Cole Haan has a new heritage collection called Cole, Rood & Haan, which includes the name of one of Cole Haan’s original founders from the 1920s. These styles are a perfect fit with the renewed focus on menswear-inspired shoes (such as Marc Jacobs’ patent jazz flats from last fall), and the spring/summer 2010 line is absolutely gorgeous. This collection includes traditional saddle shoes, wing tips, soft chukka boots, deck shoes and sandals, but the Crush boots stopped me in my tracks when I first saw them in person.

Crush comes in black leather for winter, but whiskey leather and natural canvas with antique brass studs are incredibly charming. I think these are the perfect spring and summer boots. The golden color of the leather will age beautifully, adding a historical worn-in feel without looking shabby. The stacked leather heel, leather lining and wing-tip details speak of fine quality, while the side zip makes them easy to wear. I can envision these with denim capri pants or shorts, a long prairie skirt, soft linen trousers, or even a sweet sundress.

Cole, Rood & Haan Crush boots are available for $375 at the Cole Haan site (they offer free shipping) or in the CH retail stores. I haven’t seen them on any other sites or in other shops.

Oh, boots with buttons, how I love thee…there’s something about this old-fashioned style that really blows my skirt up. Frye’s version of the button boot is perfectly Victorian and modern at the same time, with piping and a round toe complementing a leather sole and curvy heel. The cranberry color is unexpected in a style this traditional, but it comes in four other colors, including slate grey and navy blue.

This boot has a 4″ heel, but the tiny 1/2″ platform means it is probably more stable and comfortable to wear than most high heels. The shaft measures 15″ – 17″, depending on where you measure from, and is decorated with antique brass filigree buttons. There’s an inside zipper in matching antique brass so you don’t have to fumble with all those buttons (most of us don’t have buttonhooks these days).

As with most things that are both beautiful and high-quality, the Frye Matildas are not inexpensive. At $450 they are not something you could realistically collect in every color, unless you’re independently wealthy or want to eat Ramen for dinner all winter. But the style is timeless, and Frye boots are made to last a lifetime, so they are a good investment. Go get ‘em at Zappos, Endless, or the Frye website. Note: Some reviews say that the shaft of this boot runs narrow, so if you can’t try them on before buying, check the specs and measure your calves before ordering to be sure they will fit.

They’re pink. They’re Christian Louboutin. They’re 40% off at Bob Ellis. What’s not to love?

Decollete is one of CL’s classier styles. The low, exposed sides give this style its name, but the graceful lines keep these 4″ heels on the elegant side of sexy. The suede version is also available in grey and red, but this sweet rose color is, of course, my favorite. I can envision these with ivory or tan trousers and a pink print blouse for work, with soft neutral summer linens for a date, or with a pretty dress on a special occasion.

As with most Christian Louboutin, you may need to go up a size. Try them on in person if you can, because CL styles vary in fit. If you order online, be sure you can return them if they aren’t quite right.

This is the time of year when I typically start looking for spring boots, and I don’t mean welly rain boots. Boots for spring seem almost counter-intuitive, but here in the southeast US, the weather starts to warm up in February. It won’t be sandal weather for a while, though, and I don’t necessarily want to expose my winter-white legs to the world just yet. Lightweight, neutral-colored boots are an excellent solution, and these Steve Madden boots fit the bill nicely.

It’s probably obvious that I have a thing for harness style boots, and the Buck style takes this a bit further with extra straps and buckles around the shaft. They give the boot a little bit of military style, while also making them somewhat adjustable – which is good, because there are no zippers. They are available in brown leather and black leather, but I like the taupe suede best for early spring. I can envision them with skinny jeans, a short denim skirt and tights, or even a softly flowing spring skirt.

You can find the Steve Madden Buck style at Endless.com or Zappos – and they are on sale in both places! For what it’s worth, the images on Zappos are more representative of the actual color.

Many people think that Revas are done, over, soooo last season. IMO, some things are destined for timelessness, and Tory Burch Reva flats are among them. Soft leather, comfortable, excellent quality, go with everything, and in all the colors of the rainbow! Revas come in plain kidskin, patent leather, suede, and metallic leather, and I love them all, but by far, the most eye-catching finish is mirror. These were also available last spring in Tangerine and Navy, but when I saw this incredible, rich Bougainvillea pink, it was love at first sight.

I love wearing these on grey, dismal days because they are cheery and make me smile. And it’s not just me. Every time I wear these shoes, people stop me to make comments, whether it’s in the office or on the street. OK, so comments aren’t necessarily compliments, but people are always compelled to say something. One day I wore them on the subway and some guy started laughing…and eventually confessed it was because of my shoes. I didn’t care whether he was laughing at them or with them, I just think it’s cool that they make people happy. Yay for happy pink shoes!

As long as we’re on the subject of boots…you can’t go wrong with the classic Frye harness boot. Frye is the oldest shoe company in the United States, and Frye boots were worn by soldiers during the Civil War, the Spanish-American war, and by Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders. Many homesteading pioneers wore Frye Boots for the long journey from New England to the West during the 1800′s. Frye’s harness boots were first made in 1938 at the request of a US Navy admiral, and were supplied to US servicemen as “Jet Boots” throughout WWII. I first lusted after this style more than 20 years ago, and it’s still timeless.

I have a pair of these boots in black, which I stalked for two years before buying. I first bought a pair of inexpensive Harley Davidson boots that had a similar look, but they just don’t compare to the real thing. I tried on different sizes and colors of the Frye Harness 12Rs (denoting the 12″ shaft – they also come in shorter 8R and mules) until I’d found the right ones for me, and with their signature boxy toe and shiny silver hardware, I always feel both bad-ass and stylish when I wear them.

In the past, I’ve considered getting a pair in red, but yesterday I found Frye harness boots at Endless.com in no fewer than 8 colors. As soon as I saw them in this rich plum with a hint of brown undertone, I was smitten. I know purple is huge this season, but purple Frye harness boots are more than I could have hoped for – and with antique brass hardware, no less. They aren’t cheap, but at $198 including free overnight shipping, they are less expensive than many other boots this year, they’re indestructible, will never go out of style, and you can wear them almost anywhere. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

So many boots…so little time! One reason I wait for cool weather to arrive in the fall is that I can start wearing my boots again. Something about them just makes me feel fabulous, and the taller the better.

Today I discovered Gee WaWa, a small artisan line of footwear. Many of the styles look like something I’d find in a vintage shop – kind of retro and well loved and funky — but still modern. These Tom Tom boots remind me of the amazing black/green Son of Sandlar boots I got at the Renaissance Faire this year: …but less costumey and more appropriate for street wear.

The semi-round toe and low stacked heel mean they would be comfortable to wear, and the soft ruffles and button detail make the Tom Tom style more feminine and keep the style from being too biker-y. I can see these with a little tweed skirt and tights, peeking out from under a longer skirt, or with jeans tucked in. I am not personally familiar with Gee WaWa quality, but they appear to be very well-made.

So where can you find these boots? Zappos has carried Gee WaWa in the past, but doesn’t have them at the moment. There is a Gee WaWa website, but it looks like it’s more or less been abandoned. For now, the best selection seems to be at Endless.com, where you can find Tom Toms in 3 colors and about 30 other Gee WaWa styles. The one thing to be aware of is that they reportedly fit narrowly in the calf. These boots are $280, but currently you can get 20% off at Endless if you buy 2 pairs of boots – might be worth it!

What can I say about Chanel ballet flats? Timeless elegance. Classy and un-fussy. These beauties are my favorites for this fall — two-toned in black and dark grey, with a black cap toe and elastic-edged uppers.

No giant logos to scream at you, just understated presence. They are perfectly appropriate (and comfortable) for work, but also utterly fabulous with jeans! Simply. Gorgeous.

I found the boots in question – they are Steve Madden, and the box label says the style is “Hyper.” They are still not available on the DSW website, but when I walked into my local store, there they were! The boots look tan in the picture, but IRL they are light grey suede. I tried them on and they are every bit as pretty as I expected. They are light and delicate enough to go with dresses and skirts, but the suede texture and darker heel help them work well with trousers too.

Once I knew what they were, I went in search of the boots online, but couldn’t find them anywhere. I looked at Zappos, Endless, Piperlime, Steve Madden, even Macys – to no avail. The SA at DSW said this style is flying off the shelves, so if you want to pick up a pair of these for fall, I recommend hitting a DSW fairly soon. They were $73.39 before my $10 coupon.

Igot an email today from Designer Shoe Warehouse showing these utterly hot suede lattice booties. I fell in love instantly, and eagerly clicked through to their website. I am part of their Rewards program, so I have a $10 coupon I could use towards these boots, and there’s even a free shipping code (RSHPDSW, valid through 10/5). It’s not often I fall in love with something instantly, so this was going to be a historically fast purchase.

Only…these boots are nowhere to be found on their website. I looked in various sections, and tried every possible search query I could think of, to no avail. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, DSW? I’m not linking to their site in this post, that’s how irritated I am. I tried looking for the boots elsewhere, but since I have no idea who makes them, it’s a tough search. Grrrrrr.