Knee-High Boots Round Up

Last year I finally invested in a decent pair of knee-high boots for winter – previously I had been surviving the cold dressed in thick tights and incredibly impractical ballet flats – and I’ve been obsessed with them ever since. They pair so well with almost everything in my wardrobe – they look great with mini skirts and dresses for a slightly retro vibe, whilst wearing them under midi lengths instantly makes me feel more grown-up and put together. They feel fun, classy and a little bit sexy when paired with sheer tights, so naturally now I want them in every colour available!

Finding the perfect pair was tough though, I tried on so many that didn’t fit the bill. Either they were too fussy, the heel too high or the heel too low, in a suede rather than leather (totally impractical in the UK), or they gaped around my calves making it look like I was wearing wellies… not quite the look I was after. So I thought I’d take the leg work out of your search and round up my current favourites.

As you can probably tell, I definitely have a type! I like leather vs suede, a mid-block heel (nothing too high, I’m all about comfort) and a super sleek and simple design (no bells and whistles for me thanks!) I’ve ordered the shoes from the lowest priced to the highest, though the vast majority of boots in this post are over £100. Most of the black boots linked are ones I found on Zalando, which is my favourite place to search for boots because they add the bootleg width in their measurements, which is so insanely useful when shopping online, especially if you have particularly thin or thick calves and I wish more retailers did it!

The obvious outlier in the above line-up is the last pair, which have more of a platform to them. They look like a perfect dressy option to me, and so unbelievably 90s that I had to include them, but the other three are certainly more appropriate for everyday wear. I can personally attest to the third pair as they are the ones I own, I can comfortably walk around in them all day and they have my favourite shape. I really wish they came in a dark brown or tan because I would snap those up instantly, but unfortunately, the only colour alternatives currently are in suede, so I looked elsewhere for a brown boot fix…

And I came up with some of the most god-damn expensive boots out there! The first pair are Marks and Sparks and honestly such good value – I would pick these up myself, but their boots tend to be too big around my slim calves which is annoying, especially as the other three are designer and I definitely cannot afford them! My favourites are the second pair, which also come in green and in blue and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t also totally enamoured with those as well, even if a little impractical for every day.

With such a classic style of boot, I’m sure I’ll find and fall in love with plenty more offerings in the future!

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Animal Farm – 7 Days of Books

“ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL,
BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS”

I may have failed to post these over a consecutive 7 days, but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten my remaining four books! So, for book 4 I chose my favourite novella (surely most people’s favourite novella…) – George Orwell’s infamous Animal Farm.

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Set on an English farm, the book follows a group of animals who rebel against their human farmer and unfair working conditions. They set out to create a fairer farm, one that benefits them all and where they are all treated equally, in the hopes of having happier lives – but of course, that isn’t how things end up going. It is an allegorical take on the Russian revolution by way of farm animals and is so astute in its observations.

It is wonderful in that it makes a certain period of time and regime (though arguably works well as a condemnation against dictatorships in general) extremely accessible – there is a reason it was originally subtitled as a fairy tale – whilst being knowing enough for anyone with some understanding of the Russian Revolution and Stalinism. Yet it is also terrifying in that the satire remains ageless, relevant as ever, as the animals are easily swayed by a big personality and big promises – it is impossible these days to look from animal to man, and from man to animal and tell which is which…

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In Cold Blood – 7 Days of Books

“How much money did you get from the Clutters?”

“Between forty and fifty dollars.”

I thought I’d share my favourite non-fiction book for day 3. Though it arguably has more in common with novels than its non-fiction counterparts, Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood is a compelling true crime read.

The book chronicles the murders of the Clutter family from a small town in Kansas, detailing the lead-up and aftermath of the horrific crime with interviews with the killers themselves. Weaving multiple narrative strands, Capote creates a tense read with fascinating insights into the motive behind the crime.

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What sets this book apart is how much it focuses on the victims. Written with descriptive prose, the first half of the novel follows the daily lives of the Clutters in the days before their death, allowing them room to breathe on the page as more than just victims. The reader is invited into their lives, learns of their friends and loved ones and who they were as people, which I think is incredibly rare in true crime – especially in a text that features conversations with the culprits so heavily.

It is an intensely interesting and upsetting story, with three film adaptations – two of which focus on Capote’s experience writing the novel and his somewhat ambiguous relationship with one of the killers, proving that it is as compelling on the page as off. It is truly an incredible cornerstone of the genre.

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If Beale Street Could Talk – 7 Days of Books

“I hope that nobody has ever had to look at anybody they love through glass.”

For day two I wanted to share my favourite book that I have read thus far this year, as well as a new favourite author. Though I had read from James Baldwin before, the seminal If Beale Street Could Talk solidified my love of his prose.

The novel is essentially a love story focused on Tish and Fonny, a young, unmarried black couple who are about to have a baby. Told from Tish’s perspective, the story follows her and her family’s attempt to prove Fonny’s innocence after he is wrongly accused of rape and imprisoned.

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For anyone familiar with Baldwin, it will come as no surprise that the novel deals with race and the discrimination black people faced in the early 1970s (arguably today as well). For anyone unacquainted with Baldwin, I would highly recommend the documentary/visual essay I Am Not Your Negro, which has little to do with Beale St other than overlapping themes and ideas, but through the film you can see how accurately and eloquently Baldwin is able to discuss these issues, as well as highlighting what an incredible man he was.

But this book is more than a condemnation on anti-blackness. It is more than it’s bleak premise indicates. It is full of life, each character so beautifully believable, so determined and strong and vulnerable. It is full of hope, hope in community, hope in family, hope in love. At times the language is brutal, but ultimately it is an optimistic novel, in spite of it all.

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A Weekend in Tenby – Part Two

To pick up where we left off, my Mum and I spent our second day in Tenby exploring the beaches and filling up on ice cream. As we had spent most of the first day overlooking Castle Beach, we decided to stroll along to the South Beach and see what it had to offer – which, to be honest, wasn’t much besides some nice milkshakes! The walk to South Beach was nice though, lots of private sea-facing gardens sprawl along the front between the beaches, so the flora and azure seas make for a very pleasant scene.

We then had a wander in the opposite direction, stopping off at Cadwaladers for some seriously delicious ice cream before strolling towards the North Beach and the harbour, where there is more going on because it is closer to the high street. Again, this part of Tenby is so incredibly picturesque, with gelato-coloured houses lining the road – which, incidentally, always remind me of this song that my primary school teacher taught us alongside When I’m Sixty-Four

Naturally, when I came across a mint-coloured house I again harangued my poor mother for a picture as my brown polka dot Primark top and trusty white Topshop jeans made the perfect homage to mint choc-chip ice cream – AKA the king of ice cream.

We concluded our wander with a late lunch at The Fat Seagull, which is a tiny, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it restaurant on the high street. It’s super cosy, there are only about six tables inside, so it is worth booking ahead of time! Again, not a food critic, but the crepes are chocolate-covered heaven.

And that was our weekend! It did mainly consist of walking and eating, but that is the best way to experience the town – it looks beautiful wherever you turn and is full to the brim with sugary goodness. I guess you could say, it’s the sweetest… I’ll see myself out.

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