5 of the best: Snow boots

There’s more snow forecast in the UK in the coming weeks and the pavements are still covered in slush and ice, so now’s a great time to invest in a pair of sturdy snow boots.

We’ve rounded up five pairs of high street winter boots that will provide maximum foot warmth and minimum risk of a bone-breaking fall. They may not be pretty, but they sure are comfy. Plus, with some sales still on they start at less than £30 a pop.

1. Teig black patent snow boots, £26.99 (were £60), Aldo

Waterproof, with a slip-resistant heel, a nice bit of faux fur trim and a practical ankle height – these boots are seriously good value for money.

2. Neeve Ella GTX brown snow boots, £64.99 (were £130), Clarks

Using Gore-tex fabric and something called Active Air cushioning, these boots are way more high-tech than their sensible brown suede exterior suggests. The waxed finish means they’re hard-wearing too.

3. Black nylon Moon Boot, £79.99, New Look

Some people might shudder at the sight of these, the winter equivalent of the Ugg. But given the choice between a Moon Boot and a pair of soaked Converse on a sub-zero day and I know which I’d choose.

4. Helly Hansen Iskoras snow boots, £130, John Lewis

If The Killing’s Sara Lund wanted a pair of boots to go with her iconic jumper, I think she’s choose these. Not only do they have a suitably Scandinavian sheepskin upper, they’re sturdy enough to chase after murderers in.

5. Valenme Snow Flake Bootie, £169, Topshop

OK, admittedly these boots aren’t the best for braving snow-covered roads and freezing temperatures, mainly because they’re made of wool, but look! The little snowflake! Isn’t it cute?

Love your feet: can sensible ever be sexy?

Be still my heart: French Sole, the Queen of the ballet pump

Over the summer I bought a pair of plain nude ballet pumps from Primarni for £4. Neutral and just a little bit sweet, they seemed like the perfect solution to my footwear issues (I had winter boots, converse, and heels, but no in between, smart/casual shoes for work or my ‘I want to look pretty but don’t want to wear heels’ kind of moods). I wore them for about 4 weeks straight before they started to fall apart (to be expected, I suppose, given where I bought them), and, more importantly, my feet were absolutely wrecked. I had basically been walking around with nothing to protect or support my feet except the flimsiest of thin soles, after all. My flip flops were thicker and more supportive, for goodness’ sake. The subsequent limping and general dread of having to walk anywhere at all made me think I should really take more care of my feet. It’s the kind of thing that mothers and grannies and people who shop at Per Una always say and I never really used to pay much attention to, but it’s true: our feet are important, we’re going to need them for a long time. Be nice to them.

I’m not saying I’m going to abandon pretty ballet pumps and lovely heels, though. Oh no, I want to have it all. I am going to invest in some insoles to put in my flimsier shoes and support my arches a little better (Dr Scholls do some good ones). No one ever has to know. And there’s nothing wrong with wearing heels as long as I check that a) they actually fit properly and b) I can walk in them (and I mean in the shop when I try them on, as opposed to saying ‘I’ll practise at home.’). There is a spectrum of heel pain, and I plan to keep to the lower end. And bringing flats to change into once it all gets a bit much is a good idea, too. Thus far in my life I’ve been the equivalent of a binge drinker when it comes to heels; I never wear them, and then suddenly I wear them all night until my feet are covered in blisters and I have to spend the next morning trying to give myself a foot massage and involuntarily kicking myself because of the pain.

You know, I’ve avoided Clarks since my school shoe days when they measured your foot with the little box and tape measure, but somehow when I wasn’t looking they had a makeover and actually have some pretty good shoes. I bought some sensible but attractive black loafers for work and looking smart, and I have my eye on some gorgeous tan leather riding boot style knee high boots. Although part of me wonders if it’s a slippery slope from here to ‘mum boots’, and from there to Per Una. Ho hum.

Is there anything she can’t do? Mary Portas turns her hand to lingerie design

It was back in 2007 that Mary ‘Queen of Shops’ Portas burst onto our television screens in her quest to change the face, and hopefully the fate, of various faltering shops around the U.K.  Carried out in the smilar heroic fashion that saw her almost single-handedly revive the once flailing reputation of uber-posh department store Harvey Nichols, subsequently catapulting it to the iconic status which it currently enjoys today.

Leading on from Versayce’s post, ‘Can Mary be the Queen of Shoes too?’, the question I’ve now been left pondering after attending a Yellowdoor PR (Portas’ own company) event is can Mary be the Queen of everything?  In retail that is!  So far the retail genius’ innovative vision and inimitable ability to spot gaps in the market has meant practically everything she touches, quite literally, turns to gold. It would seem Ms Portas has her sights set on world domination and her next port of call happens to be our under-garments.

Not content just collaborating with Clarks, Portas has now branched out further by creating a range with Lingerie brand Charnos, including a statement hosiery collection specifically designed to sculpt and smooth away any unfavourable lumps and bumps. Essentially a selection of on-trend styled tights complete with the reassuring hold of control pants. Killing two birds with one stone as a result and tiding us over while we continue on our seemingly never-ending pursuit to one day achieve ownerhsip of a smaller, far firmer posterior.

If I were to roll off a list of the most common things us ladies are guilty of complaining about regarding our appearances then we could be here all day, however one of the top five things for many tends to be arm related issues. I personally know very few women who haven’t had some sort of grievance with theirs. Sound familar? If so, good news as Mary and Charnos may just have a solution.

Described as ‘Part armour, part hosiery,’ these great little inventions better known as Armery, are a nice alternative and slight upgrade from a typical cardigan or bolero. They act almost like Spanx but for your arms and similar to the aforementioned hosiery collection these also come in a variety of chic designs to suit every occasion.

You can get your hands on some of Mary’s goods at House of Fraser, and prices start at a purse happy £10.50.

Can Mary Portas be the Queen of Shoes too?

Versayce went along to the Clarks’ press day last week on behalf of S&TS to preview the autumn/winter collections. 

Given some of the excruciating situations and characters on TV show Mary Queen of Shops, anyone would think Mary Portas was addicted to pain. Her current level of ubiquity certainly suggests she has a schedule punishing enough for an incarcerated criminal.

Not so her capsule range for Clarks‘ autumn/winter 2012 collection, which despite featuring dangerously high heels, is constructed, we were told, using comfort technologies allowing for striking looks without so much as a squished little toe. This continues Mary’s relentless quest to make businesses better understand and provide for their customers. Her line is squarely aimed to meet the demands of women whose lives are chock full of kids and work, and who insist they’ll look stunning while keeping the entire dinner service spinning. Running around maybe more conducive to trainers and flats, but where’s the fun in that?

Clarks unquenchable thirst for collaboration continues in their main and Originals collections. Harris Tweed and Jaguar Shoes Collective are recruited from the UK, while Velour (from Sweden) and Rocky Mountain Featherbed (US) bring accents from further afield. While the shape of the shoes are on the whole conservative and comfortable, you can’t fault Clarks for their determination to balance these core values with relevance to today’s trend-led shoe buyers. Where they succeed is with those designs which eschew the clunky and deliver on sharp lines, or where the choice of material really hollers quality and charm. Here are our pick of the pairs…