IN THE SPOTLIGHT // ANKLE BOOTS

I often struggle to find boots that are right for me; I have short legs so most don’t seem to sit quite right, I also have really narrow feet and I find that high-street boots tend to be quite wide.  Ankle boots would be my go to style as they sit at a much more flattering height for me, but up until now I'd found the choice fairly limiting.  Luckily for me, this season that's all changed.

Ankle boots have taken over the high-street, they're everywhere and in so many different styles too!  So as my pumps really won’t cut it in a Pittsburgh winter, I’ve decided to invest in a couple of pairs of ankle boots.  It feels extravagant but when something that fits and flatters me is in fashion, and in abundance, I have to bite the bullet and invest.  The difficult part is deciding which style to go for...

Steve Madden leather boots / Whistles leather boots, $290 / DV by Dolce Vita western boots / Steve madden boots / BDG leather boots / Free People leather boots, $220 / MANDEL / Steve Madden Lacey Bootie / Franco Sarto Quasar Bootie

It’s been interesting getting to grips with the American high-street, learning about how the different brands fit, and understanding the sizing (hopefully it won’t be much longer before I can start styling clients over here).  I’ve realised that there is a much wider choice in clothing sizes than we have in the UK, and when it comes to shoes the fit can vary considerably from one brand to another, unlike on the British high-street where it seems like most are wide or wider.

Finding boots that fit and suit me has been such a revelation, it's opened up a whole host of outfit possibilities and has breathed new life into my existing wardrobe.   All the dresses and skirts that would normally get pushed to the back of the closet for lack of footwear to go with, have suddenly become a possibility; it’s like I'm shopping my wardrobe – there’s no need to hit the shops for more clothes when I can pull together a bunch of new looks right from my own wardrobe!