If you rejoiced when fashion’s obsession with skinny jeans abated and welcomed a supply of more fluid, ankle-grazing trousers into your wardrobe, we bet you’re faced with a very particular affliction right now: chilly ankles.

As the temperature drops and you leave the house in your faithful uniform of crop-flare jeans and trainers, that bit of skin exposed to the elements is probably the only thing you can think about. And it’s only going to get worse.

The solution? Well, it’s tricky on so many levels (and relegating all trousers to spring is not an option). Boots sound like a sensible idea, but marrying where they rise to with where your hemline stops is a hard equation to master – getting it ‘wrong’ might leave you looking like the fifth member of Bewitched. Socks, too, may seem an obvious fix, but nothing can kill a pair of luxe loafers like a bad sock.

This conundrum is getting to us so much that we’ve canvassed our ever-knowledgeable fashion team for their tips for covering up your ankles in style. Put these outfit combinations into practice and your (warm) ankles will be grateful.

We get it – socks are what you wear to the gym, not to look chic. But there’s a special genre of thin sock that will look good with Stan Smiths, loafers and the like. Look for a style that’s a bit weightier than a pair of opaque tights; Lurex is good because it’s slightly metallic and shows you’ve really thought about your ankle game as opposed to plumping for the aforementioned gym sock.

Trust us, this trend is fashion’s gift to all cropped trouser wearers (and enjoy it, because they don’t come often). Like a second skin, they will hug your lower calves snugly and slot nicely under hems with only the slightest of gaps. They’re also great for elevating stonewash jeans. What a hardworking gift, eh?

Make slinky culottes and generously-cut wide-legs bottoms winter-worthy with a proper pair of calf boots underneath. As long as they’re not slouchy, the two should work in harmony, extending the life of your beloved white jeans into another season.

If you can find a pair of ankle boots that just meet the bottom of your trousers then you’ve won the warm ankle bingo (if there was such a thing). Granted, not every pair hanging in your wardrobe might possess this magical optimum length, but try shoes on at home first before making a big investment. 

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