H&M blue suede ankle boots, £69.99
I know I’ve said it before, but H&M have really picked up their shoe game this year. You can still find cheap ballet flats and pleather footwear, of course, but now they’ve been joined by a collection of real leather shoes and boots, that seem much higher quality than what we’ve come to expect from the budget retailer.
Take these ankle boots, for instance. At £70, they’re more expensive than many of H&M’s offerings (In fact, you could probably clothe yourself there from head-to-toe for that much, if you so desired), but the suede upper is real leather, and the shape is ankle-boot perfection. I love the narrow ankles, which should fit under jeans and trousers, as well as over tights, the sharply pointed toe, and the contrasting gold zipper, which adds an extra bit of interest to the overall look. It’s the colour that really sets these apart, however: I’ve learned the hard way that I just can’t pull off this particular bright blue in shoes (These also come in back, if you’re in the same boat), but there’s no denying that I love to look at it: in fact, you can’t really stop yourself looking at a colour this bold, can you?
trousers // sweater // jacket // scarf // sunglasses
These would be a great choice for those who love colour, and who aren’t afraid to clash, but if you’d rather play it a little safer, you can’t go wrong with skinny black pants and a biker jacket. As these boots have a fairly delicate shape, I think they’d also look good with dresses and skirts: again, it’s up to you whether you decide to make “the brighter, the better” your catchphrase, and wear them with a selection of similarly bold colours, or to go for a more muted palette of blacks, greys or denim.