Carvela ‘Gamble‘, £140
Tiny black studs are a great way to dress up a pair of plain black boots, and Carvela have done a great job of it with these ‘Gamble’ ankle boots, which are £140 at Kurt Geiger.
Studs are generally described as a “tough” or “edgy” addition to a shoe (or handbag, for that matter), but these ones are so small and delicate they don’t have quite the same effect. Actually, the shiny specs of gold against the matte black upper reminds me of a starry sky, or a selection of diamonds scattered on a cloth: it’s a pretty, rather than an “edgy” look, and I can see these working just as easily with dressy looks as they will with more casual ones. The shape, meanwhile, is one I don’t need to say too much about, because it’s that kind of easy, elegant silhouette that works effortlessly with any colour or pattern of upper: and trust me, I’d have boots like these in every colour available, if I possibly could – they’re that much of a classic.
Having said that these don’t necessarily have to be “tough” or “edgy”, I always find that studded shoes in general, and studded boots in particular, always encourage me to stray slightly from my usual style, and into something a little more contemporary. That’s not a bad thing, so I’ve styled these with some leather leggings (yes, really) for the kind of look you might wear to a bar, or somewhere similar.
When it comes to studs on boots, less is more. For me, anyway.
They’re very pretty, but I can’t believe the upper is suedette and not real suede at that price!