There is no time of year I love more than autumn. After months of wearing as little as possible to manage the heat, I thrive in the season where there’s an excuse for more—layers of knits, coats and scarves, and of course, the footwear to match. Shearling, Chelsea, hiking, knee-high or ankle, I’m a big lover of boots. The timelessness of classic winter boot styles means I have as much excitement in taking them out of storage in preparation for the colder months as the day I bought them. And these days it’s not just boots—there are sneakers, wellies and stylish leather flats like mules or loafers to keep our feet well-heeled and warm.
Working in fashion, one of the things I’m asked about most at this time of year is the footwear brands that can not only withstand the elements, but are also comfortable, affordable and stylish. Each time I give the same response: FitFlop. The brand already has a solid reputation for quality; backed with extensive research, each style (be it sandal, sneaker or boot) has been bio-mechanically engineered to give the best possible support, and is designed to work with your body’s alignment and natural movement.
Okay, so we know FitFlop’s latest collection is 100% practicality-approved, but is it fashion-editor approved? I can say with certainty that it is. I put some styles to the test, creating four classic, casual outfits that I will wear on repeat this season, styled around my favourite pairs of shoes and boots from the A/W 23 collection.