The sock boot will be on all the It Girls' feet this autumn: 5 to buy now
Blame Balenciaga. Its 'Knife' sock boot' is a run-on from last year's massive athleisure trend, but it's got absolutely nothing to do with sport. These boots are made for walking only, or just for standing on, looking cool.
People (I) love boots because you can wear all your odd ones without anyone asking why you're wearing two different socks. That's why I'm unsure of the sock boot. You still have to wear socks with them or risk sweaty, stinky, sore feet. But the point of them is to be skin tight and, well, sock-like, and anyone who's ever worn two socks on one foot at once knows that that gets warm and sticky and cankles happen. So what do you do? Wear... pop socks?
Doesn't matter, they're the coolest of the cool boots, and they're here to stay. Whoever pulls them off wins autumn/winter - and that's a challenge.
At yesterday's River Island press preview, I saw sock boots a-plenty, in ankle form, the most popular length (although River Island will have thigh highs as well). They'll hit shelves from October, but you can shop the style now.
If you wish to, here are five from the high street you can pick up today.