These Boots Go With All Our Favorite Fall Outfits (and Here's Proof)

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of boots that can’t handle a little moving and shaking. As someone who’s living, breathing proof that the whole "nobody walks in L.A.” thing is false (I will gladly proffer my iPhone’s step-counter data as proof), I require boots that knock the whole cost-per-wear algorithm out of the park, and given that I happen to work in fashion, said footwear’s also gotta look good. That means fast-fashion fixes are pretty much out, as are $$$ designer finds I’d be too worried about roughing up the first time I wear them.

The happy middle ground? I’m glad you asked. This season, I realized there’s actually one specific boot style that makes the grade where fall is concerned. Sperry’s Saltwater Duck Boots are classics that happen to be weatherproof (a must, even here on the West Coast—our rainy season is no joke), but there’s also something inherently street style about them, thanks to their interesting texture and shape. Need proof? Keep on scrolling to see and shop three fun, functional, trend-heavy fall looks I’ve put together—anchored, of course, by my boots of choice. Bookmark now and thank me later!

Stylish Yet Relaxed Office Attire

The Look: Scandi girls continue to be all-in on lilac, and that’s pretty much all you need to know. This look feels forward enough for a day at Who What Wear HQ, but it’s also plenty comfortable (super important come 3:30 p.m. when I’m trying to break through writers’ block!). I love the color clash we’re getting here with this very important (and very affordable!) Mango baguette bag and, more importantly, the texture clash with the duck toe on these Sperry boots.

Once Upon a Time… for a Night Out in Hollywood

The Look: I searched high and low for a pair of boots that would work with this incredibly fun, slightly retro-inspired night-out look I’ve pieced together for a friend’s birthday dinner (Night + Market on Sunset, here we come), but thanks to the two-tone color scheme and the look’s decidedly maximalist leanings, nothing seemed to work… that is, until I came across this excellent lace-up hiker style on Sperry’s website. A night-out look you can actually walk in? Into it, especially as our night out will likely lead us to bars a bit further down the Sunset Strip.

Desk to Drinks to Dinner (and Beyond?)

The Look: If you’ve booked a vacation to Los Angeles between November and, say, early May, I regret to inform you that the forecast might not entail the sunny skies you’ve been envisioning. As any Angeleno will tell you, things can go from 50º to 90º in less than 24 hours, so layers will be your BFF. Here, I’ve re-created one of my signature fall looks that effortlessly takes me from desk to drinks to dinner. (The walk from Who What Wear’s West Hollywood office to Cecconi’s is notoriously not fun in strappy sandals or high heels, y’all, especially in late November.)

That’s not all, of course—there are so many other great colorways we wholeheartedly endorse. Visit Sperry’s website to see and shop more duck-boot styles.