Cougar Pillow Boots & Joe Fresh Suede Boots

One of my favorite parts of fall is to shop for boots.  While cute strappy shoes are pretty in the summer, the grungy NYC commute and wet rainy streets make open toes a disgusting part of summer.

Two new acquisitions for the season are a shout-out to two of my favorite accessible Canadian brands.  I grew up in Toronto, and while I love Manhattan, I gladly take the opportunity to reconnect with my peeps up North by a good dose of shopping. 

Cougar Pillow Boots are an iconic fashion item in the history of Canadian outerwear.  The brand itself came roaring back in recent years mixing their signature craftsmanship and comfort with newfound fashion relevance.  If you saw my tweets during last winter’s blizzard, you can see exactly how much I appreciated their black Ringo Star boots during the slushy frigid month. 

The Pillow Boot is one of the most comfortable, cushy boots I have ever tried on.  I am so used to heels and impractical footwear, that I never realized boots could feel this way.  While the Pillow Boot is a deviation from my usual girly style, I found it worked perfectly with Joe Fresh Leggings, a cozy scarf and edgy All Saints cardigan.  The boots are made in Italy and based on friends who still hang on to the originals, last a long, long time.  

Joe Fresh is a supermarket clothing chain in my favorite grocery store, Loblaws.  That alone should have any fashionista running for the hills.  Surprisingly, it has cute, trendy pieces with a very affordable price point.  The brand is putting in a big effort to market itself as a serious fashion collection.  It was one of the most sought after invites at Toronto Fashion Week last fall.  It opened a pop-up shop on the Main Street of East Hampton, and now opening two boutiques on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

My little suede boots here have antiqued gold grommets and a hard-core rubber sole for serious walking.  Despite the 3-inch heel, they almost feel like flats.  My Mom liked these because they could be sporty, or paired with a very feminine printed silk chiffon Catherine Malandrino skirt and denim jacket.  The leather rose headband is from another Canadian brand, Le Chateau.

How does a New York Fashion industry vet merge her Canuck Ex-Pat roots for autumn? She shows love my marrying labels above and below the border.