Let's be honest: between the various sporting disappointments and endless grey, cold and drizzle, this is hardly the we'd all been hoping for. Dreams of days spent between sun-soaked al fresco terraces and pub garden sessions have been rudely replaced by cosy nights in, while those who have dared brave the and outdoor concerts circuit have all too often suffered a soggy end. Perhaps the most tragic side-effect of all this unseasonably inclement weather, however, has been that our summer wardrobes have remained largely untouched.
The , shorts, and flimsy we've spent months diligently amassing are proving to be as impractical now as they would be on a standard day in December. Hopping on the first beach-bound flight out of here has never seemed quite so tempting. If there's one thing us long-suffering Brits know how to do all too well, however, it's to make the best of a bad situation – and in this particular instance, that means facing the season's sartorial challenges head-on and getting creative with our styling.
Which is how it came to be that one seriously unlikely shoe style overtook all others to become the fashion staple of summer 2024...
Set those aside, because boots are officially back. has reported an 'unprecedented' 8% increase in searches for boots from June to July 2024, something that commissioning editor puts down to one overwhelming factor. 'In the words of B*Witched, "Blame it on the weatherman!" Boots as the current must-have shoe is no coincidence as we c.