Buying boots in August will always feel a little bit strange, when you are still living in your holiday sandals and in denial about the looming change in weather. However, so many winter boots are actually the perfect partner for high summer dresses, and combining the two is an easy way to start gently shifting your looks towards a more autumnal mood. The likes of Emily Ratajkowski, Zoe Saldana and Kaia Gerber have all been wearing boots with slip dresses and minis this month, providing plenty of inspiration for how we can dress for the notoriously changeable British weather in the coming months.

Five boot trends in particular will work with almost all of your summer dresses, including cowboy boots (the festival boot of choice for this year) and chunky ankle boots, which have become central to Kaia Gerber’s off-duty look. The other benefit to switching from sandals to boots? No pedicure required.

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Flat biker boots

A key boot trend looming for autumn 2023 revolves around flat biker boots adorned with buckles and straps. They will perfectly toughen up your pretty floral midi dresses, but are also the ideal partner for moodier black dresses with gothic lace.

Vanni Bassetti/Getty Images

Miu Miu Buckled Leather Boots

£1,800 AT MIU MIU

Acne Studios Leather Biker Boots

£1,000 AT LUISA VIA ROMA

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Knee- or thigh-high boots

Knee-high heeled boots are a winter classic that will always transcend the trend cycle. They are easier to style with dresses and skirts than tailored trousers or jeans, making them the most obvious boot style to pair with your summer outfits. Zoe Saldana wore a bright pink sleeveless dress that screamed summer to the Fendi couture show in Paris earlier this month, which was perfectly offset by her tall black boots with gold mirrored heels.

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Paris Texas Croc-Effect Boots

£505 AT MYTHERESA

Staud Wally Leather Knee-High Boots

£440 AT NET-A-PORTER

Chunky ankle boots

Chunky ankle boots have been a celebrity shoe of choice for several winters running, and Valentino’s autumn/winter 2023 show confirmed they’ll be going nowhere this year. During couture week in Paris earlier this month, Kaia Gerber added a pair of the house’s glossy, chunky boots with a striking square toe to a black minidress. Come September, this is how editors will be dressing in Vogue House.

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The Row Zip-Front Leather Ankle Boots

£1,450 AT MATCHES FASHION

Ganni Mid Chelsea Boots

£355 AT GANNI

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White boots

Perhaps the most obvious choice, as cool ivory tones naturally complement the softer shades of a summer wardrobe. At the couture shows, Liya Kebede wore a pair of white heeled boots with a suede fitted midi-dress in a rich toffee shade – an outfit that signified she is ready for autumn.

Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images

By Far Este Leather Ankle Boots

£405 AT NET-A-PORTER

Amina Muaddi Rain Leather Boots

£789 AT MYTHERESA

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Cowboy boots

Celebrities like Dua Lipa, Sienna Miller and Emily Ratajkowski have been backing the return of cowboy boots for a couple of years now, and they show no signs of hanging up their spurs. EmRata wore a pair with a Burberry check slip dress to tackle the New York heat this summer, and Sienna Miller paired hers with shorts at a scorching Glastonbury, proving they can work in 30C.

Ganni Embroidered Leather Cowboy Boots

£565 AT MYTHERESA

Toral Suede Cowboy Ankle Boots

£352 AT MATCHESFASHION

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Originally posted from “VOGUE UK” by Emma Spedding