The Boots

When I think about early autumn, I think about the yearly back-to- school shopping trip. When you’re young, you’re always growing, so at the end of the summer we’d head into town to buy everything we needed. I’d acquire a new pencil case, new uniform, and all the other things that parents find themselves shelling out for each year. But most importantly, I’d get a new pair of winter boots.

I still remember the thrill of the hunt. Even at an early age, I spent hours scouring magazines and, later, watching YouTube videos about the latest trends. I can recall specific pairs from each year: the grey knitted ones that made a hideous squidging

noise when you got caught in the rain and eventually fell apart halfway through a trip to London; the brown cowboy boots that I wish I’d never grown out of; my first ever, much-loved pair of Doc Martens... Even now, I dedicate a day to the search for the boots every autumn. It’s often a fruitless endeavour - the right ones, the ones I can see in my mind’s eye, don’t seem to exist.

So, what have I got my eye on this year?

Firstly, slouchy thigh-high boots. They’ve been on the runways at Stella McCartney and Isabel Marant, and they look like they could be great fun in a swashbuckling, girl-about-town

sort of way. I’ve seen them paired a lot with looser, oversized looks, but I think I’d wear them with a miniskirt and a long coat.

Another trend has been the appearance of laces and buckles – tough, practical boots that won’t leave you with aching arches (as most of my favourite shoes tend to). I think that this harder, utilitarian look must be in tribute to the late Vivienne Westwood, and if you want to stay in tune with her loud, eccentric spirit, you can pair them with draped, hippyish silhouettes. But, for something different,I’d combine them with sharper, sleeker pieces.

May your boot hunt be fruitful!