What makes a great Thoroughbred? Its ability to run like the wind thanks to fine-boned ankles. Thick ankles, by the same token, signify a more common breed in keeping with the Cob or Shire horse. Appreciated for their talent for pulling heavy goods and capacity to trudge through deeply ploughed furrows, their chunky fetlocks have long been revered by farmers and pit proprietors alike. Although we're not suggesting the only place a pair of chunky human ankles can get by is down the mine or knee deep in manure, it would be fair to say that they should be disguised whenever possible. As should a stout calf, which can make even the skinniest women feel hefty and unfeminine. Summer is the worst enemy. Whilst trousers are a great provider of camouflage and come in featherweight fabrics to keep you cool, you can't always be encased in slacks (and they provide an altogether different set of problems if they are the wrong shape). It's nice to show a bit of leg occasionally. So if you find a skirt length, and more importantly a shoe, to flatter your leg, then the heat can become your friend. The winter, of course, is heaps easier, as skirts of all lengths can be teamed with boots. But at the end of the day the solution lies in becoming a master of illusion. Do what David Copperfield does with aeroplanes and your ankles will disappear in a puff of smoke.