October 8, 2015

The High Life: Knee-high and High-heeled boots for the season

A slight hiatus in the boot chat last week to look at coats, but back on it this week to look at some more styles to delight your tootsies.

I haven’t worn a pair of knee-high boots for a long, long time. Other than wellies, which I don’t really count. I do have a couple of pairs that I have kept just in case the mood takes me but I never find it does. I much prefer myself in an ankle boot with jeans because it makes my legs appear longer. As I wear trousers almost 100% of the time, I have a rather large collection of ankle boots – not Imelda Marcos large, but large nonetheless. I just find that a longer boot cuts up my body and I need to elongate rather than reduce.

I appreciate that there are plenty of non-Hobbit-like ladies out there for whom a knee-high boot is great and I also do like a flat knee-high boot worn with a dress or skirt. You just need to make sure there is enough flesh between the start of one and the end of the other.

So for flat knee high boots – there is still the elasticated riding boot in stores. These are actually incredibly practical as they should mould to your leg better, so avoiding that baggy ankle thing as well as fitting larger calves. This Carvela Kurt Geiger style is as good as any £200.

Anything suede is going to be right this season so this Black Side Zip Suede knee high flat boot from River Island £65 is a very good price and River Island does have good footwear if you can look beyond some of the more, dare I say, lady of the night styles.

This Combined Boot £39.99 from Zara also looks a lot more expensive than its price tag would suggest.

The one knee high boot I am craving this season, however, is a pair of block heeled knee-high boots. I have visions of myself wearing some gorgeous A-line skirt and soft knit with a pair of butter-soft, tan, suede, block-heeled, knee-high boots. Specific but also not really in keeping with all the pavement pounding I do. Still it is good to dream….

M&S has a very good pair that you may have seen in all their adverts for the season. Their Suede Block Heel Boot Autograph is £99 and more or less sold out on-line in most sizes but it also comes in black and a lovely burgundy colour. All of which are gorgeous and would complete my fantasy look.

Office also has a lovely boot Ebony Strap Knee Boot £130 in Bordo Suede. FYI that is not my typo. I think somebody at Office cannot quite spell but can’t fault the boot at all. Block heel and Bordeaux – two big trends in one.

Block heels don’t just come in knee highs. Arguably, the block-heeled ankle boot is THE boot for the A/W season and while there are higher heeled Western styles out there, the block heel is definitely the fresh, new kid on the block (pardon the terrible pun). My love affair with the tan boot continues with this beauty from H&M: Cognac Boot £29.99 Amazing price for a lovely boot which would be your new going out boot. Banish those stilettos for good.

If you are more of a black boot girl, then update your ‘going out boots’ with this Denning boot from Kurt Geiger £95. A nice mixture of chic and fierce.

H&M also does a good version of a black block-heeled ankle boot at £59.99.

The Chelsea boot is also updated this season with a block heel Dellow Black mid Heel Boot Kurt Geiger £195. This also comes in tan and navy.

Alternatively, another good one from River Island is this Tan heeled Chelsea boot £45.

Ok so I caved in, if you do want an over-the-knee boot then I think a heeled style like these navigates the middle ground between pantomime and prostitute(thinking Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman): Over the Knee High Heeled Boots Zara £79.99. Other than that I remain unconvinced. Just whatever you do, don’t add tassels into the mix. That would be too much.