Thigh-high boots and bold blue - Zara Tindall's winter style combines warmth, comfort and style

Styling knee high boots can take a bit more consideration than your go-to ankle boots but there’s a reason so many of us come back to them year after year. Whilst shorter designs are easy to wear in the daytime, tall boots just feel more polished and elegant.

This is why we see members of the Royal Family reaching for them so often in the colder months and Zara Tindall just took things a step further with an over-the-knee pair. Like so many of her boots, these were by Fairfax & Favor and we saw a glimpse of them when she attended Day 2 of the November Meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse.

Zara’s boots were the Fitzrovia style in black suede and she wore them with a cobalt blue Karen Millen coat, leather mini skirt and blue-grey roll neck.

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Like so many of the best knee-high boots, over-the-knee boots work exceptionally well worn with a longer coat like this. With the outerwear draped over the top, you get an unbroken silhouette that has a beautiful leg-elongating effect.

Taller boots also have the added benefit of being far warmer than ankle boots for the winter too. Given that the King’s niece was spending the day outside in the chilly November temperatures, her choice of footwear was a clever move.

Having so much of your leg covered in fabric is naturally very insulating and the higher the boots rise, the more this is the case. Over-the-knee or knee-high boots are perfect for completing a winter date night outfit, as they look dressy whilst being cosy.

Zara Tindall styled hers with a leather mini skirt from Hobbs - another of the British clothing brands she’s often drawn to. The tall boots balanced out the shorter hemline and I love the contrast of the snuggly suede against the smooth leather.

Incorporating different textures into an outfit makes a lot of difference when you’re wearing so many layers to keep warm and helps prevent all the items blending into one another. Suede or faux suede boots are an easy way to bring an element of softness and I’d recommend going for materials like these if you’re picking out a pair of taller boots.

It makes them appear slightly more understated given that they are a major part of a look. Zara went for a leather handbag instead, carrying her beloved Aspinal Lottie bag in the navy blue.

Many people think of wearing black and blue together as a fashion faux pas, but the royal made it look incredibly chic at Cheltenham and never shies away from this colour combination. Her longline cobalt coat was the brightest shade in her ensemble and lifted the deeper tones of her accessories, jumper and skirt.

Like boots, a coat is one of the most prominent aspects of any winter outfit as it covers up most of what’s worn underneath. Zara’s coat made a real statement with its tone and was double-breasted, with a smart lapel collar that enhanced the impeccable tailoring.

It was formal and complemented the elevated feel of her over-knee boots. With many more months of cold weather still to come and Cheltenham Festival in March, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Zara Tindall style these boots with more of the bright coats in her collection.