Bootylicious.

Today, I seriously need to buy a pair of winter boots. A pair of hot pink wellies were my only option with grips on the sole during last year's epic snow (I had to wear them to meet my editor for the first time - criiiinge) and my fUGGS from New Look really need to go in the bin at this stage (they were grand while they lasted but they're now several years old and completely out of shape, offer zero foot support, and liberally splattered with fence paint.)

I had a nose in the UGG outlet in Bicester Village (like Kildare Village only massive and super fancy, with shops like Gucci and Vivienne Westwood. Also, difficult for an Irish person to pronounce correctly: apparently it's "Bister" not "Bi-chester") which only cemented my determination not to spend hundreds of quid on some of the ugliest shoes ever produced. There were queues of people standing in line waiting to get in to the UGG outlet, which I got a bit excited about: I thought they must be giving them away, and I reckoned that I could - probably - bring myself to hand over fifty pounds or so for a pair.

When the queue eventually dissipated, I popped in for a look and promptly popped back out again. Reductions were in the order of about 15%, keeping them well overpriced for footwear that, while warm, can't hold up to rain, snow, or slush and look hick to boot.

To boot! Geddit?! I kill me, etc.

In my area of North London, sensible but stylish and expensive looking knee-high leather numbers with round toes seem to be the winter boot of choice (bonus points if they look like you could wear them horse-riding when you tire of walking up Hampstead High Street.) The three pairs of boots that I've shortlisted don't quite tick all those boxes, but sure I'll just have to struggle on regardless.

These Topshop boots (£85) remind me of these ones, which I spotted being all kinds of awesome with long socks on a girl in Venice:

Both of the Marks & Spencer offerings below clock in at £89, and while I do like the look of them and the fact that that they're quite chunky I can't help thinking that they're a bit, I dunno, frumpy or mumsy or something.

Have you dusted down your winter boots or gone shopping for new ones yet? What's your favourite pair like?