How to Wear Over-the-Knee Boots Without Looking Like Pretty Woman

In this week's Fashion Q&A, Cosmopolitan.com’s Style Editor, Charles Manning, answers your questions about how to wear over-the-knee boots, showing off your body in a cocoon coat, and what to do when your favorite purse gets water-damaged.

Q: How can I pull off over-the-knee boots without looking like I'm in Pretty Woman?

A: You could opt for flats instead of high heels or leather and suede instead of vinyl, but it's really all in the styling. The reason Julia Roberts' boots look so insanely … sexy (?) is that she's wearing them with a barely-there, cut-out minidress. Over-the-knee and thigh-high boots are already sexy enough. You don't need to show a lot of skin. A little flash of thigh between the top of the boots and the bottom of your dress or skirt is fine as long as your arms and chest are covered by sleeves and a higher neckline. Over-the-knee boots also look great on top of skinny jeans. Then you can show a little skin somewhere else on your outfit without looking too provocative.   

Blake Lively, Mena Suvari, Nicole Scherzinger, Jameela Jamil

Q: Is there any way to wear a cocoon coat and still show off your figure?

A: You can't show off your shape per se, but you can allude to it. A pair of high heels and some black skinny jeans will make the little bit of leg sticking out from the bottom of your coat look long and lean. Also, try leaving your neck exposed — you can always put on a hat if you get cold — and roll your cuffs once or twice to flash a little bit of wrist.

Pink Coat, ASOS, $200; High-Rise Skinny Jeans, GAP, $70; Blue Knitted Fur Beanie, MARINI SILVANO, $78; Silver Slingback Heels, BCBGMAXAZRIA, $195

Q: My favorite vintage leather handbag got water-damaged in a flood. What can I do?

A: Check with a leather specialist before you lose all hope, but understand that in general, fixing water-damaged leather is really difficult. A lot of times the leather has to be recolored, and that can be expensive. Instead, take this as an opportunity to indulge in a little DIY. Buy some cool patches and sew them on at odd angles, or get some metallic spray paint and create an ombre effect over the damaged area. You can get really crafty and just cover the whole thing in studs or paint a geometric design over the surface. If you're nervous about doing the work yourself, hand the bag over to one of your more artistically inclined friends and have her doodle on it in permanent marker. It might end up looking even better than it did before it got damaged. Here are some designer bags to inspire you.

Black Studded Bag, REBECCA MINKOFF, $395; Printed Shoulder Bag, MARC JACOBS, $2,277; Triangle Patch Satchel, DAILYLOOK, $60; Applique Tote, LANVIN, $516

Do you have fashion or style questions?  Email them to styledbycosmo@gmail.com or tweet your questions to our Style Editor @charlesemanning.

Photo Credit: Getty Images, Touchstone Pictures

From Cosmopolitan.com. Visit Amazon Beauty Center here

How (and Why) to Wear Over-the-Knee Boots

Celebs like Miranda Kerr and Rihanna are stepping out in over-the-knee boots (OTKBs), sans tights, since the weather has shown signs of warmth lately. And we're not surprised. This type of boot is the perfect transition shoe between winter and spring, especially if you want to forgo stockings, thanks to the amount of leg coverage they offer up. How do you wear them, you ask? Here's a few rules to live by when rocking this style:

• Choose a flat riding style or a chunkier heel for everyday wear; we love the stiletto versions, but since they're likely to be less versatile it's best to save them for an evening out.

• Stick to black, although if you're more conservative you can go with brown. Just keep in mind that this type of boot tends to be a bit pricier and black goes with everything.

• Balance the look of high, tight boots with a flowy dress that hits no shorter than an inch and a half above your knee—pairing them with a butt-hugging mini skirt is too Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, and that look just isn't cute. You can also wear OTKBs with skinny jeans or leggings, but if you go that route, choose a top that isn't form-fitting and somewhat covers your behind, like a long sweater, tunic, boyfriend blazer, etc., to avoid highlighting too many assets at once.

• Keep everything else in your ensemble (accessories, makeup) subdued; these boots are sexy any way you slice them and often steal the show, so the last thing you need is your smoky eye and chunky necklace competing for attention.

Now that you know the basics regarding how you wear them, stop thinking they're reserved for leggy super models, your tallest best friend, or Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada—and go get yourself a pair! Anyone can rock OTKBs, just remember when purchasing them to make sure the top of the boot hits perfectly between your knee-cap and the beginning of your thigh; any higher and you'll be channeling a street walker (and that look isn't what we'd call office-friendly).

From Cosmopolitan.com. Visit Amazon Beauty Center here

How (and Why) to Wear Over-the-Knee Boots

Celebs like Miranda Kerr and Rihanna are stepping out in over-the-knee boots (OTKBs), sans tights, since the weather has shown signs of warmth lately. And we're not surprised. This type of boot is the perfect transition shoe between winter and spring, especially if you want to forgo stockings, thanks to the amount of leg coverage they offer up. How do you wear them, you ask? Here's a few rules to live by when rocking this style:

• Choose a flat riding style or a chunkier heel for everyday wear; we love the stiletto versions, but since they're likely to be less versatile it's best to save them for an evening out.

• Stick to black, although if you're more conservative you can go with brown. Just keep in mind that this type of boot tends to be a bit pricier and black goes with everything.

• Balance the look of high, tight boots with a flowy dress that hits no shorter than an inch and a half above your knee—pairing them with a butt-hugging mini skirt is too Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, and that look just isn't cute. You can also wear OTKBs with skinny jeans or leggings, but if you go that route, choose a top that isn't form-fitting and somewhat covers your behind, like a long sweater, tunic, boyfriend blazer, etc., to avoid highlighting too many assets at once.

• Keep everything else in your ensemble (accessories, makeup) subdued; these boots are sexy any way you slice them and often steal the show, so the last thing you need is your smoky eye and chunky necklace competing for attention.

Now that you know the basics regarding how you wear them, stop thinking they're reserved for leggy super models, your tallest best friend, or Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada—and go get yourself a pair! Anyone can rock OTKBs, just remember when purchasing them to make sure the top of the boot hits perfectly between your knee-cap and the beginning of your thigh; any higher and you'll be channeling a street walker (and that look isn't what we'd call office-friendly).

From Cosmopolitan.com. Visit Amazon Beauty Center here