iStyle: The thigh-high boot is back

The thigh-high boot has shaken off its tawdry connotations to become one of the styles of the season, says Rebecca Gonsalves

The wet weather is here and with it comes the inevitable search for suitable footwear that will keep your toes toasty as you skip and trip through the puddles on the pavement. Chelsea and biker boots are de rigueur for this time of year, largely for the ease with which they can be worn with skinny jeans, that staple of the modern wardrobe.

This season, however, boots have been taken to new heights with the return of the thigh high. Forget all notions of Julia Roberts’ infamous turn in Pretty Woman, pre-Rodeo Drive makeover, the thigh high of the season is a proposition that is at once elegant and defiant.

Take, for example, the versions shown at Céline, where Phoebe Philo subverted the connotations of skin-tight leather to make one of the most covetable boots of the season, in a way that only she knows how. At Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld’s bovver boots were on a far more rebellious course, resplendent in patent leather and lashed with chains and pearls, but none the less agenda-setting.

Off the catwalks, the main styles to choose from are pirate-inspired flats, riding styles with a sturdy heel and round toe, or high-heeled in the traditionally sexy category. Surprisingly versatile, the right pair can be worn over skinny jeans, with a chunky-knit dress and opaque tights or under a longer skirt.

Suede, leather and pleather abound on the high street, but buying the best quality you can afford is sound advice for a purchase such as this. For many, the confidence to wear a pair of thigh-high boots doesn’t come easily and looking cheap misses the point entirely. Quality leather and strong soles will ensure that they only get better with age. After all, these boots are made for walking, whatever the weather.