Belle by Sigerson Morrison Shearling Suede Boots, $450 via Net-a-Porter.

Fur. Fur is hard, you guys. If you needed any proof of that, the current crop of fur bags and boots that have sprouted up online for Fall 2011 pre-orders should do just fine. Designers who are normally more than competent somehow become absolute amateurs when fur is involved, which makes the Belle by Sigerson Morrison Shearling Suede Boots even more impressive than they already would be. Granted, shearling is one of the more accessory-friendly kinds of fur, but the designers of this shoe shouldn’t be docked any points for being savvy enough to choose shoe-appropriate materials.

My favorite thing about this shoe is that it’s not brown. Almost all shearling shoes, bags and jackets are brown or tan in some form, perhaps because it gives the material a more authentic look, but it also excludes me from buying any of them. Shearling looks just as good in this shade of charcoal grey, and if more brands could follow suit, that would be great. In the meantime, I’ll be setting aside my dollars to buy a pair of these very versatile boots for fall. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $450.