It’s hard to think of a type of shoe that scores higher on functionality than the half boot. The 4×4 of the footwear world, it suits virtually any environment. No single trend is dominant, so you’ve got real freedom to choose whatever style suits you. Coming into winter, take time to ferret out styles that feel right at home in the winter weather. Fake fur makes fairly regular appearances, whether at ankle level or wrapped all the way round the boot, American indian style. Colours are a fusion of the somewhat typical for this time of year, for example, greys, navy blues, browns galore and old favourites like beige, black and white, as well as less mainstream colours – metallic red and gold, seasonal scarlet and two-tone or three-tone looks are just a few examples. These boots are a lot of fun to be around as we can see from some very Christmassy ‘knitted’ style patterns and leopardskin effects.
A tad less practical for sleet and snow are your typical women’s shoes. Still, when they look as fantastic as this, we’ll forgive them. These shoes can transform the shrinking violets amongst us with their bold colours, elegant lines and distinctive designs. They’re strong on quirky details: chunky buckles, press stud ‘pockets’, diamante designs and more. One notable design aspect is the fake animal skin motif. Take your pick of leopard, zebra, snake and crocodile.
Since the party season is getting underway it’s time to embark on the quest for the perfect frock. There are lots of fabulous dresses on offer. Black is big on the radar this year, for the most part not in its classic guise of the little black dress, rather, it’s embracing a new perspective, blending in with assorted colours and eye-catching stripes and borders.