Boots are the one category where the last matters more than the logo. A boot is built around the shape of a leg, and the brands that do it well have spent years refining the shaft width and ankle break so the shoe looks like it belongs to you rather than sitting on you. This issue of the best designer boots runs seventy-six pairs, split by material and height. Everything was in stock when I put it together.

Here is what I check first. The shaft circumference matters because a knee boot that gaps at the calf will never sit right, and a good product page gives you the measurement. Then I match heel height to heel type: a 50mm block can carry me through a day, while a 95mm stiletto suits a different occasion. I check the sole too, since a leather sole benefits from a rubber topping before the first wear. For the upper, I want smooth calfskin that creases rather than cracks, or suede with a short, tight nap that will not go shiny at the flex point.

Below, I start with the house I trust most on fit.

Gianvito Rossi is the answer when you want a boot that fits a real calf and still looks like a fashion shoe. The shafts are cut narrow through the ankle and released through the leg, which is why the 45 over the knee suede and the Zayne 20 sit flat instead of bunching. The Riding leather knee boot is the pair I would keep, the Santiago 60 gives you a walkable heel in a tall shaft, and the 70 suede Chelsea on a lug sole is the pair I would wear in bad weather. The Glen cuissard 85 is the over the knee for a night out. At the ankle, the Sofia 95 is a stiletto that is genuinely wearable, and the Levy 55 in leopard print suede is the pair that makes an outfit.

The most useful boot in anyone's wardrobe. Proenza Schouler's Slant is the architectural one, while Bottega Veneta's Cherry has the squared toe that has quietly become the shape of the decade. Khaite's Marfa is the flat black boot I recommend more than any other, and its Sybil in glossed leather is the dressier sibling. Toteme's flat ankle boot is the quietest of the group. Paris Texas's Bettina 50 is a clean, western-influenced boot, and Saint Laurent's Jill Cassandre is embellished and still restrained. Nili Lotan's Joplin is a Chelsea, the shape I would pick if you only choose one.

Four newer pairs widen the row. Acne Studios makes a sleek stretch leather ankle boot, The Attico's Cheope has a sculptural heel, Victoria Beckham's Harlow is a kitten heel mid boot, and Balmain's kitten heel ankle boot has a slouched, relaxed line.

Suede is the softer decision and it dresses down better than leather does. Aquazzura's Slouchy 50 has the drape that makes a suede boot worth it, The Row's Cindy is the quiet one and its Nobilis platform is the opposite. Khaite gives you both a kitten heel Bella and a flat Clive. Valentino Garavani's Zimmy is topstitched western, Aquazzura's Saint Honore in navy is the colour I would take over black, and Isabel Marant's Edrik is buckled and slouched and the most fun pair in the issue. Protect all of these before the first wear.

The tall boot is the one people get wrong, almost always on shaft width. Brunello Cucinelli's bead embellished suede and Dries Van Noten's leather knee boot are the two I would call properly cut. Valentino Garavani's Zimmt 60 is the sleek black option, Christian Louboutin's Loo 85 over the knee is the evening one and its Santiabooty 85 is western in suede. Manolo Blahnik's Pamfilo 90 is the elegant stiletto shaft, Paris Texas's El Dorado is a stacked heel knee high, and Gucci's Web detailed boot is the one you will still recognise in ten years.

The newer pairs add range. Gianvito Rossi's Glen Camoscio Texas is a tan suede western, SIMKHAI's Joni is a stretch leather over the knee in cacao, Acne Studios' Bojan is a slouched leather boot, and Alaia's leopard print calf hair over the knee is the loudest pair on the page.

Thirty-six more across both heights and both materials round out the selection. I would look first at the flat leather Chelsea and the mid-heel suede ankle boot, because those are the two shapes that get worn until they fall apart.

Two things I do to every pair before they leave the house. A cobbler adds a thin rubber sole protector, which helps the boot last longer, and suede gets two light coats of protector spray with a proper dry in between. Then I use cedar or even rolled magazines in the shaft so tall boots do not fold at the ankle in storage, because that crease never comes out.

On wearing them: a knee boot wants a trouser that either tucks in cleanly or clears the top of the shaft, and anything landing exactly at the boot line is what makes an outfit look short. Ankle boots are the opposite and forgive almost everything, which is why I always tell people to choose that pair first.