Vivaia's Sustainable Ankle Boots

I remember my first pair of ankle boots.

I was ten years old, and they were a chestnut brown, oval-toed Chelsea boot. I loved them, and wore them with everything; from jeans to shorts, even with sweat pants.

And not much has changed.

Ever since, I have always had at least one pair of ankle boots in my possession.

For a while, my loyalty to the classic Chelsea style departed in favour of higher heels, and side zips. I dabbled with some sort of 'feature', like a buckle or some sort of detailing around the top; and moved from smooth leather to suede. But the core underpinnings were still prevalent: they needed to work with almost everything I owned.

As I got older, the 3-inch, stacked heels lowered, and the round or oval toes squared off. The suede has returned to the former smooth leather, and embellishments have all but disappeared. In essence, I've come full circle back to where it started, and this particular Chelsea boot has probably been the easiest one I've worn yet.

It's the Vivaia Ryan Pro; a water-repellant ankle boot with a tapered, square toe and a very low heel, in a soft, dove grey.

These have become my go-to shoes for work. They have an elegant shape, which moulds to my foot, and are extremely comfortable. I haven't had a single issue with them. As one who has pretty much always stuck to black shoes, only ever mixing it up for a dark brown where black wasn't an option, (and this includes sneakers and sandals), I was slightly apprehensive about grey; but they have been the most versatile colour.

The dove grey is a far less heavy colour than black, relieving the risk of drawing attention down to one's feet by saturating them in darkness, and also far less stark than the ever popular white, which I find also draws attention down to one's feet, perhaps moreso than a heavy colour.

The grey is a softer alternative to both, whilst still remaining completely neutral.

I also like that the side panels are the same colour and fabric as the rest of the shoe - not a separate, elasticated gusset that is noticeable from a hundred yards.

I've styled these with smart pants, casual jeans, and long skirts. I also put them on with shorts for a quick trip out the house, and I felt they worked with everything I threw at them.

I haven't got a single complaint, thus far.

In terms of building out my minimal wardrobe, these are an absolute staple. I already have a pair of boots in mind that I would happily part with, in order to replace them with these. My reservations are around whether or not I will, in time, wish I still had some desert boots. (I do love them, so!) But I am in a hurry to downsize everything.

For me, it's about stacking things side by side and asking myself which I am more likely to wear.

My desert boots are a half size, at least, too large. They're a great style, and quality, and at the time of purchase, they were a bit of an investment - at least for me.

As much as I love luxurious things, I don't have a lot of money to point at them, so every single decision needs to be carefully qualified.

My desert boots were a flat boot designed to be the everyday, comfortable, non-heeled boot/shoe that I could pair up with anything. My gripe with them, is that they simply are too large.

They trip me up a little, and they're quite clumpy, as a result. I feel I am forced to be very heavy-footed in them.

The Vivaia Ryan Pro, however? Dainty steps. Light-footed. They are weightless, flexible and fit and feel like a glove. (And when I say like a glove, I really mean it. They glide on, accommodate all the contours of the foot, and then wrap themselves around them. They keep their own shape, whilst moulding to the shape of the foot, at the same time.)

View my Vivaia video here

Vivaia's website can be found here