The ankle boot (and its sibling, the mid-calf boot) with a block heel is my favorite footwear this fall. They make bare legs look a little less… exposed, and the block heel extends the legline without adding discomfort.
One mid-range option I would recommend is the Marc Fisher Alva Boot, which retails for a little under $200, and can often be found on sale for 15-40% off. They are surprisingly comfortable (especially with boot socks) for shoes with a 3.25″ heel, are available in 14 sizes, and come in a rainbow of neutral colors on the Marc Fisher website.
The only fit issues that you might have to contend with are 1) The 4″ish shaft height will probably not work for those with swollen ankles, 2) they are a pull-on style (and have tiny rear pull-tabs) so those with wide feet might find the instep too narrow at first, and 3) this style runs small to size, so I would suggest sizing up (I normally wear a 6.5/7 in boots, and the Alva in size 7.5 fit well with a thin pair of wool socks); you might even go up a full size if you plan to wear thick boot socks with these shoes.
I currently own the Alva Boot in two colorways (the “Light Natural Suede” seen here, which is more of a light taupe, and a “Light Brown Suede“), and I am hoping to add a light beige option to the mix when these shoes are re-released next fall.
An almond-toe alternative that you might consider is the MICHAEL Michael Kors Lottie Bootie (seen below in “Birch”, which is similar in color to the Alva Boot in “Light Natural Suede”): this is a (slightly) more petite-friendly option with a shorter shaft, and forgiving elastic side goring for easy on and off. The Lottie fits true to size.
Some styling ideas for these endlessly versatile boots: wear them with skinny jeans or wide-leg pants; try them with a micro-mini and an oversized blazer; or pair them with your flowiest pleated maxi dress and a leather jacket.
Buy the Marc Fisher Alva Boot at Marc Fisher (11 colorways available at time of post), Amazon, Belk, Bloomingdale’s, eBay, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, Walmart, and Zappos.
