Snow Boots: The Good, the Bad and the Soggy

SNOW.M.G., y'all. It's crazy out there! If you don't already have a solid pair of snow boots, get those fingers a-typin' and head over to Endless.com, where you'll find my top pick in the all-important boot category, "Utilitarian But Still Cute," Sorel's Joan of Arctic.

A survey of my clients will find more than one of them relying on the Joan of Arctic to get them through the Great Blizzard of 2011. The boot is waterproof (which is more than you can say for their soggy sister), ultra warm, and pretty darned cute. I'm especially fond of the Shale color - a bit unexpected, wouldn't you agree?

Here's my two cents on choosing a snow boot that will actually function in Chicago weather (as opposed to the "Cute But Catastrophic" category, which will have you in the ER faster than you can say "snow bunny"): yes, you want waterproof materials, calf- or knee-length for warmth, insulation and great tread. And obviously, you don't want to look like your style is hibernating for the winter, which is the danger in going the "Uber-Utilitarian"route.

But where I think many well-intending ladies go wrong is in the category "Snow Boot Disguised as a Regular Boot." Trouble with this category is, the boots are rarely very stylish...but because their utilitarian factor is masked, they pass for a regular boot. An un-stylish regular boot. Who wants that?

All this is avoided with a Utilitarian But Still Cute style like the Joan of Arctic (even the name is cute!) that has all the function of an Uber-Utilitarian, without the unintentional fashion faux pas of the Snow Boot Disguised as a Regular Boot. Let the world know you are armed for the elements - and that you know your Christian Dior from your Christian Louboutin.

Sorel "Joan of Arctic," $130, endless.com

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Erin Carpenter is a personal stylist who works one-on-one with professional women and brides-to-be to ensure they dress to feel their absolute best. She dishes out style tips, tricks, scoops and more in “Notes on Style” to help you achieve your best look.