Why winter boots are perfect for summer!
YOu know what they say about footwear? It’s the make or break part of your look: get it right and the rest will follow.
The right footwear will change up your look faster than any other item of clothing. And this season, boots have the edge on the rest.
Not any old boots. Not the black, tall, stack-heeled ones you may have invested in over the winter, or the toughed-up biker styles, or the clompy lace-ups. Lighter boots in suede or pale leather or tan that stop mid-calf, or high on the ankle, or just regular ankle boots are the ones that are going to be very useful in the months to come.
Ankle boots, as you know, have become our year-round, go-with-anything solution, and now the midi boot has joined them on the all-seasons shortlist.
There were plenty of boots — including knee-high ones on the spring/summer catwalks — at Saint Laurent and Isabel Marant and Christopher Kane. Knee boots, slouchy or stiff and western are also sticking around for summer. But if it’s ease of wear you’re looking for, something lower on the leg is just less of a commitment.
LeT’S count the way in which these boots are an excellent bet at the moment. For a start they’re foot and leg-proofing for the months to come. You can keep your tired wintery feet under wraps and they’ll shield your pasty, unprepped legs when you’re wearing skirts and dresses in the next few weeks.
Apart from the foot and legdisguising perks, the midway boot works with everything in your wardrobe, bar, maybe, culottes (who’s wearing them?), and it’s the essential ingredient for a style hack that was taking off at the Spring/ Summer collections: tucking your trousers into boots.
This is either a look that appeals, in a Purdey-era Joanna Lumley way, or your idea of pantomime madness. But it’s worth bearing in mind that the boot tuck-in looks less Jack Sparrow when the boots are mid-calf or shorter.
Otherwise, these boots are made for midi or longer skirts and dresses — shorter hemlines if you’re up to flashing your calves (but no tights, please) and rolled up or cropped trousers.
The good thing about a sturdy boot, as the weather warms up, is they’ll anchor pretty summer dresses; the toughness of boots allows you to wear extra-feminine clothes, pink and florals and frills that would otherwise feel too girly and flighty.
As for the style you should go for, the most versatile and the ones you will still be getting plenty of wear out of come the autumn are all western-ish in spirit, but a toned-down version of cowboy, not the full tooled and top-stitched deal. White, stone and pale grey are still in the fashion front line, if you’re feeling brave. Heels are mid and square or Cuban, but there are also some highheeled boots if that’s what you’re in the mood for.
Starting at the designer end of the scale, Isabel Marant’s danta grey suede boots (£580,
matches.com) are quite a price, but we’re only looking for inspiration.
Otherwise, & Other stories does a white croc western boot (£205, stories.com) and at the other end of the scale, Jigsaw has a subtly western boot in ivory, or go for camelcoloured mock croc (both £165, jigsaw-online.com).
In the longer-line ankle boot camp are Zara’s split suede, beige, cowboy-heel boots (£59.99, zara.com); and Penelope Chilvers’ Santana python western-style boots in deep red (£329, penelopechilvers. com). On the shorter side, but tempting, are Mango’s brown suede western ankle boots (£59.99, mango.com).
If you’re in the mood for something fancier, snake is going strong for everyday shoes and boots. Try Office pointed calf boots in natural snake (£50, office.co.uk).
Naturally, black works, too, so long as it’s not dull leather and a bit shorter than your winter boots, such as Dune’s Orlla boots (£120, dunelondon.com).