Knee high boots should not be a test of endurance. And yet so many of them are. Too stiff to break in without blisters, too narrow in the calf to actually zip up comfortably, or built on a heel that feels fine in the shop and catastrophic by lunchtime. We have worn enough of the wrong ones to know exactly what the right ones feel like. The shaft needs real flexibility. The footbed needs genuine cushioning underneath it, not just the suggestion of it. The heel height needs to be considered rather than ambitious.

What we have pulled together here are the knee high boots that pass the full day test. The ones you can wear from a morning meeting to an evening out without stopping to think about your feet once. Some are flat, some have a modest heel, all of them are built with actual wearability in mind. Leather, suede, good quality synthetic options that perform honestly. Classic shapes that work with everything from tailored trousers to knitted midi dresses.

The best knee high boot is the one you forget you are wearing.