Shoe heaven

So how versatile can one pair of boots be?  This is the question M&S asked me and I was only too keen to try and answer.  The challenge was to choose one pair of boots and see how many ways I could style them. 

Well, following on from my blog the other week, where I confessed my love for the High Street store, which pair to pick was easy. 

There are so so many different pairs of ankle boots out there but actually, finding ones that work for a variety of outfits, is pretty hard.   Especially if we're looking for flat.  At the moment, I cannot get enough of flat footwear.

Love my sneakers, love my loafers but can't deny any longer than full on Autumn is around the corner and a pair of boots are the only things are going to cut it.  Rainy days (I am not going to mention snow just yet - that's a whole other blog) and bare ankles are not a match made in heaven, so it's boots that I am after with a vengeance. 

I was looking for boots that would work with the same outfits that my trusty and much loved sneakers work with.  So skirts and dresses - be them maxi or midi (dare I say these would work with a mini as well?), jeans, cropped trousers and my beloved leather leggings.  They needed to be smart but still practical (just not dog walking/rugby touchlines practical...) and they need to be cool (there isn't a cool way of saying cool so I'm sticking with cool...).  I also wanted them to be slightly different.  Not trying to reinvent the wheel when it comes to footwear, but I was hoping to find something different from the masses of ankle boots that all look ever so slightly the same elsewhere on the high street.

And I think I've found the perfect pair. 

I had my eye on them before, but now I've tried them on with a host of outfits and they are definite keepers.  The best thing about them is the slightly androgynous edge they give to otherwise very feminine outfits.  Not to mention the "keeping your ankles dry and being ridiculously comfortable" element.

Leather Lace Up Ankle Boots £85



So here's how I've styled them and will be wearing them in the coming months.  It suddenly seems an awfully long time till Spring.  However that needn't stop us wearing our Summer maxi and midi dresses with a leather jacket and... leather ankle boots. 



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Maxi dress - Zara
Leather jacket - Gerard Darel

Or even a Summer maxi skirt.  Maxi skirts are notoriously difficult to team winter shoes with, but these boots are absolutely perfect.

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Cashmere Jumper - Orwell & Austin
Leopard print maxi skirt - Zara
Leather biker jacket - hush

The cropped wide leg trousers (ditto culottes) are perfect for Autumn with the addition of a new pair of boots.

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Leather Lace Up Ankle Boots £85
Wide leg cropped trousers - Me+Em
Breton jumper - H&M
Faux leather jacket - Zara

There are of course the new midi skirts for Winter that are ideal dressed up for the evening but are the perfect casual alternative, dressed down with a pair of lace up boots.

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Cashmere jumper - Wyse London

And what is possibly the most perfect midi skirt I've ever set eyes on.  Simply LOVE with the boots.


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Black polo neck - Jaeger

Into proper Winter mode now with the good old leather leggings... 

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Grey jumper - Me+Em
Grey blazer - Me+Em
Burgundy leather leggings - hush
Black bag - Village England 

And for those off duty days. 


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Grey jumper - Me+Em
Burgundy leggings - hush
Black coat - Ronit Zllkah

But possibly my favourite way to wear them is with a pair of cropped straight leg jeans.  I've always struggled finding boots that work with these, so I am over the moon with this look.  Bring on all the jeans.

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Leather Lace Up Ankle Boots £85
Black jumper - Tommy Hilfiger
Leopard print coat - Fenn Wright Manson
Black bag - Village England

If you don't feel that you're quite ready for boots yet, fear not, there are lots of other great flat options.  I could happily line all of these up in my wardrobe. 


Leather Lace Up Trainers £49.50



Here's how great these look on...


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Or - you can never have too much leopard and seeing as we've established it's a neutral... (they didn't have these instore in my size, darn it)

Autograph Leather Lace Up Trainers £49.50



But then there are these... oh how gorgeous are these?

Pointed Toe Ballerina Pump £29.50



Ta dah!



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Although of course M&S do have their "walking on angel's breath" secret addition to most of their shoes now.  Clearly that's not the technical term but it's what I always like to think. Here's what it very cleverly, actually does.


"Insolia redistributes your weight away from the balls of your feet, reducing pressure and increasing ankle stability, allowing you to wear your heels comfortably all day long.  Insolia is endorsed by the UK College of Podiatrists".  

Good eh?  Which is why I have also bought a pair of their strappy heels.  These are beyond amazing.  They do a couple of pairs in this style but I went for the more reasonable pair in patent.  Why?  And why not the leopard pair which you would think have my name written all over them?.  The number of straps.  I liked the extra straps that the patent ones had.  And can you ever have too many pairs of black shoes?  (clearly you can say the same about the leopard ones....)

Multi Strap Point Court Shoes with Insolia £29.50




Double Strap Point Court Shoes £49.50




And speaking of leopard - these are the ones I think will make their way into my basket very shortly.  The ones above - as much as angels would be stroking your feet as you walk - are high.  There is no getting away from that.  Completely walkable in and super comfortable but I know that not everyone does like quite so high a heel.  For every day, these would be perhaps more easily wearable.

Point Court with Insolia £19.50



Mid heels galore and others that I have my eye on as I've mentioned how much I love them, are the ankle strap suede shoes. 

Stain Away Ankle Strap Chestnut Shoes with Insolia £45




Which they also do in the universally useful black... again £45



I couldn't leave though without boots which are simply so gorgeous I had to include them.  If you are in the market for a pair of heeled ankle boots (and these are on the high side) then look no further. 

Wide Fit Platform Ankle Boots £39.50



Or.. and be still my beating heart that doesn't have the lifestyle to justify a pair of boots this gorgeous seeing as I've just bought heeled going out shoes, but maybe one day....

Tie Detail Ankle Boots with Insolia in Grey £69



So here I am in the heels that I absolutely and utterly adore and will be wearing at every given opportunity (that I have to wear heels that is...) 




Multi Strap Heels - M&S
Dress - Self Portrait
Clutch bag - Village England



Multi Strap heels - M&S
Black crepe top - Zara
Phoebe jeans - MiH
Sequin Jacket - Zadig & Voltaire
Thurlaston clutch - Village England
Necklaces - Chambers & Beau

So that's me sorted for ankle boots and heels for this Autumn, with all my bases covered.  However really spoilt for choice this year at M&S.  In complete shoe heaven... which would get your vote?

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CONVERSATION

34 comentarios:

  1. Hope the weather wasn't too hot when you were showing all those brilliant looks, shows exactly how versatile a pair of boots can be!
    Those flat strappy shoes are similar to a pair I've just invested in, so far I've worn them with cropped wide-ish legged trousers, but am looking forward to teaming them with jeans and skirts.
    Danish Pastry

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    1. Well... no it was on one of the cooler (and wetter for some of the shots!!) days!

      I can't wait for it get properly cold though so I can actually wear them!

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  2. It's about time M and S asked your advice.
    Great post and love all the styling 👍🏻

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  3. I've just gone and ordered those boots too 👍🏻😂

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    1. They are amazing. I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

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  4. Fabulous blog post! So many gorgeous shoes! I just purchased the M&S fringe point loafers to jazz up my "commute to work" look. I am absolutely gutted that the leopard print trainers are no longer in stock in my size. I may have to buy the lace up ankle boots to console myself :-)
    Kathy x

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    1. Oh the loafers are amazing. Great buy. And it's worth keeping an eye instore as two weeks ago they had hardly any of the leopard loafers in but they had loads more last week. Hope that helps xxx

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  5. M&S has a really good collection in right now. I have bought the double strap point court shoes in leopard and even trying them on in store passers-by were saying how flattering they were.

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    1. They've excelled this season no? It was a challenge to not buy more to be honest!

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  6. I ordered the last grey stiletto boots you featured on Friday, so should be ready to pick up tomorrow, can't wait! Also love the platform boots but worried they will be too wide for me, wish they had find them in a standard width too! I think the m and S 20% discount code is still valid today if anyone didn't know about it and wants to save a bit? X

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    1. Sorry, iPhone predictive nonsense, should be done not find! Also meant I ordered the boots on Friday not that you featured them on Friday!

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    2. Ha ha ha Those boots are GORGEOUS. You will not be disappointed. And yes, you should still be able to use the code today too. I'm sure it was valid till the 19th?

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  7. Oooh, the boots are fab. I have been saving hard for a pair of toga pulla in black leather and every outfit I wear I try and imagine them on. I planned to buy them next month :)
    Then I go shopping and I fall in love with every other pair of boots out there and I dither.
    I need and want one pair of decent ankle boots that go with everything I own (!) The ankle boots I currently own include burgundy suede high heel like the second-to-last photo above, flat stone suede, flat black biker-style in leather and a flat black suede with two buckles from Pull & Bear - so there is a slightly dressier gap in the wardrobe.

    So I am now dithering hugely. Are the Pullas really comfy (this is number one priority) or should I give these M&S gems a try instead?

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    1. That's super super hard. The Togas are really comfy but to be completely honest with you - I don't really like wearing them with skinnies and haven't mastered them with jeans. HAving said that, I LOVE them with dresses and skirts.. but these are significantly cheaper!

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  8. On another M&S shoe note, I have picked up both of these:

    http://www.marksandspencer.ie/Stain-Away%E2%84%A2-Wide-Fit-Suede-Pumps-with-Insolia-Flex%C2%AE/P22471372,en_IE,pd.html?dwvar_P22471372_color=Y0&start= (not unlike your strappy patent pair)

    and these, to replace an ancient pair that I have worn to death:

    http://www.marksandspencer.ie/Leather-Leopard-Print-Pump-with-Insolia-Flex%C2%AE/P22473842,en_IE,pd.html?dwvar_P22473842_color=N4&start=

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  9. I'm going to have to have those grey tie detail boots!! Absolute beauties!!
    I'm having a big girlie night out, cocktail making, food, more drinks....but what to wear?! Might try to fashion an outfit featuring these! Xx

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    1. Those boots would make a simple pair of jeans and a tee completely "night out" worthy!

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  10. Strappy shoes - delicious, leopard trainers - yummers, strappy heels (patent and leopard) - let me at 'em, grey tie-boots - heaven but......the main event look too shiny and clumpy for most of your beautifully styled outfits (but you love them so much I totally forgive them for that). Well done M&S - you have your mojo back.

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    1. They honestly are not that clumpy in real life I promise! Or that shiny!! I think they possibly look like that because we've all been so used to wearing sandals and trainers for so long? I reckon as soon as proper boot weather arrives, we'll all be wearing boots like this!! But each to their own and would certainly be a v world if we all wore the same thing! x

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  11. Just reading this now, so between you and the advice I got on Instagram, I'm now going to order the leopard print trainers. Which I don't need. That makes this my third pair this year. I hold you (and Donna) totally and completely responsible.
    I saw those boots yesterday in store and had a mini drool. Just have to figure out a way to justify them now :)

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    1. And what was that you used to say about trainers?? *weeps with laughter*!!!!

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  12. I agree with KarenB33. I love them with trousers but think they look slightly too clumpy and shiny for dresses

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    1. Fair enough! I was looking for a pair of boots that were flat and that were more androgynous so could wear dresses with blazers as opposed to living in a biker jacket! But each to their own xxx

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  13. Love the looks ..... will have fun looking to put similar looks together here in Canada!

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  14. For once I'm actually way ahead of you! Had already ordered 3 of your choices when the discount code came out last week. Strangely didn't get a confirmation email but I did get an order no so fingers crossed! Lovely styling although I can't say I'm a fan of the wide straight jeans with the boots. Each to our own though. X

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  15. I spotted (no pun intended) the leopard print trainers and went in specifically to try them on.....BUT they came up really small. I'm normally a six and even the seven pinched my toes and the were REALLY uncomfortable around the ankle for me. Gutted.....I NEED a pair of leopard print sneakers.....any other suggestions out there??

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    1. Nooooooooooo. Oh what a complete shame. I will look out for some more. There are of course the Air & Grace Copelands in leopard which I don't have but I have the glitter pair and whilst they are an investment, I can't recommend them highly enough xx https://airandgracelondon.com/collections/womens-luxury-sneakers/products/copeland-leopard-leather-trainers

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  16. I've cracked and bought the boots, after you reminded me the discount was ending!
    I'm hoping my 52 years can pull them off. I have pleather and pleats and oversized knits and the Alexa wide leg trousers no wide leg jeans. Yes skinny with this think Marcelle Marceau
    Best get looking ( after card stops smoking, had to leave it at front door to cool yesterday)
    Wanted the strap shoe too but also fancied staying married.

    I love your blog, it always inspires me and makes me feel good.

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    1. Oh thank you! I think those boots will be PERFECT for you!

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  17. Are these really from M&S? They're gorgeous! I really like them with the leather leggings. And you totally sold me on Hush last year, I'm buying loads of their stuff now!

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