Claire's Picks

Footwear

Shoes have the ability to completely change the read of an outfit and we take that seriously. The wrong shoe with the right dress is still the wrong outfit. We've edited this section by thinking about what actually works rather than what simply looks good in a product shot. Heel height, sole comfort, how the toe box fits after an hour of wear. These things matter. What you'll find here are the boots, heels, flats, and sandals that hold up in real life as well as they look in pictures.

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Ankle Boots

Ankle boots are the single most versatile footwear purchase you can make and we're surprised we have to argue this case. They work with jeans, with midi dresses, with tights, with bare legs in the transitional months. A good pair of ankle boots in a wear everywhere colour, black or tan primarily, will work with the vast majority of your wardrobe across at least eight months of the year. We've been pulling together our favourites. The ones with the right heel height, the right toe shape, and the right quality to justify the spend.

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Ballet Flats

Ballet flats came back and they came back properly. Not just a retro moment but a genuine return to form with updated shapes, interesting colourways, and quality that makes them a serious footwear investment. We've been obsessed with the current generation of ballet flats, especially the more sculptural toe shapes and the embellished options that feel genuinely fashion forward. These are the ones we'd buy. Comfortable enough for a full day, stylish enough for a proper evening, which is quite the combination.

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Biker Boots

A pair of good biker boots changes the personality of whatever you're wearing. They add an edge, a slightly tougher quality, that makes everything from a floral dress to a classic jeans outfit feel more interesting. We've been looking at biker boots quite seriously because the quality range is enormous and the right pair genuinely lasts years. These are the ones with the right weight, the right buckle detail, and the right sole to feel like a real biker boot rather than a fashion approximation of one.

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Block Heels

Block heels are the answer to wanting height without the instability of a stiletto. The wider heel base means you can actually walk, actually stand at a bar for two hours, actually get through a full day or evening without your feet staging a revolt. We've been looking at block heels across styles from the more casual to the properly dressy because this is a heel format that works everywhere. These are the ones that have the right height and the right weight to look genuinely good rather than purely practical.

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Boots

A great pair of boots is one of the best investments in a wardrobe. Full stop. The right pair gets worn constantly, lasts years if you look after them, and makes a meaningful difference to how put together you look across the colder months. We've pulled together this broader boots category for everything that doesn't fall neatly into another style. Some interesting hybrid styles, some great wider fit options, some brilliant designs that need to be seen. These are the boots we'd buy without hesitation.

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Brogues

Brogues occupy that brilliant territory between smart and casual that very few shoes manage as convincingly. The perforated detailing, the lace up front, the slightly chunky sole. They look brilliant with tailored trousers, with jeans, with midi skirts. We've been into brogues consistently for years and we've accumulated strong opinions about which ones are worth it. These are the brogues that are properly made, properly comfortable after a brief wearing in period, and stylish in a way that doesn't date.

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Chelsea Boots

A Chelsea boot is the most elegant practical boot format going. The elastic side panels, the pull on ease, the clean silhouette that works with essentially everything. We love Chelsea boots with wide leg trousers, with jeans tucked in, with dresses and tights. They have a quality of making everything look more considered without being dressed up. We've been looking at a broad range of Chelsea boot options across heel heights and toe shapes. These are the ones that consistently impress us.

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Court Shoes

A good pair of court shoes is a wardrobe cornerstone. The clean, uninterrupted line from toe to heel with nothing competing for attention gives you a versatility that more statement shoes simply can't match. They work with everything, genuinely. We've been looking at the current generation of court shoes which has some really interesting updates to the classic format, lower vamps, interesting toe shapes, some brilliant colourways. These are the ones that deserve a place in your regular rotation.

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Espadrilles

Espadrilles are summer footwear solved. The woven jute sole, the canvas or fabric upper, the effortless holiday energy they bring to any outfit. They work with everything from linen trousers to a sundress to cropped jeans. We've been pulling together our favourites including the flat versions for all day comfort and the wedge options for a bit more height and a slightly more dressed up result. These are the espadrilles worth buying properly before summer actually starts.

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Kitten Heels

Kitten heels are having the kind of comeback that makes you feel vindicated if you never stopped wearing them. The low, fine heel is simultaneously elegant and practical. You can walk in them properly. They photograph incredibly well. They have that slightly retro French quality that makes everything feel a bit more chic. We've been pulling together the kitten heel options that feel current rather than nostalgic. These are the ones that belong in a contemporary wardrobe right now.

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Knee High Boots

Knee high boots are one of the most powerful styling tools in a wardrobe. They define the leg, they work with midi skirts and dresses in a way that nothing else achieves, and they have a confidence to them that ankle boots simply don't. We've been very thorough about finding the best options at different price points because a great knee high boot is genuinely worth spending proper money on. These are the ones we'd buy. The ones with the right leg width, right heel height, right toe shape.

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Loafers

Loafers are the shoe equivalent of looking like you've got your act together without trying too hard and that's a very valuable quality in footwear. They work with tailored trousers, with jeans and socks, with shorts, with midi skirts. They have that borrowed from the boys quality that makes them feel both comfortable and considered. We've been into a broad range of loafer styles recently, from classic penny styles to more exaggerated platform versions. These are the ones worth having in the rotation.

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Mules

A mule, done properly, is one of the most effortless footwear options you can reach for. No faff, no buckles, no laces, just slip on and go. Heeled mules feel immediately dressy. Flat mules are the most comfortable option for a long day. We've been pulling together options across both because the mule format works across an enormous range of occasions. These are the ones we've actually worn extensively and can confidently say are worth every penny and every step.

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Over the Knee Boots

Over the knee boots are for people who understand that a shoe can be the entire point of an outfit. You build around them. A simple shirt dress, a knit, wide leg trousers at exactly the right length. The boots do everything else. We've been looking at over the knee options seriously because the quality and the fit around the thigh varies enormously. These are the ones that actually fit properly and look the way over the knee boots are supposed to look. Worth finding them.

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Platform Heels

Platform heels give you the height of a proper heel with significantly less of the physical cost because the platform under the toe reduces the actual incline your foot is on. That's the genius of them. And they make a genuinely bold style statement in a way that regular heels don't quite achieve. We've been into platforms across styles, from more chunky seventies inspired options to sleeker versions that feel contemporary. These are the ones that combine comfort and impact most effectively.

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Sandals

A really good sandal is the most important summer footwear decision you'll make. We've worn a lot of sandals and we have very developed opinions. Strap placement matters for comfort and for how they look on the foot. Sole quality matters for how long they last and how they feel at the end of a long day. Heel height, if any, matters for versatility. We've pulled together the sandals that clear every bar. The ones we'd actually pack for a trip and reach for every warm day between now and October.

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Shoes

Sometimes you just need a good shoe that doesn't fall neatly into any specific category. Not a boot, not a sandal, not a trainer. Just a shoe. This is where we've pulled together everything in that territory, the interesting options that span styles and occasions and don't quite fit elsewhere. The things we've been looking at and thinking about and adding to wishlists. These are the shoes worth knowing about right now across the full range of what that word actually covers.

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Sliders

Sliders are the most frictionless footwear experience in existence. One piece, slip on, done. We wear ours around the house, in the garden, on the way to the beach, and genuinely in more public settings than we probably should. A really good slider though, with a proper cushioned footbed and a solid sole, works in ways that elevate the basic format considerably. These are the sliders worth owning. Not the ones that disintegrate after a summer. The ones that are still going three years later.

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Slingbacks

A slingback heel has that specific quality of looking completely secure and pulled together while also feeling like you're wearing less shoe than you actually are. The strap across the back of the heel does something for the silhouette of the foot that other styles don't. We love a slingback kitten heel particularly but there are some brilliant block and stiletto options in here too. These are the slingbacks that deserve a place in your regular footwear rotation.

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Stilettos

A stiletto heel is a commitment and we respect it completely. The height, the line, the way they change the entire posture and silhouette. There's a reason they've been around forever and a reason they keep coming back regardless of any practical concerns. We've pulled together the stilettos that are actually wearable for longer than twenty minutes because sole quality and construction make an enormous difference at this heel height. These are the ones we'd buy and actually wear rather than buy and then regret.

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Thigh High Boots

Thigh high boots are genuinely one of the most impactful footwear choices you can make and we love them for it. Worn with a mini they create a barely there gap that photographs beautifully. With a midi they create a long unbroken vertical line that looks incredible. The key is the fit around the thigh and the quality of the material, both of which vary enormously. We've been thorough about finding the options that actually work in both departments. These are the ones worth buying.

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Uggs

Uggs and their equivalents exist in a category of their own which is footwear that makes you feel like you're wearing the warmest most comfortable thing possible at all times. We're not pretending they're fashion forward but we are saying they're genuinely good and we wear ours constantly through winter without apology. The current range is actually better than it's ever been, with some genuinely interesting colourways and updated shapes that feel more current. These are the ones we'd buy right now.

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Wedges

Wedges give you height without the instability and the physical toll of a thin heel. The solid base distributes your weight properly so you can actually walk, actually dance, actually get through a full day or evening without suffering. They work brilliantly for summer events, for holidays, for any occasion where you want to be taller but also want to remain functional. We've pulled together the best options across both the more casual espadrille wedge territory and more dressy leather and fabric options.

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