P
ull on a pair of lace-up boots and
immediately you mean business.
Tug the laces through the eyelets,
tie with a double bow, and you’re
ready for whatever lies outside. This is
footwear for the purposeful. Securely
shod, you can step out with confidence
a nd ta ke life f ir m ly in your st r ide.
There is a rich variety of lace-up boots
to choose from depending on your mood
and intention. There are Edwardian-style
mid-calf boots with much lacing up the
front and varying heel heights. There are
no-mess hiking boots in which to scale
a mountain or wear with thick socks and
a skirt to add a little rugged outdoorsy-
ness. And there are elegant-yet-sturdy
leather ankle boots similar to those worn
by a March sister in Little Women – basket,
straw hat and Prairie-style dress optional.
The first lace-up boots were worn
towards the end of the Victorian era and
peeped out coquettishly from beneath
voluminous skirts. An alternative to
button-up boots, they reached just above
the ankle and laced up the side.
As skirt lengths shortened in Edwardian
times, ankles and calves were increasingly
on view and lace-up boots extended
accordingly. This mid-calf style has provedSIMPLE STYLE
LACE-UP BOOTS
THREE DONE WELL
Words: CLARE GOGERTY“Lace-up boots are
footwear for the
PHOTOGRAPHY: FRANS SCHELLEKENS/GETTY IMAGES purposeful”
A young Björk in
a pair of lace-up
up boots that
make her worth
looking up toenduringly popular: Zara’s recent ice-
cream coloured versions sold out in a f lash.
It’s easy to see why: they’re fetchingly
feminine and look good with an eclectic
array of garments. They also suit more
anarchic fashion styles – many a goth or
steampunk enthusiast has a pair, often
adorned with extra buckles and worn with
layers of black velvet and fingerless gloves.
Maximum lace-up boot attitude,
however, was reached with the advent
of Dr Martens. Created in 1945 by Dr
Klaus Maertens, a 25-year-old soldier,
who developed air-cushioned soles to ease
his injured ankle, they became a symbol
of rebellious youth. Once favoured by
postmen and factory workers, DMs were
soon adopted by skinheads, punks, goths,
fans of grunge and many others with an
anti-establishment stance. You might like
to channel Viv Albertine, guitarist for
trailblazing punk group, The Slits, who
pioneered wearing her DMs with dresses- and sometimes even a tutu. Sales of
Docs slumped in the 2000s, but they’re
back in favour now as a new generation
has discovered their knock-about, go-
anywhere-do-anything, no-nonsense
qualities. No one messes with a pair of
lace-up boots, which is why we love them.
Ox blood Vintage 1460
ankle boots | £179
Boots made for stomping, scuffing and
general good times. drmartens.comSolovair jade derby
boots | £190
Elegant, yet practical: your mum would
(rightly) approve of these. to.astSienna high lace-up
boots | £105
A bit of a heel, so you don’t have to be a
quite-so-little woman. timberland.co.ukP
ull on a pair of lace-up boots and
immediately you mean business.
Tug the laces through the eyelets,
tie with a double bow, and you’re
ready for whatever lies outside. This is
footwear for the purposeful. Securely
shod, you can step out with confidence
a nd ta ke life f ir m ly in your st r ide.
There is a rich variety of lace-up boots
to choose from depending on your mood
and intention. There are Edwardian-style
mid-calf boots with much lacing up the
front and varying heel heights. There are
no-mess hiking boots in which to scale
a mountain or wear with thick socks and
a skirt to add a little rugged outdoorsy-
ness. And there are elegant-yet-sturdy
leatheranklebootssimilartothoseworn
bya MarchsisterinLittleWomen– basket,
strawhatandPrairie-styledressoptional.
Thefirstlace-upbootswereworn
towardstheendoftheVictorianeraand
peepedoutcoquettishlyfrombeneath
voluminousskirts.Analternativeto
button-upboots,theyreachedjustabove
theankleandlaceduptheside.
AsskirtlengthsshortenedinEdwardian
times,anklesandcalveswereincreasingly
onviewandlace-upbootsextended
accordingly.Thismid-calfstylehasprovedSIMPLE STYLE
LACE-UP BOOTS
THREE DONE WELL
Words:CLAREGOGERTY“Lace-upbootsare
footwearforthe
PHOTOGRAPHY: FRANS SCHELLEKENS/GETTY IMAGES purposeful”
A young Björk in
a pair of lace-up
up boots that
make her worth
looking up toenduringly popular: Zara’s recent ice-
cream coloured versions sold out in a f lash.
It’s easy to see why: they’re fetchingly
feminine and look good with an eclectic
array of garments. They also suit more
anarchic fashion styles – many a goth or
steampunk enthusiast has a pair, often
adorned with extra buckles and worn with
layers of black velvet and fingerless gloves.
Maximum lace-up boot attitude,
however, was reached with the advent
of Dr Martens. Created in 1945 by Dr
Klaus Maertens, a 25-year-old soldier,
who developed air-cushioned soles to ease
his injured ankle, they became a symbol
of rebellious youth. Once favoured by
postmen and factory workers, DMs were
soon adopted by skinheads, punks, goths,
fans of grunge and many others with an
anti-establishment stance. You might like
to channel Viv Albertine, guitarist for
trailblazing punk group, The Slits, who
pioneered wearing her DMs with dresses- and sometimes even a tutu. Sales of
Docs slumped in the 2000s, but they’re
back in favour now as a new generation
has discovered their knock-about, go-
anywhere-do-anything, no-nonsense
qualities. No one messes with a pair of
lace-up boots, which is why we love them.
Ox blood Vintage 1460
ankle boots | £179
Boots made for stomping, scuffing and
general good times. drmartens.comSolovair jade derby
boots | £190
Elegant, yet practical: your mum would
(rightly) approve of these. to.astSienna high lace-up
boots | £105
A bit of a heel, so you don’t have to be a
quite-so-little woman. timberland.co.uk