these boots were made for...

Shirt: Heidi Merrick; Jacket: ModCloth (old, dying for this similar style here); Jeans: Guess; Boots: Aldo; Bag: Olympia Le-Tan via The RealReal (they have this darling clutch available right now!); Sunglasses: Celine; Bracelet: Miansai; Scarf: Ribbon belt from an old shirt

I remember when I first moved to New York, everyone made a point to emphasize how much you walk around in the city. I didn't think much about it at the time -- I like to think that I'm a pretty active person (and will usually opt for the stairs instead of the escalator if given the choice -- go me!) -- and besides, why would you really walk that much when there's an extremely sufficient and fast public transportation system running beneath the city anyway? 

After my first week here though, I got it.

I probably averaged at least a few miles each day, between work, meetings, evening events and everything in between. And then there's the fact that sometimes you would just prefer to walk regardless, especially when the weather is as perfect as it has been lately. The air is crisp, the city is bustling around you and around every corner, there's a pocket of the city that is in some way new and fresh, and constantly changing. Suddenly, just by stepping outside your door, you're part of a collective pulse -- you're feeding the city and the city is feeding you.

Whenever I have the chance, I'll try to give myself an extra 20 minutes to get somewhere, skip the subway and just walk. It's the best way to explore any city, but especially New York, and yes, that means I'm often the girl who's walking around, earbuds in, with a huge grin on her face for seemingly no reason. And you know what? I'm more than OK with that.

Of course, this means, the right kicks to hit the pavement are in order. Naturally, I've been accumulating my fair share of flats and low-heeled ankle boots the past few months, and this patent "Alicia" pair by ALDO has been my trusty companion as of late. Plus, as my good friend and seasoned New Yorker, Christine, pointed out, they'll make for a great rain boot option when the time comes. 

Photos by Lydia Hudgens

This post was in collaboration with ALDO. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!