I can’t believe it – these practical boots look incredibly polished and are as comfortable as your favourite trainers

Ankle boots are one of the most versatile footwear staples in any shoe rotation but, during the summer, they rarely get the chance to truly shine. However, with autumn now in full swing (at time of writing, it’s the first of October) now’s the perfect moment to brush off any dust and put my favourite pairs back to good use, or perhaps treat myself to an excellent new pair.

When shopping for brand-new ankle boots, I have a strict, non negotiable set of criteria that each pair must meet before I consider purchasing. Number one: they must be stylish. Number two: they absolutely must not be uncomfortable. And number three: they must pair easily with everything I already own. If I were to guess, I’d say that sounds appealing to you, too, which is why you might find it useful to browse our GH edit if you’re in the market for a new pair.

Black leather (and faux leather) boots have certainly cemented themselves as some of the most stylish shoes out there. Next has an excellent pair of ankle cowboy boots for an injection of western charm, great if you’re looking for something especially trendy for the season. Alternatively, Anthropologie has a cropped-style riding boot for an equestrian touch, but if you’d prefer something slightly softer, they also come in taupe suede.

Speaking of suede, I also found an excellent variation of velvety staples, from Dune – whose brown suede boots come with a sleek and sharp pointed toe – to Mint Velvet, who combine office polish with one of the hit shoe shades of the season: camel tan.

To meet criteria two, I made sure all of the chosen boots in this edit are incredibly comfortable. But if you’re looking for something with a little extra room, consider JD Williams’ western-style boots, designed with a considerably wider fit in sizes 4 to 9. The White Stuff stocks a pair that also acts as a great choice for wider feet, complete with a zip for easy wearability.

Finally, to align with the third criteria (endless versatility), each boot can be easily styled with a variety of capsule wardrobe staples, meaning you don’t need to completely restructure your entire wardrobe to fit a new pair in. Hence why I’ve chosen flattering, easy to wear colours and fabrics for a effortless outfit win: we suggest wearing them with a pair of cigarette or barrel jeans and a fluffy mohair style jumper.

Shop the best ankle boots below, before they sell out