It’s probably safe to say that Balmain x H&M collaboration broke the internet, and a lot of people’s hearts at the same time. The demand was unsurprisingly huge, while supplies, as is always with exclusive collabs, pretty limited. As a result, there were a lot of angry and sad tweets from the disappointed fans, as well as a ton of braggy ones from those who managed to score something…anything from the coveted collection.

As you can see, I was one of the lucky few…having scored perhaps the most in-demand piece – the beaded velvet jacket…aka “The Kendall”. And boy, is it beautiful in person – intricately embellished, with sparkly rhinestones, faux-pearls…and that soft-soft velvet. It was certainly worth lining up early for.

And while I meant to style this jacket with pants, I just couldn’t resist wearing it with my new suede over-the-knee La Canadienne boots while the weather was still mild enough for pantsless outings. The gold zipper details on these boots are a perfect match for the baroque embellishments of the jacket, while the fact that the boots are flat, somehow makes the length of this short jacket (worn as a dress) a little less scandalous. If you’re going to invest in a new pair of boots this season, make it the over-the-knee style. This pair is my current fave – comfy, Canadian, and with that essential rubber sole (if suede is not your thing, this leather pair is pretty spectacular as well). I’ll be wearing these boots a lot this winter – with skinny jeans tucked in, as well as with dresses and skirts.

So tell me, did you get caught up in the #HMBALMAINIA? Or did you stay away from the crowds instead? Do you like the over-the-knee boot trend? Share your thoughts in the comments.

More photos after the jump!
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