Chelsea in Heels

A flat chelsea boot is easy. Add a heel and the same pull on shape suddenly looks dressed up enough for dinner, work and weekends.

The elastic sides mean no zips and no laces, so you can step in and go. The heel does the rest, making legs look longer under a midi skirt or a pair of cropped trousers.

I split the edit into two groups: black heeled chelsea boots first, then brown and tan pairs.

These are the pairs you will wear the most. The sleek pointed toe styles with slim heels look sharp with tailored trousers, while the sturdy block heel pairs on chunky soles are the ones to grab on rainy days.

The low kitten heel is the easiest if you are new to heels, the stacked wood heels add a little warmth to all that black, and the pairs with thick treaded soles feel steady on wet pavement.

My fitting room test: walk down a flight of stairs. Your heel should stay put without slipping up and down. What I would skip: elastic panels that already look baggy in the store.

Brown suede reads softer than black and goes with everything from camel coats to grey knits. The dark chocolate suede pairs feel the most polished, and the tan styles on chunky soles are made for jeans.

The washed brown block heel has a lived in look, and the light tan pair on a platform sole adds height without a skinny heel.

What I check: the suede finish. It should look even, with no shiny patches at the toe. What I would skip: very pale suede if you walk a lot in the rain.

Wear black heeled chelsea boots with straight leg jeans that just touch the top of the boot, a crewneck sweater and a long coat. For the office, try brown suede pairs with wide leg trousers so only the toe peeks out.

With a midi skirt, keep the gap between hem and boot small. Tights in the same colour as the boot make the look feel finished.