1078-D by Strategia

Tactical Advantage: The 1078-D by Stategia is a victor in the battle of fall styles.

Oh my. Where do we start? Whenever we find ourselves paralyzed by a multiplicity of options, we like to lean upon our good friend Lewis Carroll whose "Alice in Wonderland" lends some sage advice from the King: "Begin at the beginning ... and go on till you come to the end: then stop." It dissolves our perplexity like so much treacle in water.

Well, OK then: this shoe began in Italy and is part of a brand-new line we're carrying this fall. (Lori is in love with it.) Much like the red-hot Nicole boot from last year which was meant to be worn at several heights from knee-high to ankle boot, the 1078 is made of the most supple leather we've felt in some time. The shaft is fully lined; you can turn this thing down as far as your toes and it will look 100 percent on-purpose. If you don't like the flipped look, hike it tight or scrunch it down for a jaggy silhouette (above). In other words: abuse this boot. It's asking for it.

The rest of the boot is mean and clean. A simple round toe and a one-inch heel complete the bottom. There is a chrome three-quarters zipper up the back that's functional, but doesn't function for anything; it is pure decoration. We could lose that, honestly, and with creative styling that's an option. This boot has clean lines to put the focus on how you wear it. In that respect, there are so many options we get dizzy.

We just– we can't– we– Look, don't hide this boot! It's just so sexxxy. You know what we're going to say. Leggings. Of course, leggings! Look at that badass boot up there with teal knee-highs layered over dark heather leggings! Killer! Of course your skinnies are always a cooler-weather option, but right now we are basking in the glory of an absence of humidity and 90-degree days (in Chicago anyway).

The 1078 taps into the strong military trend by way of parade ground polish. There are echoes of the equestrian trend from a few seasons back, but it's been spit-shined and streamlined. The luxury of this boot is a bootshaft that lets you devise a look to suit the occasion from regal to rough-and-tumble.

We're closing in on the end, but we're reminded of another character from Lewis's managerie. As the Dormouse said to Alice, "you know you say things are 'much of a muchness' – did you ever see ... a drawing of a muchness?" We haven't either, but we may just be wearing it.

The End. Stop.