Fashion loves nothing more than discovering a new body zone – and the trickier, the better. This season, the zone in question is mid-calf – but that’s not the midi-skirt, which is now almost unremarkable. Instead, see the midi- boot, which reaches not quite to the knee but anywhere between 10 and 20cm shy in a sort of no-man’s-land of leg. Ankle and knee boots will not do this winter: the midi-boot is the alpha choice and, at first glance, it requires the slender limbs of a barre core devotee to match.
The midi-boot had catwalk approval, of course – seen at brands ranging from Jonathan Saunders to Marni and JW Anderson. Anderson’s were given an 80s tinge with a ruched effect that Angie Watts would have appreciated, and Saunders based his lace-up ones on the work of pop artist Allen Jones, while Burberry’s Jasmin ones with walkable block heel may become the front-row favourite for the next round of shows in September. And, with American Vogue also singing their praises, the midi may yet be a trend that carries over into what real people wear.
The best of the midi comes slightly boxy, so the boot sits out from your leg, rather than hugging it (Topshop have some good ones, called Babs). And what you wear with it also turns the midi-boot from a fashion conundrum into a thing that you pull on in the morning. Vogue recommends mixing midis – ie wearing the midi-boot with the midi-skirt – which is one option (very Marni), as is the current silhouette on the high street. A short A-line skirt to mid-thigh and sleek ribbed T-shirt works with a midi-boot. A bit Cilla-in-the-60s, but also good for right now, it almost makes the midi-boot seem like a no-brainer. Almost.
