Summer came and went faster than any of us could have imagined, leaving us to fend for ourselves in the upcoming cold weather months. While everyday life slowly returns to normal, boot season is upon us and now is the perfect time to start shopping for the necessary footwear to complete our fall/winter wardrobes. As we begin to reappear on the outside, investing in boots that are versatile as much as they are practical is key when shopping for the latest trends.
While frigid temperatures lie ahead of us, staying warm, cozy, and comfortable is the main strategy to fashionably survive the next five to six months.
Here are my favorite fashion-forward boot styles I intend to wear again and again all season long.
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
The tall slouchy boot, reminiscent of bold 80's era fashion, made its debut last year in the fall of 2019 and is sure to be all over our feeds yet again in 2020. With a relaxed yet voluminous feel of material gathered at the ankles, this boot is the chicest boot you'll slide into this cold-weather season. Paired with both a faux leather blazer and nude skirt topped with an all-white tube top for a not so casual first dinner date night look.
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
As charming as other boot styles may be, nothing compares to a python-embossed stiletto boot to complete your fall must-haves. Animal print is always a go-to when searching for the perfect winter boots, however, snakeskin is the latest trend in exotic prints. These electrifying bold yellow calf boots make all of my shoe dreams come true, including the not-so-high heel that makes them easier to wear all day long. Wearing a subtle pinstripe blazer jacket and high-waist leather shorts, this is a super chic outfit choice for a transitional summer-to-fall look.
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
The chunky platform sole is slowly stomping its way back into our lives while becoming one of the biggest boot trends on the rise for fall/winter 2020. Dr. Martens classic lace-up boots are one of a kind and known by many generations for its grunge aesthetic and youthful counterculture fashion appeal. With the ability to adapt to almost every outfit when paired, these boots are a staple for the cold weather months and will never go out of style. I wore my high-rise platform Doc Martens with a two-toned one-piece knit romper as well as a yellow blazer for a modern-yet-90s take on this chunky boot style.
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com
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Featured image by Shahirah Ahmed for xoNecole.com.
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While an evolution is a natural progression that happens as businesses grow, a rebrand is a total change. Lola tells xoNecole, "A total rebrand is necessary when a business’s current reputation/what it’s known for is at odds with the business’s vision or direction.
"For example, if you’ve fundamentally changed what your product is and does, it’s likely that your brand is out of alignment with the business. Or, if you find your company is developing a reputation that doesn’t serve it, it might be time to pump the brakes and figure out what needs to change.
She continues, "Sometimes you’ll see companies (especially startups) announce a name change that comes with updated messaging, visuals, etc. That usually means their vision has changed or expanded, and their previous branding was too narrow/couldn’t encompass everything they planned to do."
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The Brand Doula was born in 2019, and its focus is on putting "the experiences, goals, and needs of women of color founders first," as well as brands with "culture-shifting missions."
According to Lola, culture-shifting is "the act of influencing dominant behavior, beliefs, or experiences in a community or group (ideally, for the better)."
"At The Brand Doula, we work with companies and leaders that set out to challenge the status quo in their industries and communities. They’re here to make an impact that sends ripples across the market," she says.
"We help the problem solvers of the world — the ones who aren't satisfied with 'this is how it's always been' and instead ask 'how could this be better?' Our clients build for impact, reimagining tools, systems, and ways of living to move cultures forward."
The Brand Doula has worked with many brands, including Too Collective, to assist with their collaboration with Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty and Balanced Black Girl for a "refresh," aka rebrand. For businesses looking to rebrand, Lola shares four essential steps.
1. Do an audit of your current brand experience — what’s still relevant and what needs to change? Reflect on why you’re doing the rebrand in the first place and what success would look like after relaunching.
2. Tackle the overall strategy first — before you start redesigning logos and websites, align on a new vision for your brand. How do you want your company to be positioned moving forward? Has your audience changed at all? Will your company have a fresh personality and voice?
3. Bring your audience along the journey — there’s no need to move in secret. Inviting your current audience into the journey can actually help them feel more connected to and invested in your story, enough to stick around as changes are being made.
4. Keep business moving — one of my biggest pet peeves is when companies take down their websites as soon as they have the idea to rebrand, then have a Coming Soon page up for months! You lose a lot of momentum and interest by doing that. If you’re still in business and generating income, continue to operate while you work on your rebrand behind the scenes. You don’t want to cut existing customers off out of the blue, and you also don’t want so much downtime that folks forget your business exists or start looking for other solutions.
While determining whether the rebrand was successful may take a few months, Lola says a clear sign that it is unsuccessful is negative feedback from your target audience. "Customers are typically more vocal about what they don’t like more than what they do like," she says.
But some good signs to look out for are improvements in engagement with your marketing, positive reviews, press and increase in retention, and overall feeling aligned with the new branding.
For more information about Lola and The Brand Doula, visit her website, thebranddoula.com.
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