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Each one has their own stimulating trick. It could be a blow dry or a visit to Marks & Spencer’s Food Hall. Mine is trying on boots.
At the risk of driving Zara salespeople to an early grave, I highly recommend trying on boots as a near-perfect combination of forced sitting time (in a large Zara, you’ll be gone for ten minutes to find your size). ; nostalgia bomb (all the boots you’ve ever loved will cross your mind); harmless fantasies (once you have the boots you can walk in front of mirrors dreaming of opportunities to wear boots, realistic or not); and just a good old-fashioned treat.
Added to that (I probably don’t need to spell it) any woman, of any age, shape or height, can wear a pair of boots, possibly very similar to the ones she wore 30 years ago, and that’s about as good as it gets if you’re talking about lift your spirits.
If you don’t know the boot stimulant yet and you’re thinking ‘what’s the difference between boots and shoes’, the answer is everything. The shoes are not bigger than the boots. Boots are more powerful: they add swagger, good energy, confidence and, right now, the sass of winter 2024.
Pretty much anything goes with boots, as long as they reach your knees, writes Shane Watson. Pictured: Amanda Holden (left) and Emily Ratajkowski (right) looking chic in theirs.
The new way to wear boots is in the city, after dark, under your midi dress.
Pretty much anything goes with boots right now, as long as they’re knee-high (the time of ankle boots has finally passed), but the prevailing mood, what they have in common, is refinement.
Here are three styles that will make you feel good, but that will also give a new touch to your winter clothes, even during party times…
Wide Leg Kitten Heel Boot
The two big boot trends of the season are wide-leg boots that stick out from the calf and kitten heels. You may not like it right away – it takes a little getting used to its shape and you may be worried that it will overwhelm you and make you look big-legged.
But fear not, because your legs won’t be on show: the idea is to wear this boot with a skirt or dress with a longer hem (the silhouette slips on top and flows down) and reboots a familiar look.
M&S’s Pointed Heel Patent Leather Boots, £79, are the standout in this category
Dresses with regular heels, kittens or not, or even booties, can look frumpy Miss Moneypenny now, especially on us over 50s. This is the way to upgrade your old favorite dresses.
The highlight in this category (good shape, good price and, above all, shiny patent leather to look good in the evening) are M&S’s pointed-heel patent leather boots (£79, brandsandspencer.com).
Zara’s wide boots (£69.99) are also worth a look. zara.com) and Massimo Dutti’s slim-heeled suede boots (£229, massimodutti.com). They are looser than wide, but have the style required in evening boots.
Flat cool boot
This is the day boot that can be worn with everything. We’ve finally left the heavy tractor soles behind and the styles that work best are now more refined: either polished and straight like a lightweight riding boot or a little baggy but still sleek.
Brands that make good simple flat boots include premium Zara and H&M.
Boots you’ve always wanted
It’s always surprisingly difficult to find a timeless knee-high boot with a walkable, high enough heel, an almond toe (the one that doesn’t really date) in a decent quality leather that fits perfectly.
Boden’s Knee-Length Erica (£230, boden.es) is discreet, elegant and flattering.
Boden’s Erica Knee High boots (£230, boden.co.uk) are simple, elegant and have a flattering cut.
With these boots, the key is where they end on the leg (not too close to the knee, about 2.5 inches lower is more flattering) and how they sit on the calf: too curved and they can look bulky, too thin and skimpy. and feel tight.
Otherwise, Duna (£160, brandsandspencer.com) makes a stretchy slip-on boot, with a heel just under three inches, that is the spitting image of that classic Robert Clergerie boot that was the hit of the ’90s.
If you want something with a little more swagger, opt for Zara’s Split Suede Heeled Boots (£109)
John Lewis Sadie Suede Knee High Socks with Elastic Back Panel (£149, johnlewis.com) is the lower alternative. These slip-on boots work with everything.
If you want something with a little more swagger, a higher cut to cover the knee, with the option of lowering it to show off the soft black shearling-effect lining, then Zara makes a suede buccaneer boot (£109, zara.com) with a 1.9 inch heel.
Tuck into your skinny jeans and you’re good to go. That will make you come back.