The military trend has been around for a while, and it doesn’t seem like it’s going away any time soon. It’s one of those trends that can be incorporated in our wardrobe no matter what season it is. From vests to shoes to coats, the fashion world has put out a wide variety of military pieces. Here, I showcase three of my own and recommend ways to wear them.

Military Outerwear

If you plan on layering on military outerwear, the key is to keep the rest of your outfit simple.  Military outerwear are standout pieces, with all the decorated buttons that fill the front, the sleeves and possibly even the shoulders.

Left: Bold Color. Military coat by Ben Sherman from ASOS, little black dress from Guess, clutch and shoes from Aldo. Right: Just the Basics. Military vest from bebe, tank top and pants from Bershka, boots by Colin Stuart from Victoria’s Secret.

Bold Colors: You never want to look like you’re trying too hard by mixing too many eye-catching pieces, but you still want to stand out somehow. Keep your outfit simple and stray away from crazy prints and textures, but add some bold colors, such as royal purple, electric blue or red. I am simply wearing a little black dress beneath my military coat, but spicing it up with matching purple shoes and clutch. I’m also wearing a gold ring and gold earrings to tie in the gold handle on my clutch.

Basics: If you feel your military piece is enough of a statement, feel free to just keep the rest of your look clean and simple. I am wearing a plain tank top beneath my vest, paired with black skinny jeans and knee-high boots. Because of the detailing on my collar, I added a similarly textured snake bracelet.

Here are some military coats available right now that will keep you looking chic through the winter.

Military Shoes

Military or combat boots (whatever you want to call them) are everywhere. They are super easy to find, and I see them in all the shoe shops I walk into or all the online shopping websites that carry shoes.

T-shirt by Pink Rose from Macy’s, shorts from boutique in Hong Kong, gloves from ASOS, boots by Oasis from ASOS.

Since military boots have a very worn-out, vintage look, I decided mine would go really well with my distressed gray denim shorts. This look is meant to be more laid-back and rough, so I wore a slightly loose white t-shirt and fingerless half leather gloves.

Military boots are easy to find, but I’ve compiled a list here to make shopping easier for you.

Ever spot one of those super-stylish trends, but don’t know how it could possibly ever go with anything in your closet? Our resident student-by-day, stylista-by-night shows us how to take these trends and make them work with our everyday wardrobe. Her first tackle: lace-up booties.

My new-found love: my vintage lace-up booties. They’re not only easy to match with, but they also give an edge to my casual outfits. Plus, they’re comfortable and not hard to walk in at all; I can be in them for hours. Mine are Jeffrey Campbell’s Loggins that I bought in Nordstrom. Here are some of my favorite looks to go with my booties:

My booties paired with, from left, khakis, distressed denim shorts, and cuffed jeans.

Neutrals

Neutrals is another trend that’s been around for a while. When people want to wear pants for a casual look, they usually go for jeans. But I say try khaki; it gives you a more laid-back, relaxed feel. I paired my khaki pants with a white tank-top and a cropped vest.

Pants from Mango, tank-top from boutique in Hong Kong, vest from London Jean through Victoria’s Secret.

Distressed Denim Shorts

Since my booties are kind of vintage, I like to stick to the theme and match them with my distressed denim shorts. My legs aren’t long so my shorts tend to be really short.  The booties already cut off a section of your legs that can be seen, so stay away from longer shorts or capris because they will give the illusion of short legs and you don’t want that! For my top, I wore a loose vest and a thin cardigan.

Shorts from boutique in Hong Kong, tank-top from Mango, cardigan from Bershka, belt from Esprit.

Cuffed Jeans

The typical way to wear denim with boots is to tuck them in, but cuffing them slightly can make your look more casual. The boots will stand out more especially if the color of your denim is similar to the color of your boots. To spice up my look, I went for a knit off-shoulder top.

Jeans from Bershka, knit-top from ArdenB.

Knee-High/Over-the-Knee Socks

Another trendy way to wear your booties is with knee-high or over-the-knee socks.  They go well with mid-thigh skirts. For the winter, try woolen skirts. The ones pictured here are all from ASOS.

We’ve also compiled some of our favorite lace-up heeled booties that you can find online!