11 best sock boots: This season's key style

Have you heard of the sock boot yet? Identifiable by its sock-like clingy appearance, there's a new boot du jour and it looks kind of kinky.

They come in various textures, leather, velvet and PVC, and lengths - midi, knee and then the somewhat frightening thigh-highs.

There's something subversive and defiantly badass about them - sock boots probably won't make your legs look slimmer if that's what you're after (if anything they're pretty unflattering), but they do demand attention and are oddly provocative, hugging the shape of your legs like a catsuit might. Confidence is essential.

Famous fans have thus far included St Vincent (singer and girlfriend of Cara Delevingne), who teamed her PVC thigh-highs with a prim cut-out dress for the Burberry show this week; Clemence Poesy who pared hers down with a pair of faded skinnies and sequinned jacket at Louis Vuitton's LFW party.

Then there's Michelle Williams who teamed hers with a baby doll mini dress at the same soiree; and Victoria Beckham, who worked them with a pair of jeans and beautiful coat. We imagine Rihanna wearing a pair of soon, probably with little else (clothes only get in the way for RiRi). They'd also look great under culottes - man-repelling, but chic.

While the velvet styles are fantastically impractical (fine if you're a fashion blogger and only travel by taxi, but utterly impossible for most of us mortals), the sexed-up PVC kind will keep your feet warm (read, sweaty) and excellent in case of rain.

After much debate, we've decided we're into sock boots. Sexy, weird and badass - what's not to love?

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