As far as formative fashion icons go, Buffy, Blossom, and Brenda (Walsh, that is) are way up there. And if there’s one thing the three of them had in common, it’s a love of velvet—which, as luck would have it, may as well be the official fabric of Fall ’16. Where a few seasons ago it would have required a good deal of hunting (and I say this from experience) to find say, a velvet slip dress or pair of platform sandals, nowadays you can’t walk into Zara or click more than a link or two on ASOS without the plush fabric calling out to you from all directions.
One of our favorite ways to wear it for fall—and one of the few that works even for those who don’t look to ’90s teen dramas for outfit inspo—is velvet boots, whether over-the-knee (your best excuse for breaking out your shortest mini), ankle length (great for everyday wear with black skinnies), or mid-calf (street-style-worthy with cropped trousers or a midi skirt).
MORE: 20 Velvet Dresses To Wear All Winter Long
I will say, however, having owned a pair of Robert Clergerie blue-velvet lace-up boots for several years now—the spoils of a very good Opening Ceremony sample sale—there’s a pretty slim window in which you can wear them (at least in the Northeast). Too warm outside, and there will be some awkward sweating to contend with; any snow whatsoever, and you should probably avoid the outdoors at all costs. That’s not to say you shouldn’t buy a pair, though—no way!—just that you should snag them sooner rather than later so you can get as much wear out of them as possible.
MORE: How 3 STYLECASTER Editors Style a Bomber Jacket
In the slideshow, shop 25 pairs of the best pairs of velvet boots you can buy right now.
