First, I just want to say that my thoughts and prayers are very much with everyone on the East Coast who are dealing with the impact of Sandy. It makes the calm weather here in Georgia seem bittersweet. Still, I have to say that I really am starting to enjoy the nip in the air and the colorful leaves all over the ground, particularly after a really windy week. I find myself to be more in the mood for boots. Specifically, these Timberland EarthKeepers Apley Chelsea boots.

They are immensely comfortable and stylish, and the hard-edged look made me want to try something I hadn’t before: a menswear-inspired look with a feminine touch.

I paired the boots with a men’s button down shirt I thrifted a few weeks ago. Of course, men’s shirts tend to be straight in the hip area, and — ahem — I have hips. So I left the bottom few buttons open and added a skinny gold belt.

My daughter wanted to get in on the action, so here she is:

Don’t worry. She put on her coat about 2 seconds after I took this picture

I wore this outfit to spend a day really chilly with my family running errands and walking in the mall, and I was really impressed with the boots.

I was on my feet for at least 5 hours. At first, the boots rubbed slightly on the front of my ankle, but I just adjusted the strap and was fine for the rest of the day. In fact, I was comfortable, and my feet were warm.

The verdict? I’ll be wearing them a LOT more often. And here’s one last outtake when my hubby caught me walking away and making faces:

DETAILS:

Shirt: Thrifted | Jeans: Target | Skinny Belt: ASOS Curve | Earthkeepers Apley Chelsea Boots: Courtesy of Timberland | Necklace: Thrifted | Earrings: Forever 21 | Flower Ring: Amrita Singh  |  Lioness Ring: Street fair vendor (aff)

Check out all the other ladies who are dressing for the day they want to have (not for the day that’s trying to have them) with Dear AbbyLeigh, and link your own outfit post in the linky!