I've Discovered the Secret to Making Fashion Boots Super Cosy

When it comes to boot shopping, we all know the best styles are always swiftly snapped up. Peak demand means the most fashionable pairs don't stick around for long, so it's an "every woman for herself" situation if there ever was one, which brings me to my anecdote: Last year, I found my dream pair of boots in Other Stories, but as the story goes, they'd completely sold out in my size.

Upon checking the stock levels in other stores and enquiring as to whether they'd be able to ship them from another country (desperate times call for desperate measures), I was gently told by the very patient assistant that it just wasn't going to happen. She was, however, able to present with a glimmer of hope: the next size up. How much bigger can they be? I said to myself.

Turns out, significantly larger—to the point where I could feel my foot sliding in them as I walked. Undeterred, I made the decision to buy them anyway, insisting that I'd simply wear them with thicker socks.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Two pairs of socks later, and although they now fit the length of my foot, the rest of the boot looked as if it was bursting at the seams. So off they came, and underneath my bed in their box they sat, unworn and neglected.

It was around a month—while I was doing a spot of Christmas shopping—that an idea (of the sartorial sort, anyway) struck. I was buying my mum a pair of shearling slippers when I spotted a pair of sheepskin insoles sat beside them on the shiny plinth.

Could the thick woolly liner be the answer to my boot predicament? Turns out, it was. Not only did they make my boots fit better, but they were also instantly comfier. So far, so good. However, it wasn't until I took them for a spin in some freshly fallen snow that I realised their full potential.

The sheepskin liners kept my feet delightfully toasty—not sweltering as I expected. How? The fleece is made from hollow fibres, which means it’s a material that naturally breathes. When sheepskin touches your skin, it helps regulate a steady body temperature. Mind blown? I thought so.

A year later, my sheepskin insoles are still serving me well. Now, I deliberately buy my shoes (particularly boots) a size up just so I can line them with my sheepskin secret.

Keep scrolling to shop the best winter insoles I've found this season, and then match them with a pair of fabulous boots that could do with an extra toasty layer. Trust me—you'll wonder how you ever wintered without them…

MY INSOLE EDIT

BOOTS THAT COULD USE A BOOST

Related: 17 Après Ski Boots Fashion Experts Would Actually Wear

Related: 24 Winter Accessories That Are More Exciting Than a Basic Scarf

Related: 56 Winter Outfits That Look Great—Even When It's Cold AF Outside

Now your feet are nice and toasty, try this trick to take care of your top half

Maxine Eggenberger
Deputy Editor

Maxine Eggenberger isBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK’s deputy editor and has over thirteen years of experience in fashion journalism. She been creating engaging and elevated style content specifically forBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK since 2018, covering runway reports, emerging trends, long-form features, self-styled shopping stories and columns, including her edit of the best new-in buys. She ensures the highest editorial standards are met across the site, leads the editorial team in their SEO strategy and keyword planning, works closely with the beauty team on content initiatives, represents the brand at industry events, and regularly contributes to social media, including her ownBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK TikTok franchise, French Style Fridays. Previously, Maxine appeared on ITV's This Morning in her own fashion segment and has interviewed countless celebrities—everyone from Victoria Beckham to Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o.

Prior toBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK, Maxine’s career began when, after completing her first-ever internship at Look magazine, she was offered a position on the brand's fashion desk. She accepted, leaving university a year early in the process. Her passion and natural talent for writing and styling meant she swiftly rose through the ranks to become the title's fashion news and commercial content editor, with a stint as InStyle.co.uk’s fashion and beauty writer along the way. She later served as Look’s acting Editor in Chief, overseeing both print and digital, before embarking on a successful freelance career, working with Grazia, The Pool, and Marie Claire amongst others.

Maxine is based remotely from her countryside home near Edinburgh where she spends her downtime renovating her house, walking her dogs, hosting friends and trying to master the art of making Old Fashioned cocktails.