Daring thigh highs

I feel like a cross between Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman and one of Robin Hood's merrier men." So said one of the better-dressed fashion editors at the Paris shows last month as she stepped out in her new Chloe forest-green suede thigh-length boots for the first time. "And the worst thing is, only one person has bothered to comment on them," she sighed.

A lack of comments can be no bad thing - especially when road-testing one of this season's more challenging catwalk looks in real life - and is perhaps a testament to how this particular fashion-savvy dresser had got things right. You only have to look at Nell McAndrew in her see-through top, leather mini and thigh boots combo at last year's Mobo Awards to see just how wrong you could go. You can bet she got plenty of comments.

Yes, thigh boots were everywhere on this season's catwalk. As well as Phoebe Philo's swashbuckling suede style for Chloe, Tom Ford sent them out in tan leather at Gucci, Karl Lagerfeld went for other worldly electric blue at Fendi and at MaxMara they came low-heeled, pointy toed and black.

And, surprisingly, thigh boots, which gave a sexy edge to the mostly covered up looks for autumn/winter, have actually made the tricky transition into real women's wardrobes.

Note that "covered-up" is the key phrase here. What worked well on the catwalk works just as well in real life: skirts may have been short but the amount of flesh on show was kept to an absolute minimum with long sleeves, opaque tights, cosy layering and even elbow-length gloves. After all, with something as obvious as a pair of highheeled, thigh-high boots, it is best to play things down a little unless the sound of wolf whistles is music to your ears.

Of course, the best of the designer over-knee boots come under the "serious investment" heading with prices starting at around £400 - Chloe, MaxMara and Kurt Geiger have been popular choices. But there are plenty of high-street alternatives. Dune's burgundy suede boots for £135 and Karen Millen's minkcoloured suede versions for £195 are just some of the best buys around.