Everyone has their own trick to cheer me up. It could be a blow dry or a visit to Marks & Spencer’s Food Hall. Mine is trying on boots.

At the risk of driving Zara salespeople to an early grave, I can highly recommend boot fitting as a near-perfect combination of forced sitting time (in a large Zara they’ll be gone for ten minutes to find your size) ; nostalgia bomb (all the boots you’ve loved will come to mind); harmless fantasizing (once the boots are in hand, we can walk in front of the mirrors dreaming of shoe-wearing opportunities, realistic or not); and just a good old-fashioned fashion indulgence.

Added to that – I probably don’t need to spell it – any woman, regardless of age, shape or size, can carry a pair of boots, perhaps roughly the same as ’30 years ago, and that’s as good as it gets if you’re talking about boosting morale.

If you are not yet aware of the boot lift and wondering “what is the difference between boots and shoes”, the answer is everything. Shoes are not bigger than boots. Boots are more powerful: they add boldness, good energy, confidence – and, right now, boldness for winter 2024.

Pretty much anything goes with boots, as long as they reach the knees, writes Shane Watson. Pictured: Amanda Holden (left) and Emily Ratajkowski (right) look stylish in theirs

The new way to wear boots is out on the town after dark under your stunning midi dress.

Pretty much anything goes with boots these days, as long as they’re knee-high (the ankle-with-everything moment has finally passed), but the overriding vibe, what they have in common, is refinement .

Here are the three styles that will do you good, but also breathe new life into your winter clothes, including for the holidays…

Wide ankle boot with small heel

The two biggest boot trends of the season are a wide leg that extends away from the calf and a low heel. You may not get used to it instantly: it takes a little getting used to, and you might worry that it will overwhelm you and make you look leggy.

But fear not, because your legs won’t be exposed: the idea is to wear this boot with a skirt or dress with a longer hem – the silhouette skims the body at the top, flows at the bottom – and it restores the look familiar.

M&S’s pointed heel and patent boots, £79, stand out in this category

Classic heeled dresses, kitten or otherwise, or even ankle boots, can look uncomfortable on Miss Moneypenny now, especially for us 50+ year olds. It’s the way to upgrade your favorite old dresses.

What stands out in this category – good shape, good price and, above all, shiny patent leather so they look great on a night out – are M&S’s pointy heel patent boots (£79, markandspencer.com).

Zara’s wide-leg boots are also worth a look (£69.99, zara.com) and Massimo Dutti’s fine suede pointy-heeled boots (£229, massimodutti.com). Cut more loosely than wide, but they have the neatness required of evening boots.

Cool flat boot

It’s the day boot to wear with everything. We finally moved away from the heavy tractor soles and the styles that work best now are more refined – either polished and straight like a light riding boot, or a little soft but still stylish.

Brands that offer good, simple flat boots include Zara and premium H&M.

The boots you’ve always dreamed of

It’s still surprisingly difficult to find a timeless knee-length boot with an accessible heel, just high enough, an almond toe (one that doesn’t really date) in good quality leather that fits perfectly.

Boden Erica Knee High Socks (£230, boden.fr) is understated, sleek and cut to flatter.

Boden’s Erica Knee High Boots (£230, boden.co.uk) are understated, stylish and cut to flatter

With these boots the key is where they end on the leg – not too close to your knee, about 2.5 inches below is more flattering – and how they fit at the calf – too curvy and they can look bulky, too skinny and they look skinny. and I feel tight.

Otherwise Dune (£160, markandspencer.com) makes a stretchy pull-on boot, with a heel just under three inches, that’s a dead ringer for this classic Robert Clergerie boot that was the toast of the ’90s.

If you want something a little more swagger, opt for Zara’s Split Suede Heeled Boots (£109)

John Lewis Sadie suede knee-highs with an elasticated back panel (£149, johnlewis.com) is the inferior alternative. These slip-on boots work with everything.

If you want something a little swaggerer, cut higher to cover the knee, with the option of lowering it to show off the soft black sheepskin-effect lining, then Zara has a buccaneer suede boot (£109 , zara.com) with a 1.9 inch heel.

Tuck in your slim jeans and off you go. This will bring you back.