by Before moving to the Lower East Side about a month or so ago, I had no idea of the versatility of boots. To me, boots were utilitarian: strictly relegated to cold winters, or, maybe, a cowgirl costume.
However, now that I’m in New York, I see boots EVERYWHERE. At the grocery store, on the subway, in the office. Gone are the days of just galoshes. Suddenly, there’s a boot for every occasion. I’ve seen everything from boots with booty shorts, to boots with the fur (with the fur!)
And it doesn’t stop there. Daytime boots are all the rage. I’m noticing them paired with short dresses and sported to brunch, thrown together with a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt, tucked under long flowy skirts. The typical boots look is with a miniskirt to a date night, but as the streets and the runway are telling us, there’s no reason not to wear your wellingtons to work.
The city seems to have answered the question “To boot or not to boot?” with “To boot, definitely!” And the runways back that up. Boots rocked fashion month: one boot, two boot, red boot, blue boot. Every house from Pierre Cardin to Peter Do had their models donning boots. No one can deny that whether they were an accessory or the main event, boots ruled the roost the spring/summer 2025 runway season.
So if you’re like me and working to step up (I make myself laugh) your boot game, I’ve scoured the runways for the very best boot trends to get you started—and I also asked our millennial Style & Beauty Editor, Robyn Merrett, for her opinions too. (It’s all about balance, right?) The runways always predict what’s to come in terms of trends, and at the baseline we know that boots are in. But more than that, these brands tell us that boots are moving beyond the mold, and becoming an everyday staple more than ever.
Square Toed Boots
“Is this a boot or a weapon? Valid question. The square toe is intense, it’s sharp, it looks primed to deliver a swift kick at a moment’s notice. If you’re looking to add a touch of badass into your wardrobe, this boot’s for you.” —Ivy Becker, StyleCaster Intern
Journee Collection Haylinn Boot
On Sale 40% off
$60 Buy On dsw
Steve Madden Hush Black Boots
$100 Buy at steve madden
COS Square-Toe Leather Knee-High Boots
$390 Buy Now On COS
Little White Boots
“OK, these boots are so adorable, so innocent and unassuming, that they almost look like socks. Little white boots are a casual option, perfect for springtime. Boots are often thought to make an outfit more intense, more formal, but these elevate your look while bringing a hint of levity and playfulness. They’re so cute I can’t even stand (I can’t help myself) it.” —Ivy Becker, StyleCaster Intern
March Fisher Jarli Pointy Ankle Bootie
$189 Buy Now On Marc Fisher
Naturalizer Deesha Bootie
On Sale 38% off
$106 Buy Now On Zappos
Michael Kors Cosmo Leather Boot
$155 Buy Now on Michael Kors
Western Boots
“I’m a proud southern girlie, so I’ve always had a thing for western boots—but lately rodeo core is all the rage due in part to Beyoncé’s incredible country album, Cowboy Carter. Since its debut in March 2024, western outfits have been trending on google, and according to the 2025 runways the trend isn’t dying down anytime soon. The Gabriela Hearst runway featured models strutting in western boots, paired with trench coats—making the look feel more refined and polished, essentially giving it new life.” —Robyn Merrett, Style & Beauty Editor
Staud June Boot
$450 Buy Now On Staud
Sam Edelman James Wide Calf Western Boot
$200 Buy Now On Sam Edelman
Paris Texas Leather Cowboy Boots
On Sale 30% off
$545 Buy Now On MyTheresa
Boots X Sneakers
“If sneakers and boots had an enemies-to-lovers arc, the resulting offspring would be these. Not to go all ‘is a hotdog a sandwich?’ on you, but is an above the ankle lace up sneaker a boot? I argue yes. These may look like they could only be carried off on the runway, but paired with a simple outfit, they could be perfect for running around town.” —Ivy Becker, StyleCaster Intern
Converse Chuck 70 Plus XHi
$125 Buy Now On Converse
Adidas Japan VH Sneakers
$176 Buy Now On Farfetch
MOFEEDOUKA High Top Sneakers
$56 Buy Now On Amazon
Scrunch Boots
“All the other kids in their scrunched up kicks, better run better run… to my To Boot or Not To Boot article. These scrunched up kicks are a statement piece, for sure. They’re like the boot equivalent of a smokey eye: purposefully distressed and lived in.” —Ivy Becker, StyleCaster Intern
Azalea Wang Black Ruched Boot
$90 Buy Now On shopAKIRA
Zara Suede Ruched Boots
$139 Buy Now On Zara
Kelsi Dagger Brooklyn Easton Slouch Boot
Buy Now On Nordstrom
Riding Boots
“Fashion is all about repurposing, reusing, and reimagining. There are so many designs that were first made for a specific purpose but now are wardrobe must-have. Take bucket bags, for example. The silhouette appeared on the scene via Louis Vuitton as a way to transport champagne bottles—now the look is a timeless fashion statement. This also applies to riding boots. As the name suggests, the look was made for equestrians, but today we see the footwear paired with dresses, and miniskirts as seen on the Hermès spring/summer 2025 runway. The style is classic, timeless, and makes a look feel clean and put together.” —Robyn Merrett, Style & Beauty Editor
Everlane The Riding Boot
On Sale 30% off
$279 Buy Now On Everlane
Franco Sarto Meyer Knee High Boot
$250 Buy Now On Nordstrom
Sam Edelman Cesar Riding Boot
On Sale 55% off
$90 Buy Now On Sam Edelman
The Basic Brown Boot
“If you’ve been holding your breath this whole time, thinking how can I possibly wear that? Well, fret not. The basic brown boot is very much in. Falling just below the knee, and relying on the quality of the leather, this is the sort of boot that you can text a picture of to your mom and she’ll tap back with a heart instead of the dreaded question mark.” —Ivy Becker, StyleCaster Intern
Nine West Barile Knee High Boots
$99 Buy Now On Macy’s
Schutz Mikki Up Block Boot
$258 Buy Now On Schutz
Dolce Vita Auggie Boots
$250 Buy Now On Dolce Vita
Boots With Interesting Heels
“Fashion is finally fun again. After a year of quiet luxury and subtle statements (which is totally fine), brands are bringing personality back—especially with footwear. During the spring/summer 2025 runway season, labels like Sacai unveiled boots with statement heels, giving what would be basic boot a bit more flair and excitement. We’re seeing this with off-runway brands and major retailers with heels that come in the form of innovating shapes or equipped with intricate designs.” —Robyn Merrett, Style & Beauty Editor
Arch NYC Lovestruck Ankle Boot
$375 Buy Now On Revolve
Cult Gaia Mari Leather Bootie
$548 Buy Now On Shopbop
Ninety Union Slinky Bootie
$150 Buy Now On DSW
Lace Up Boots
Lace up boots are hardly an invention, but they do seem to be on the upswing. I am such a fan of Ann Demeulemeester as a designer, and her boots are some of the most beautiful shoes in the world.
Audrick 20-Eye Leather Knee High Platform Boots
$174 Buy Now
Free People Boxing Day Lace Up Boots
$178 Buy Now
These sneaker style boots are so on trend and cute.
