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Boot Season & Mindful Fashion | The S Edit

It’s officially boot season, but if I’m totally honest I’ve been wearing them for a while now. It’s no secret that I prefer Summer fashion, but I have to admit that boots are one of my favourite type of shoe to style. There’s a pair for every occasion and despite my collection not being very diverse in colour (if you don’t like black click off now), I’m confident that I have most of the styles I need.

You may already know that recently I’ve been on a mission to become more planet-friendly. After watching Fashions Dirty Secrets, I’m trying to be more conscious about the fashion I buy into. I love updating my wardrobe, so this definitely isn’t a black and white, never shopping again type of thing. I’m just being more mindful and investing in fashion that’s a) more responsible where possible and b) that I love and will get a lot of use out of. My aversion to the cold means that I do actually tend to invest more in Winter fashion like coats and boots. The extra cost incurred with better quality means that I expect them to last.

Maintenance

After pulling most of my boots out of storage, it was apparent that they needed a little TLC. To a generation that’s accustomed to replacing instead of fixing, the idea of polishing shoes is a pretty old-fashioned one. Discovering products from Boot Rescue made me regret not doing it sooner. Their wipes are specially designed to safely and effectively clean leather and suede, and they really make an easy job of it. After wiping the boot down and removing any dirt, I used their wax to buff out scuffs and to add a little extra shine. It’s crazy how this simple process can make a boot look brand new again. Unfortunately, the wax is only available in Canada right now, but I have my fingers crossed that it won’t be long until it’s also available here in the UK.

In the above image, only the boot on the right has been cleaned and polished. Unfortunately, I haven’t quite been able to capture how much of a dramatic difference it does make. If you pay specific attention to the toes of the boots, you can see that I’ve buffed out the slight scuffs which are still visible on the left boot. The cleaning process leaves the leather a little darker and looking much, much less worn.

There are three styles of boot that I’ve been really enjoying recently; bar my Uggs which I love but wear as a matter of warmth over style:

The Ankle Boot

I find that my ankle boots are the most versatile and easy to wear of them all. I tend to wear these more often than any other too as they’re the most comfortable and can be worn with almost anything. Mine are last season ASOS (similar) and Kurt Geiger (similar) and after a freshen up, they’re both still going strong.

The Knee High

Transitional Autumn Outfits Post

I adore knee-high boots, but we have a very love-hate relationship. I really struggle to find ones which nicely fit my calves and aren’t too baggy. These are from Nine West (at Kurt Geiger) from a couple of seasons ago and they’ve been the perfect boot. I’ve dressed them up and down and in-between. Of all my boots, these are definitely the ones that needed the most attention. If I’m off for a walk and at risk of getting muddy, these are the ones I reach for.

The Sock Boot

This style is back for another season in the limelight, and I’m all for it. For anyone as cold-blooded as I am, the sock boot is an essential aspect of a Winter out out wardrobe. When it comes to looking elegant and avoiding any shoe that leaves your feet so cold they’re numb, the sock boot is one of the only viable options. Wear them with (thin) socks and they don’t only look great but they feel it too, it’s a win-win. Mine were kindly gifted to me this season by Koi Footwear.

*  This post is part of a paid collaboration with Boot Rescue. It contains PR Samples which I have been sent to review and give my honest opinion about. Please read my full disclaimer for more information.