The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - The Telegraph Magazine
Lisa Armstrong Step into spring’s most flattering boots
Funny how slight shifts can change things in a big way. For years, ankle boots were pretty much the only game in town, which put a lot of us off wearing skirts in winter because we didn’t find the combintation flattered our legs. They were great with trousers though and maybe that’s why even now, when it’s cold, what you see on most streets in the UK are trousers.
But in 2021, New York label Khaite introduced its knee-high Dallas boot in its pre-fall collection – a perverse mix of cowboy and angled kitten heel that made it fashion catnip. Normally it’s darn near impossible to look good in cowboy boots and a straight skirt, but The Dallas solved that problem.
The Dallas boots will set you back over a grand but Khaite has a way of filtering into the mainstream and lately kitten and curveheeled boots are everywhere.
If you’re dressing up for a race meeting, then a chunky block heel is more practical than a stiletto. (Penelope Chilvers has just launched a Cheltenham edit.) A slim block heel also works with all those wide trousers. Nothing crazily high but enough millimetres, let’s say 50 to 65, to add a touch of classic elegance. That in itself feels almost a bit subversive after years of tractor soles.
When the right height for you (some love 9cm heels to wear with floaty dresses) meets the right fit on your legs, sections of your wardrobe you may not have engaged with for years open up. Straight midis, for instance, and slit skirts.
Knee boots can seem a palaver when you first start wearing them. The pulling on. The tugging off. The bit in between when your legs have swelled and those nice loose allies start to feel too snug. But it’s worth persevering until they’ve stretched to fit perfectly – you could end up wearing them six to eight months of the year. (Me+em have styles with built-in stretch, currently in the sale.)
For now, sneak them on with some thermal long johns; come balmier times, with fishnets – M&S’S (£10) are excellent and more durable than most sheer tights, apart from Sheertex which are indestructible but £59. Boots are being worn a bit looser and wider around the calf – not too wide if you like them with narrow skirts or under trousers and not too voluminous over the ankles.
It’s easy to find quality designs if you have £400-plus to spend. Russell & Bromley’s are well made, with lots of choice. Below £150 is more challenging, as the interior often feels foamy and the leather thin. But the M&S ones above score good reviews. I get all my leathersoled footwear resoled asap, with rubber, to stop the toes getting wrecked, and lavish them with leather balm. Central heating dries out leather just as it does our skin.
Duoboots is always worth investigating as it offers different calf sizes. Small British brand Dear Frances also makes beautifully crafted footwear – its navy and denim pair could take you all the way through a coolish summer.