Depending on who you are, fall’s persistent trends toward flat boots over the past few years are either a blessing or a curse. I have ankle and knee problems from a sports injury and a freak accident, respectively, and flat shoes are always something that I hope will become fashionable in any form, if only for my own ease of use.

A lot of women like a bit of a heel, though, either to boost their petite frames or because they’re simply more comfortable when their feet aren’t flat on the floor. For those customers, designers across the board are coming out with flat-look boots that are secretly wedges – you just can’t tell unless you look really, really closely.

The heels usually only range from one to two inches because of the necessity of hiding them within a flat-looking foot, but for women whose feet are used to an incline (or whose backs prefer one), that can make all the difference. Not only are such boots perfect for any casual outfit during cold weather, but they’re often more stable and comfortable than boots with exposed wedges – because of the necessity of concealing the wedge, the heels are broad like a true flat boot. Designs like these are available at virtually any price point, but my personal favorite are the slouchy, sumptuous Lanvins at the far right.

From left to right: Christian Louboutin Egoutina Boots, $1495 via Net-a-Porter. Vera Wang Lavender Label Larissa Boots, $495 via Saks. Stuart Weitzman Elf Boots, $595 via ShopBop. Lanvin Leather Boots, $1095 via Net-a-Porter.

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