BATTLE OF THE BOOTS
WINTER boots are the fashion investment of the season. But as well as being stylish, the perfect pair must keep feet warm, dry and comfortable. So can this year’s styles do that? To find out, ALICE
SMELLIE put ten High Street offerings through their paces...
GREEN SOCK BOOTS
Mojito sock boots, €68, topshop.com HUGGING my ankles, these bright green sock boots look rather sexy. As with all the other pairs, I plunged one foot into a bucket of puddle deep water for 90 seconds, then weighed my sock to see how much water had penetrated.
Then, on the other foot I took the temperature of my big toe, put my foot in the boot and pressed an ice pack on the top for 30 seconds then took the temperature again to see how much cold got through. With this boot, I may as well have had bare feet. I can feel the ice through the thin material and after being in water, can pour liquid out of it.
FREEZE TEST: 2.5 degrees colder SOGGY SOCK: 9.67g heavier VERDICT: 3/10
LEOPARD HEELS
Shoe boots, €51, next.ie THESE leopard print stilettos have a leg-lengthening effect and go with all manner of outfits. As they are made from a textile, I’m fairly sure I’ll be sopping wet in seconds, but of course the 9cm heel means my feet are — stilt-like — above much of the water. They’re chilly after 30 seconds, but don’t feel wet. Very impressive.
FREEZE TEST: 1.4 degrees colder SOGGY SOCK: 0.23g heavier VERDICT: 9/10
ZIPPED WEDGES
Leather wedge boots, €140, marksandspencer.ie INSOLIA technology — which distributes weight away from the balls of the feet so heels can be worn all day — makes these black welly-shaped zip-up boots blissfully comfortable.
There is little heat loss from pressing an ice pack on the top of my foot but sadly, they aren’t water resistant. My foot is freezing when I remove it from the water and the sock is drenched. Not great for autumn showers.
FREEZE TEST: 1.1 degrees colder SOGGY SOCK: 9.11g heavier VERDICT: 7/10
SCARLET SUEDE
Bounty suede Western boots, €57, topshop.com RED suede ankle boots are versatile enough to go with trousers or a skirt. But the sole of these is thin, so probably not ideal for long jaunts. After 45 seconds in the water my feet certainly feel chilly, and after 90 seconds the boots look trashed — the toes have gone dark red with water, although the sock within is impressively dry.
FREEZE TEST: 3.9 degrees SOGGY SOCK: 0.66g VERDICT: 8/10
RIDING BOOTS
John Lewis, Tilly knee high boots, €173, johnlewis.com THESE brown suede kneelength riding boots look sensible and they’re extremely comfy.
Athough I thought these might hold back the elements, I can feel the chill of the ice as soon as I press on the pack. Within 48 seconds of putting my feet in the water they are painfully chilly and soaking wet. I think that if you wear something which looks sensible, it might as well behave in such a way.
FREEZE TEST: 3.8 degrees SOGGY SOCK: 14.2g VERDICT: 6/10