

3. With a Jumpsuit

I bought this navy jumpsuit at TJ Maxx earlier this summer for less than $35. It’s basically a “work onesie”: I thought it would be great for those mornings when I want to sleep in, make it to the office precisely at 8:59 a.m. and breeze into the 9 o’clock client meeting looking presentable and convincingly caffeinated. (And…yes, I’ve put it to the test a time or two over the past few months!)

Since my morning lazies turn into all-out hibernation mode the moment the mercury drops - e.g. I burrow under the blankets to hide from frigid morning air…(breath isn’t something you should be able to see!) I felt I should try to work this one-and-done jumpsuit into Fall and beyond. So, I threw a little white turtleneck underneath and added my new ankle boots. Faster than you can say “frost on the pumpkin”, I’ve got a snazzy Fall work outfit! I added a leopard print bag to bring a measure of “fierce” to my persona while I debate whether to kick some corporate ass …or just go back to bed.

4. The A-Line Skirt

Speaking of fierce, how about these white ankle boots with my leopard print skirt? I’ve had the skirt for about 2 years (originally from J. Crew), but here’s one that’s very similar from Anne Taylor Loft.

Honestly, these boots would go with just about any knee-length skirt. The beauty of ankle boots with a slight inward taper to the shaft and a pointy silhouette is that they elongate your legs… très flattering! And the white is simple and chic. A fashion “find” worth pouncing on!

5. The Weekend Jean Edit

Like any Comfort-First Fashionista, I dearly love my jeans. Skinny jeans. Flare jeans. Boot cut. You name it…I’m a Denim Devoteé. But, a penchant for the indigo-dyed cotton first beloved by farmers doesn’t have to relegate one’s style to the barnyard! Here, I’ve paired my black boot-cut Joie jeans with a ridiculously cute-n-comfy sweater from my daughter’s affordable edgy-fashion boutique www.hauteraleigh.com And, of course, my now-part-of-the-family white ankle boots. Proof that denim and straw can be positively “uptown” when you add a little white-boot panache!

The Verdict…

Bottom line, the person who first came up with white ankle boots is, IMHO, a wearable-fashion genius! In a world full of feet clomping around in pedestrian beiges and browns, white is a fun & sassy alternative. So, I say, put your best foot forward… go white for the win!