Fashion boot
Encyclopedia
A fashion boot is a boot
worn for reasons of style or fashion (rather than for utilitarian purposes – e.g. not hiking boots, riding boots, rain boots, etc.). The term is usually applied to women’s boots. Fashion boots come in a wide variety of styles, from ankle to thigh-length, and are used for casual, formal, and business attire. Although boots were a popular style of women’s footwear in the Nineteenth Century, they were not recognized as a high fashion item until the 1960s. They became widely popular in the 1970s and have remained a staple of women’s winter wardrobes since then.
, caused a sensation in Paris and New York by wearing knee-length boots in wrinkled Morocco leather. Designed by her husband, made by the bottier Favereau, and styled with a low heel and a square toe, she had versions in red, white, green, and yellow. By 1915 the New York Times was reporting that, inspired by Mme Poiret, women had adopted these "Russian boot
s" as an acceptable alternative to baring ankles and calves. By the 1920s Russian boots were available in a variety of styles, calf- or knee-length, with a Cuban or Louis heel, which could be pull-on, or zip-fastened for a closer fit. Worn with knee-length skirts, they often featured decorative features such as elaborate stitching or fur trims. Russian boots were sporadically popular during the 1920s, as a more fashionable alternative to galoshes
, but fell out of favor by the 1930s.
One reason for the decline in popularity of boots during the first half of the 20th century may be because streets became cleaner as roads were surfaced and horse-drawn transport gave way to the motor engine. The additional protection provided by boots was no longer needed. Boots were seen as restrictive and uncomfortable when compared with the new styles of fashionable shoe that compimented a more streamlined and simplified look for women's clothing.
is widely credited as the first person to introduce boots into Haute Couture. As early as 1953, Beth Levine introduced under the Herbert Levine
label a calf-length boot in white kidskin, which sold poorly. Most retailers saw boots as a separate category of footwear from shoes, to be worn for protection from bad weather or for work. By contrast, Levine argued that boots were shoes and could be an integral part of a woman's outfit. In 1957, Herbert Levine
produced an entire collection of based around fashion boots, and despite widspread skepticism on the part of other designers and manufactuers, calf-high, kitten-heeled
fashion boots for women began to grow in popularity in the late 1950s and early 1960s. By 1963 Yves Saint Laurent's couture collection included thigh-length alligator skin boots by designer Roger Vivier
and Vogue
was able to announce that boots of all lengths were the look of the moment. The re-emergence of boots as a fashion item in the 1960s has been interpreted as an antidote to the femininity of Dior's post war "New Look".
Rising hemlines and the availability of new, brightly colored artificial materials such as PVC, combined to make boots an attractive fashion option for younger women. In 1965 André Courrèges
released the first of his iconic white leather calf-length boots and designers such as Mary Quant
, who launched her own 'Quant Afoot' line of footwear in 1967, produced inexpensive, machine-molded plastic boots in a variety of different colors to be worn in tandem with mini-skirts. The rising price of leather during the 1960s made these plastic and vinyl boots a popular alternative to more traditional footwear. As skirts became even shorter in the late 1960s, there was a resurgence of interest in thigh-length boots
or cuissardes. Pierre Cardin
featured shiny black PVC thighboots as part of his futuristic 1968 couture collection and Beth Levine designed seamless, stretch vinyl and nylon stocking boots tall enough to do double duty as hosiery. The tallest boots from this period were so high that they were equipped with suspenders to hold them up. High laced boots, similar to those worn in Edwardian times, were also popular.
are often described as 'typical' of 1960s fashion, it wasn't until the 1970s that boots became a mainstream fashion staple for women; for many women in the 1960s, boots were seen as 'a superfluous accessory' more suitable for teenagers and college girls than a grown woman. By contrast, the end of the following decade saw fashion boots occupying multiple pages of mainstream mail-order catalogs by companies such as Sears, Wards
, and Kays
.
The early 70s were typified by tight-fitting, vinyl boots rising to the knee or higher. These sometimes had mock lacing on the front and zipped up at the rear; they could be worn under the new maxi dresses, which had slits in them to show the leg. In summer, pale, high-legged boots in printed or open weave fabric were teamed with summery dresses; these often had extensive cut-outs, so that they were more like high-legged sandals than conventional boots. Platform-soled
styles were also popular. The multi-colored suede and canvas over-the-knee boots produced by the London store Biba
were so sought-after that queues would form outside the store when a delivery was due. By the late 1970s, form-fitting, shaped-leg boots were being replaced with straight-legged designs, frequently worn over jeans or other pants, which were often pulled-on rather than zip-fastened. As well as high-heeled dress boots, more rugged designs, by companies such as Frye
, were widely worn. The end of the decade saw a growth in popularity of shorter, calf-length boots, often worn layered with socks and tights, and a revival of interest in over-the-knee and thigh-length boots, which were popularized by punk and new wave performers such as Blondie’s Debbie Harry
.
In contrast to the preceding decade, the 1980s saw a sharp decline in the popularity of high-legged boots. Instead, ankle boots in a variety of styles were particularly popular, as were low-heeled, calf-length, pull-on styles. Knee length boots, if worn at all, tended to be low-heeled, faux riding boots that were combined with long skirts. It wasn't until the end of the decade that the inherent elegance of classic dress boot styles was rediscovered.
) mainstream take-up was limited. Nonetheless, by 1993 boots were popular enough for the U.S. edition of Vogue to declare that it was “The Year of the Boot”. Knee-length boots became commonplace again, initially as lace-up styles which were subsequently replaced by zip-fastened boots in the second half of the decade.
By the turn of the 21st Century, fashion boots in a variety of styles were back to the same level of ubiquity that they had enjoyed in the 1970s. A pair of knee-length boots, often with metal accents, was widely regarded as a must-have wardrobe item for the clothes-conscious woman, paired with knee length skirts and dresses for business and casual wear. Ankle boots also remained very popular and in the latter part of the first decade knee-length styles worn over pants, especially jeans, were common. In 2009 thigh-length boots were a subject of major attention by the fashion press, receiving guarded approval and a level of mainstream acceptance that they had never previously achieved; this trend continued in 2010. In 2011, ankle boots were being promoted as a popular summer alternative to sandals.
The shaft of a fashion boot can be fitted (i.e. following the curve of the wearer’s calf), straight-legged, or loose-fitting (or “slouchy”). In close-fitting boots, flexibility is achieved by the use of gussets; slits in the material either at the top of the shaft (in knee-length boots), or wider panels at the sides of the shaft (in ankle boots), which are backed with elasticized fabric. Compression folds around the ankle allow for movement of the foot. In over-the-knee boots, flexion of the knee is usually attained by a vent at the back of the boot, running from the top of the shaft to the back of the knee. This may be closed with laces, elasticized, or left open. Where a vent is not used, freedom of movement is achieved either by having the top of the shaft flare outwards above the knee, or making the entire shaft out of a stretchable material.
A variety of fasteners are seen in fashion boots. Laces are commonly used in ankle boots, but are too time-consuming for longer styles. Zip fasteners are widely employed in all styles of boot – they may run the entire length of the shaft, or just the ankle and lower calf – these partial-length zips make it easier to insert the foot into the toe of the boot by relaxing the fit around the ankle. Pull-on boots have no fasteners and tend to have a looser fit than zip or lace-up boots; they sometimes have a loop of leather at the top of the shaft, called a boot-strap, to assist with pulling the boot on. Finally, button-fastened boots were common at the beginning of the last century but are rarely seen today. If present, buttons are usually employed as design accents on boots; other decorative features include straps, buckles, studs, and decorative stitching.
" effect.
Since the 1970s, calf- and knee-length go-go boots have been part of the uniform of many of the cheerleading squads associated with professional sports teams. Examples include:
“Boots, boots, and more boots are marching up and down like seven leaguers, climbing to new leg lengths” (Vogue, 1963)
"Boots are usually a superfluous accessory, more at home in a college girl's closet than in the wardrobe of an elegant woman" (Genevive Antoine Dariaux, 1964)
“‘Twas around the time that women were wearing high leather boots to dinner parties and everything” (Edna O’Brien, Girls in Their Married Bliss, 1964)
“Boots moved into prominence the same time The Pill did. Both were symbols of a woman’s new freedom and emancipation.” (Beth Levine, The Boston Globe, 2 June 1970)
“Boots not only look good, they feel good. How far and how fast can you walk in a pair of high-heeled pumps?" (Cheap Chic, 1975)
"... the professional woman's default uniform of the moment: a smart knit dress in a dark color, worn with knee-high black leather boots." (Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 10 Jan 2011)
"Shoes may be able to carry a woman around town, but showing off a pair of boots can be reason enough to leave the house." (Bradley Quinn, The Boot, 2010)
Boot
A boot is a type of footwear but they are not shoes. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle and extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece....
worn for reasons of style or fashion (rather than for utilitarian purposes – e.g. not hiking boots, riding boots, rain boots, etc.). The term is usually applied to women’s boots. Fashion boots come in a wide variety of styles, from ankle to thigh-length, and are used for casual, formal, and business attire. Although boots were a popular style of women’s footwear in the Nineteenth Century, they were not recognized as a high fashion item until the 1960s. They became widely popular in the 1970s and have remained a staple of women’s winter wardrobes since then.
Pre-1960s
In the 19th and early 20th Centuries, ankle and calf-length boots were common footwear for women. Rising hemlines made longer styles of boots popular. In 1913, Denise Poiret, the wife of celebrated French couturier Paul PoiretPaul Poiret
Paul Poiret was a French fashion designer. His contributions to twentieth-century fashion have been likened to Picasso's contributions to twentieth-century art.-Early life and career:...
, caused a sensation in Paris and New York by wearing knee-length boots in wrinkled Morocco leather. Designed by her husband, made by the bottier Favereau, and styled with a low heel and a square toe, she had versions in red, white, green, and yellow. By 1915 the New York Times was reporting that, inspired by Mme Poiret, women had adopted these "Russian boot
Russian boot
Russian boot is the name applied to a style of calf- or knee-length fashion boot for women that was popular in the early part of the 20th Century. Russian boots fell out of favor in the 1930s, but were the inspiration for the high-leg fashion boots that returned to popularity in the 1950s and 60s...
s" as an acceptable alternative to baring ankles and calves. By the 1920s Russian boots were available in a variety of styles, calf- or knee-length, with a Cuban or Louis heel, which could be pull-on, or zip-fastened for a closer fit. Worn with knee-length skirts, they often featured decorative features such as elaborate stitching or fur trims. Russian boots were sporadically popular during the 1920s, as a more fashionable alternative to galoshes
Galoshes
Galoshes , also known as boat shoes, dickersons, or overshoes, are a type of rubber boot that is slipped over shoes to keep them from getting muddy or wet. The word galoshes might be used interchangeably with boot, especially a rubberized boot...
, but fell out of favor by the 1930s.
One reason for the decline in popularity of boots during the first half of the 20th century may be because streets became cleaner as roads were surfaced and horse-drawn transport gave way to the motor engine. The additional protection provided by boots was no longer needed. Boots were seen as restrictive and uncomfortable when compared with the new styles of fashionable shoe that compimented a more streamlined and simplified look for women's clothing.
1960s
American designer Beth LevineBeth Levine
Beth Levine was an American fashion designer most known for her designs from the 1940s through the 1970s....
is widely credited as the first person to introduce boots into Haute Couture. As early as 1953, Beth Levine introduced under the Herbert Levine
Herbert Levine (company)
Herbert Levine is an American luxury shoe label founded in 1948 by Herbert Levine and his wife Beth. For over three decades, the New York label represented the best of America in shoes...
label a calf-length boot in white kidskin, which sold poorly. Most retailers saw boots as a separate category of footwear from shoes, to be worn for protection from bad weather or for work. By contrast, Levine argued that boots were shoes and could be an integral part of a woman's outfit. In 1957, Herbert Levine
Herbert Levine (company)
Herbert Levine is an American luxury shoe label founded in 1948 by Herbert Levine and his wife Beth. For over three decades, the New York label represented the best of America in shoes...
produced an entire collection of based around fashion boots, and despite widspread skepticism on the part of other designers and manufactuers, calf-high, kitten-heeled
Kitten heel
A kitten heel is a short, slender heel, usually from 3.5 centimeters to 4.75 centimeters high with a slight curve setting the heel in from the edge of the shoe. The style was popularized by Audrey Hepburn.-Definition:...
fashion boots for women began to grow in popularity in the late 1950s and early 1960s. By 1963 Yves Saint Laurent's couture collection included thigh-length alligator skin boots by designer Roger Vivier
Roger Vivier
Roger Vivier was a French fashion designer who specialized in shoes. His best known creation was the Stiletto heel.Vivier has been called the "Fragonard of the shoe" and his shoes "the Fabergé of Footwear" by numbers of critics. He designed extravagant richly-decorated shoes that he described as...
and Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
was able to announce that boots of all lengths were the look of the moment. The re-emergence of boots as a fashion item in the 1960s has been interpreted as an antidote to the femininity of Dior's post war "New Look".
Rising hemlines and the availability of new, brightly colored artificial materials such as PVC, combined to make boots an attractive fashion option for younger women. In 1965 André Courrèges
André Courrèges
André Courrèges is a French fashion designer, known for his ultra-modern designs. At the age of 25, after studying to be a civil engineer, he went to Paris to work at Geanne Lafaurie fashion design house...
released the first of his iconic white leather calf-length boots and designers such as Mary Quant
Mary Quant
Mary Quant OBE FCSD is a British] fashion designer and British fashion icon, who was instrumental in the mod fashion movement. She was one of the designers who took credit for inventing the miniskirt and hot pants. Born in Blackheath, London, to Welsh parents, Quant brought fun and fantasy to...
, who launched her own 'Quant Afoot' line of footwear in 1967, produced inexpensive, machine-molded plastic boots in a variety of different colors to be worn in tandem with mini-skirts. The rising price of leather during the 1960s made these plastic and vinyl boots a popular alternative to more traditional footwear. As skirts became even shorter in the late 1960s, there was a resurgence of interest in thigh-length boots
Thigh-length boots
Thigh-high boots, known also as thigh-length boots or simply thigh boots, are boots that extend above the knees. Other synonyms include over-the-knee boots , and especially when cuffed, pirate boots...
or cuissardes. Pierre Cardin
Pierre Cardin
Pierre Cardin Cardin was known for his avant-garde style and his Space Age designs. He prefers geometric shapes and motifs, often ignoring the female form. He advanced into unisex fashions, sometimes experimental, and not always practical...
featured shiny black PVC thighboots as part of his futuristic 1968 couture collection and Beth Levine designed seamless, stretch vinyl and nylon stocking boots tall enough to do double duty as hosiery. The tallest boots from this period were so high that they were equipped with suspenders to hold them up. High laced boots, similar to those worn in Edwardian times, were also popular.
1970s and 1980s
Although fashion boots and particularly 'go-go boots'Go-go boots
Go-go boots are a low-heeled style of women's fashion boot worn since the mid-sixties when fashion silhouettes focused on accentuating the leg...
are often described as 'typical' of 1960s fashion, it wasn't until the 1970s that boots became a mainstream fashion staple for women; for many women in the 1960s, boots were seen as 'a superfluous accessory' more suitable for teenagers and college girls than a grown woman. By contrast, the end of the following decade saw fashion boots occupying multiple pages of mainstream mail-order catalogs by companies such as Sears, Wards
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
, and Kays
Kays Catalogues
Kay and Co Ltd was a mail-order catalogue business, with offices and warehouses throughout the United Kingdom. It was a very successful company, especially during the latter part of the 20th century....
.
The early 70s were typified by tight-fitting, vinyl boots rising to the knee or higher. These sometimes had mock lacing on the front and zipped up at the rear; they could be worn under the new maxi dresses, which had slits in them to show the leg. In summer, pale, high-legged boots in printed or open weave fabric were teamed with summery dresses; these often had extensive cut-outs, so that they were more like high-legged sandals than conventional boots. Platform-soled
Platform shoe
Platform shoes are shoes, boots, or sandals with thick soles at least four inches in height, often made of cork, plastic, rubber, or wood...
styles were also popular. The multi-colored suede and canvas over-the-knee boots produced by the London store Biba
Biba
Biba was an iconic and popular London fashion store of the 1960s and 1970s. It was started and primarily run by the Polish-born Barbara Hulanicki with help of her husband Stephen Fitz-Simon.-Early years:...
were so sought-after that queues would form outside the store when a delivery was due. By the late 1970s, form-fitting, shaped-leg boots were being replaced with straight-legged designs, frequently worn over jeans or other pants, which were often pulled-on rather than zip-fastened. As well as high-heeled dress boots, more rugged designs, by companies such as Frye
The Frye Company
The Frye Company is a boot manufacturer that claims to be the oldest continuously operated shoe company in the United States . They produce multiple styles of boots including harness boots and engineer boots. Owned and operated by The Jimlar Corp. Dave Moore is the General Manager and Vice...
, were widely worn. The end of the decade saw a growth in popularity of shorter, calf-length boots, often worn layered with socks and tights, and a revival of interest in over-the-knee and thigh-length boots, which were popularized by punk and new wave performers such as Blondie’s Debbie Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
.
In contrast to the preceding decade, the 1980s saw a sharp decline in the popularity of high-legged boots. Instead, ankle boots in a variety of styles were particularly popular, as were low-heeled, calf-length, pull-on styles. Knee length boots, if worn at all, tended to be low-heeled, faux riding boots that were combined with long skirts. It wasn't until the end of the decade that the inherent elegance of classic dress boot styles was rediscovered.
1990s and 2000s
The early 1990s saw an explosion in dance club culture and its associated fashions, many of which looked back to the 1960s for inspiration, as well as drawing on fetish-themed elements. Knee-length go-go boots, platform-soled boots, and even thigh-length PVC boots were worn by clubbers, but although some designers flirted with these styles of footwear (e.g. Gianni VersaceGianni Versace
Gianni Versace was an Italian fashion designer and founder of Gianni Versace S.p.A., an international fashion house, which produces accessories, fragrances, makeup and home furnishings as well as clothes. He also designed costumes for the theatre and films, and was a friend of Madonna, Elton John,...
) mainstream take-up was limited. Nonetheless, by 1993 boots were popular enough for the U.S. edition of Vogue to declare that it was “The Year of the Boot”. Knee-length boots became commonplace again, initially as lace-up styles which were subsequently replaced by zip-fastened boots in the second half of the decade.
By the turn of the 21st Century, fashion boots in a variety of styles were back to the same level of ubiquity that they had enjoyed in the 1970s. A pair of knee-length boots, often with metal accents, was widely regarded as a must-have wardrobe item for the clothes-conscious woman, paired with knee length skirts and dresses for business and casual wear. Ankle boots also remained very popular and in the latter part of the first decade knee-length styles worn over pants, especially jeans, were common. In 2009 thigh-length boots were a subject of major attention by the fashion press, receiving guarded approval and a level of mainstream acceptance that they had never previously achieved; this trend continued in 2010. In 2011, ankle boots were being promoted as a popular summer alternative to sandals.
Design
Fashion boots generally employ the same range of soles and heels as are found in shoes. The defining character of the boot is the length of the shaft. Ankle boots generally have a shaft height of less than 8 inches (20 cm), calf-length boots 8–15 inches (20–38 cm), knee-length boots 15–19 inches (38–48 cm), while over-the knee boots have shaft lengths of 19 inches (38 cm) or more; however these divisions are arbitrary and at the boundaries the decision as to whether a boot is, for example, calf-length or knee-length is largely subjective.The shaft of a fashion boot can be fitted (i.e. following the curve of the wearer’s calf), straight-legged, or loose-fitting (or “slouchy”). In close-fitting boots, flexibility is achieved by the use of gussets; slits in the material either at the top of the shaft (in knee-length boots), or wider panels at the sides of the shaft (in ankle boots), which are backed with elasticized fabric. Compression folds around the ankle allow for movement of the foot. In over-the-knee boots, flexion of the knee is usually attained by a vent at the back of the boot, running from the top of the shaft to the back of the knee. This may be closed with laces, elasticized, or left open. Where a vent is not used, freedom of movement is achieved either by having the top of the shaft flare outwards above the knee, or making the entire shaft out of a stretchable material.
A variety of fasteners are seen in fashion boots. Laces are commonly used in ankle boots, but are too time-consuming for longer styles. Zip fasteners are widely employed in all styles of boot – they may run the entire length of the shaft, or just the ankle and lower calf – these partial-length zips make it easier to insert the foot into the toe of the boot by relaxing the fit around the ankle. Pull-on boots have no fasteners and tend to have a looser fit than zip or lace-up boots; they sometimes have a loop of leather at the top of the shaft, called a boot-strap, to assist with pulling the boot on. Finally, button-fastened boots were common at the beginning of the last century but are rarely seen today. If present, buttons are usually employed as design accents on boots; other decorative features include straps, buckles, studs, and decorative stitching.
Ankle Boot
These are the most widely-worn style of fashion boots, usually under pants. Ankle boots are also the only type of fashion boot commonly worn by both men and women, and the only one to have remained popular without a break since the 19th Century. They vary in length from booties or shoe boots (effectively a shoe that skims the ankle) to boots that cover the lower part of the calf.Calf-length Boot
Because the top of this boot hits the curve of the leg at the widest point of the calf it is regarded by stylists as particularly challenging to wear; even average legs can look fat. For this reason, calf-length boots are usually worn under pants or with long skirts that cover the top of the boot.Knee-length Boot
These are regarded as the most versatile type of fashion boot; they come in a wide variety of colors and materials (e.g. leather, suede, fabric) and can be worn with skirts or dresses of any length, under or over pants, or with leggings. A boot that hits the leg just below the knee is thought to be particularly stylish.Thigh-length Boot
Also known as over-the-knee boots or cuissardes, these boots were originally worn by men in the 16th – 18th Centuries to protect the legs while riding before being adapted as a fashion item for women in the 1960s. They are considered provocative because of their association with the sex industry and so have had patchy mainstream acceptance. Even when popular, a combination of one or more features such as lower heels, softer materials (e.g. suede), muted colors, and avoidance of skin exposure (by wearing over pants, leggings, or opaque hose) was usually employed to avoid the so-called "Pretty WomanPretty Woman
Pretty Woman is a 1990 romantic comedy film set in Los Angeles, California. Written by J.F. Lawton and directed by Garry Marshall, this motion picture features Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, and also Hector Elizondo, Ralph Bellamy, and Jason Alexander in supporting roles. Roberts played the only...
" effect.
In popular culture
There are numerous appearances and references to fashion boots in popular culture. A small selection is shown here:Film
- In ArabesqueArabesque (film)Arabesque is a 1966 thriller starring Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren. The movie is based on Gordon Cotler's novel The Cypher and directed by Stanley Donen.-Plot:Professor David Pollock is an expert in ancient hieroglyphics at Oxford University...
(1966) Sophia LorenSophia LorenSophia Loren, OMRI is an Italian actress.In 1962, Loren won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Two Women, along with 21 awards, becoming the first actress to win an Academy Award for a non-English-speaking performance...
is seen trying on a selection of 1960s shoes and boots, including white thighboots. - In KluteKluteKlute is a 1971 film which tells the story of a prostitute who assists a detective in solving a missing persons case. It stars Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, Charles Cioffi and Roy Scheider. The movie was written by Andy Lewis and Dave Lewis and directed by Alan J. Pakula.Klute was the first...
(1969) Jane FondaJane FondaJane Fonda is an American actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model, and fitness guru. She rose to fame in the 1960s with films such as Barbarella and Cat Ballou. She has won two Academy Awards and received several other movie awards and nominations during more than 50 years as an...
wears black leather, flat heeled thighboots and lace-up knee-length boots. - Jane Fonda wears high-heeled knee-length boots in The Electric HorsemanThe Electric HorsemanThe Electric Horseman is a 1979 adventure and romance feature film starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda and directed by Sydney Pollack. It was the third time Redford and Fonda starred together in a feature film, having previously teamed on The Chase and Barefoot in the Park .-Plot:Sonny Steele ...
(1979) which also appear on the film poster; Robert Redford makes various references to her unsuitable footwear. - Julia RobertsJulia RobertsJulia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
wears black PVC thighboots in the movie Pretty WomanPretty WomanPretty Woman is a 1990 romantic comedy film set in Los Angeles, California. Written by J.F. Lawton and directed by Garry Marshall, this motion picture features Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, and also Hector Elizondo, Ralph Bellamy, and Jason Alexander in supporting roles. Roberts played the only...
(1990); they also appear on the poster for the film. - In the film version of The Avengers (1998) Uma ThurmanUma ThurmanUma Karuna Thurman is an American actress and model. She has performed in leading roles in a variety of films, ranging from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action movies. Among her best-known roles are those in the Quentin Tarantino films Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill...
wears a number of outfits featuring knee-length boots, in homage to the original TV series. - In Bridget Jones’s DiaryBridget Jones's Diary (film)Bridget Jones's Diary is a 2001 British romantic comedy film based on Helen Fielding's novel of the same name. The adaptation stars Renée Zellweger as Bridget, Hugh Grant as the caddish Daniel Cleaver, and Colin Firth as Bridget's "true love", Mark Darcy...
(2001) Renée ZellwegerRenée ZellwegerRenée Kathleen Zellweger is an American actress and producer. Zellweger first gained widespread attention for her role in the film Jerry Maguire , and subsequently received two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her roles as Bridget Jones in the comedy Bridget Jones's Diary ...
wears black, knee length boots. Hugh Grant refers to these as “very silly little boots.” - Milla JovovichMilla JovovichMilla Jovovich December 17, 1975)is an American model, actress, musician, and fashion designer. Over her career, she has appeared in a number of science fiction and action-themed films, for which music channel VH1 has referred to her as the "reigning queen of kick-butt".Milla Jovovich began...
wears high-heel knee-high boots through-out the movie adaption of Resident EvilResident Evil (film)Resident Evil is a British-German 2002 horror film written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. The film stars Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Eric Mabius, and James Purefoy...
(2002), despite being trapped in an underground lab where they cannot be very practical to wear. - Anne HathawayAnne Hathaway (actress)Anne Jacqueline Hathaway is an American actress. After several stage roles, she appeared in the 1999 television series Get Real. She played Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries...
wears thigh-high black leather boots by Chanel in The Devil Wears PradaThe Devil Wears Prada (film)The Devil Wears Prada is a 2006 comedy-drama film, a loose screen adaptation of Lauren Weisberger's 2003 novel of the same name. It stars Anne Hathaway as Andrea Sachs, a recent college graduate who goes to New York City and gets a job as a co-assistant to powerful and demanding fashion magazine...
(2006), which are commented on by other characters. - In the movie All About SteveAll About SteveAll About Steve is a 2009 American comedy film, directed by Phil Traill, which stars Sandra Bullock, Thomas Haden Church and Bradley Cooper. It is distributed by 20th Century Fox...
(2009) Sandra BullockSandra BullockSandra Annette Bullock is an Academy Award winning American actress and producer who rose to fame in the 1990s after roles in successful films such as Demolition Man, Speed, The Net, A Time to Kill, and While You Were Sleeping. She continued with films such as Miss Congeniality, The Lake House,...
wears shiny red knee-length go-go boots, which are commented on numerous times by other characters - In the film, The Spy Who Loved MeThe Spy Who Loved Me (film)The Spy Who Loved Me is a spy film, the tenth film in the James Bond series, and the third to star Roger Moore as the fictional secret agent James Bond. It was directed by Lewis Gilbert and the screenplay was written by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum...
,the main Bond girl wearing fashion boots.
Television
- The Avengers (1961–1969)The Avengers (TV series)The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
gained notoriety for Honor BlackmanHonor BlackmanHonor Blackman is an English actress, known for the roles of Cathy Gale in The Avengers and Bond girl Pussy Galore in Goldfinger .-Early life:...
’s leather outfits (1962–1964), which often included calf- and knee-length boots. Diana RiggDiana RiggDame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg, DBE is an English actress. She is probably best known for her portrayals of Emma Peel in The Avengers and Countess Teresa di Vicenzo in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service....
(1965–1968) wore ankle- and calf- length boots in many episodes, and Linda ThorsonLinda ThorsonLinda Thorson is a Canadian actress, most famous for her work as Tara King in The Avengers.-Personal life:...
(1968–1969) wore both knee-length and thigh-length boots. Its sequel series The New Avengers (1976–1977), Joanna LumleyJoanna LumleyJoanna Lamond Lumley, OBE, FRGS is a British actress, voice-over artist, former-model and author, best known for her roles in British television series Absolutely Fabulous portraying Edina Monsoon's best friend, Patsy Stone, as well as parts in The New Avengers, Sapphire & Steel, and Sensitive...
wore knee-length high heeled boots of various styles in some episodes. - In the original Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
(1963–1989) series, it was common (particularly during the 1970s era of episodes) for the Doctor's female companionsCompanion (Doctor Who)In the long-running BBC television science fiction programme Doctor Who and related works, the term "companion" refers to a character who travels with, and shares the adventures of the Doctor. In most Doctor Who stories, the primary companion acts as both deuteragonist and audience surrogate...
to be wearing leather or suede platform-soled women's fashion boots and knee-length boots, which was typical of the fashion style when the series was made. - In Star TrekStar Trek: The Original SeriesStar Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
(1966–1969) Star Fleet uniforms for women included black, calf-length boots. In the episode Mirror, Mirror (1968) an alternate universe was depicted in which this uniform was much more revealing and featured thigh-length black leather boots. - The principle female characters in the Irwin AllenIrwin AllenIrwin Allen was a television and film director and producer nicknamed "The Master of Disaster" for his work in the disaster film genre. He was also notable for creating a number of television series.- Biography :...
series Lost in SpaceLost in SpaceLost in Space is a science fiction TV series created and produced by Irwin Allen, filmed by 20th Century Fox Television, and broadcast on CBS. The show ran for three seasons, with 83 episodes airing between September 15, 1965, and March 6, 1968...
(1965–1968) and Land of the GiantsLand of the GiantsLand of the Giants was an hour-long American science fiction television program lasting two seasons beginning on September 22, 1968 and ending on March 22, 1970. The show was created and produced by Irwin Allen. Land of the Giants was the fourth of Allen's science fiction TV series. The show was...
(1968–1970) had costumes that included mini-skirts and brightly colored go-go boots typical of the time when the series were made. - Pan's PeoplePan's PeoplePan's People were a British TV dance troupe, who are usually associated with the BBC TV music chart show Top of the Pops.In an era before pop videos, they danced to songs whose original artists were not available to perform them live...
, the in-house dancers on the BBC music show Top of the PopsTop of the PopsTop of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
(1968–1976) frequently wore knee-length go-go boots for routines.
Music
- The stars of the TV series The Avengers, Patrick MacneePatrick MacneePatrick Macnee is an English actor, best known for his role as the secret agent John Steed in the series The Avengers.-Early life:...
and Honor BlackmanHonor BlackmanHonor Blackman is an English actress, known for the roles of Cathy Gale in The Avengers and Bond girl Pussy Galore in Goldfinger .-Early life:...
, released a novelty single entitled Kinky BootsKinky Boots (song)"Kinky Boots" is a 1960s song written by Herbert Kretzmer and David Lee, and recorded by Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman, stars of the television series The Avengers....
(1963) which referred to Ms Blackman’s footwear on the show. - When performing her single These Boots Are Made for Walkin'These Boots Are Made for Walkin'Jessica Simpson recorded her own version of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" for the soundtrack to the film The Dukes of Hazzard . Simpson's cover was co-produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and was released as the soundtrack's first single in 2005)...
(1966) on stage and TV, Nancy SinatraNancy SinatraNancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
wore knee-length go-go boots by Herbert LevineHerbert Levine (company)Herbert Levine is an American luxury shoe label founded in 1948 by Herbert Levine and his wife Beth. For over three decades, the New York label represented the best of America in shoes...
. - Brigitte BardotBrigitte BardotBrigitte Anne-Marie Bardot is a French former fashion model, actress, singer and animal rights activist. She was one of the best-known sex-symbols of the 1960s.In her early life, Bardot was an aspiring ballet dancer...
appeared in a short film for her single Harley Davidson (1967) wearing black leather thighboots. - Boots are also common on-stage wear for many female performers. Examples by decade include:
- 1960s
- Brigitte Bardot
- LuluLulu (singer)Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
- Nancy Sinatra
- 1970s & 1980s
- Anni-Frid LyngstadAnni-Frid LyngstadAnni-Frid Prinzessin Reuss von Plauen , is a Norwegian-born Swedish pop singer...
& Agnetha FältskogAgnetha FältskogAgnetha Åse Fältskog is a Swedish recording artist. She achieved success in Sweden after the release of her début album Agnetha Fältskog in 1968, and reached international stardom as a member of the pop group ABBA, which to date has sold over 375 million records worldwide, making it the fourth...
(ABBAABBAABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
) - Debbie HarryDebbie HarryDeborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
(BlondieBlondie (band)Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
) - Suzi Quattro
- The RunawaysThe RunawaysThe Runaways were an American all-girl rock band that recorded and performed in the second half of the 1970s. The band released four studio albums and one live set during its run. Among its best known songs: "Cherry Bomb", "Queens of Noise", "Neon Angels On the Road to Ruin", "California Paradise"...
- AnnAnn WilsonAnn Dustin Wilson is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, flute player, songwriter, and occasional guitar player of the rock band Heart.-Personal life:...
& Nancy Wilson (HeartHeart (band)Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music...
)
- Anni-Frid Lyngstad
- 1990s & 2000s
- Atomic KittenAtomic KittenAtomic Kitten were an English girl group from Liverpool, first established in 1997. Created by Andy McCluskey, the final line-up, and most commercially successful, consisted of Natasha Hamilton, Liz McClarnon, and Jenny Frost...
- Alison GoldfrappAlison GoldfrappAlison Elizabeth Margaret Goldfrapp is an English singer-songwriter and record producer, best known as the lead singer of the electronic music duo Goldfrapp. Goldfrapp has a soprano vocal range.-Early life:...
- Jennifer LopezJennifer LopezJennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
- MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
- Kylie MinogueKylie MinogueKylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
- RhiannaRhiannaRobyn Hannah Louise Kenny professionally known as Rhianna, is an English R&B singer.-Early life:...
- Spice GirlsSpice GirlsThe Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
- Taylor SwiftTaylor SwiftTaylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
- Carrie UnderwoodCarrie UnderwoodCarrie Marie Underwood is an American country singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, in 2005...
- Namie AmuroNamie Amurois a Japanese R&B and pop singer, entertainer, and former actress who at the height of her popularity was referred to as the "Teen Queen" and the title "Queen of Japanese Pop Music". Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of 14 as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey's...
- Atomic Kitten
- 1960s
Sport
- National Basketball AssociationNational Basketball Association CheerleadingNational Basketball Association Cheerleading, or simply NBA Cheerleading, is a professional cheerleading league in Canada and the United States that supports a professional basketball team...
- Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
Dancers - ChicagoChicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
Luvabulls - Houston RocketsHouston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
Powerdancers - Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
Energee - Orlando MagicOrlando MagicThe Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
Dancers
- Boston Celtics
- National Football LeagueNational Football League CheerleadingNational Football League Cheerleading, or simply NFL Cheerleading, is a professional cheerleading league in the United States. Twenty six of the 32 NFL teams include a cheerleading squad in their franchise. Cheerleaders are a popular attraction that can give a team more coverage/airtime, popular...
- Dallas Cowboys CheerleadersDallas Cowboys CheerleadersThe Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is the National Football League cheerleading squad representing the Dallas Cowboys.- 1960s :The original cheerleading squad was a made up of a male-female group called the CowBelles & Beaux. The group made its sidelines debut in 1960 during the Cowboys' inaugural...
- Houston TexansHouston TexansThe Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
Cheerleaders - Oakland RaiderettesOakland RaiderettesThe Oakland Raiderettes are the cheerleading squad for the Oakland Raiders professional American football team. They were established in 1961 as the Oakland Raiderettes. When the Raiders moved to Los Angeles in 1982, the cheerleading squad became known as the Los Angeles Raiderettes...
- New Orleans SaintsationsSaintsationsThe Saintsations are a cheerleading and dance squad that performs at New Orleans Saints football games. The Saintsations are involved in several community projects, and the squad is featured each year in a special swimsuit calendar....
- Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Literature
- In Edna O’Brien’s 1964 novel Girls In Their Married Bliss, Baba purchases a pair of boots so tall that she “looks like a general in them” in order to please her lover.
- The 14 September 2009 edition of The New YorkerThe New YorkerThe New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
featured a cover by Bruce McCallBruce McCallBruce McCall is a Canadian author and illustrator, best known for his frequent contributions to The New Yorker.Born and raised in Simcoe, Ontario, Canada, he was fascinated by comic books and showed an early aptitude for drawing fantastical flying machines, blimps, bulbous-nosed muscle cars and...
in which a car is seen driving through a forest of redwood-sized thighboots, a comment on popularity of over-the-knee boots that year. - Fahion boots are a common design element on the covers of novels in the Chick LitChick litChick lit is genre fiction which addresses issues of modern womanhood, often humorously and lightheartedly. The genre sold well during the 1990s and 2000s, with chick lit titles topping bestseller lists and the creation of imprints devoted entirely to chick lit...
genre. Examples include:- Dark Cindy (M. Apostolina, 2006)
- Fourth Comings (Megan McCaffertyMegan McCaffertyMegan Fitzmorris McCafferty is an American author known for The New York Times bestselling Jessica Darling series of young-adult novels published between 2001 and 2009...
, 2008) - Gone With The Witch (Annette Blair, 2008)
- Over Her Dead Body (Kate WhiteKate White*Not to be confused with Katie WhiteKate White is the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan Magazine. She is the author of the best-selling Bailey Weggins mystery novels , for which she has received critical acclaim...
, 2007) - Someone Like You (Cathy KellyCathy KellyCathy Kelly is a Northern Irish internationally best-selling author of female fiction. She is a former journalist.Kelly is one of the largest women's authors to come out of Northern Ireland along with Marian Keyes and Cecelia Ahern, having once outsold both Dan Brown and J. K. Rowling in the UK....
, 2002)
Quotes
"[Women's] footwear in the 1960s can be summed up in a single word: boots." (The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through American History, 1900 to the Present, 2008)“Boots, boots, and more boots are marching up and down like seven leaguers, climbing to new leg lengths” (Vogue, 1963)
"Boots are usually a superfluous accessory, more at home in a college girl's closet than in the wardrobe of an elegant woman" (Genevive Antoine Dariaux, 1964)
“‘Twas around the time that women were wearing high leather boots to dinner parties and everything” (Edna O’Brien, Girls in Their Married Bliss, 1964)
“Boots moved into prominence the same time The Pill did. Both were symbols of a woman’s new freedom and emancipation.” (Beth Levine, The Boston Globe, 2 June 1970)
“Boots not only look good, they feel good. How far and how fast can you walk in a pair of high-heeled pumps?" (Cheap Chic, 1975)
"... the professional woman's default uniform of the moment: a smart knit dress in a dark color, worn with knee-high black leather boots." (Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 10 Jan 2011)
"Shoes may be able to carry a woman around town, but showing off a pair of boots can be reason enough to leave the house." (Bradley Quinn, The Boot, 2010)
See also
- BootBootA boot is a type of footwear but they are not shoes. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle and extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece....
- Go-go bootsGo-go bootsGo-go boots are a low-heeled style of women's fashion boot worn since the mid-sixties when fashion silhouettes focused on accentuating the leg...
- Kinky bootsKinky bootsKinky boots are boots with extreme characteristics which are intended to present a dramatic sexy appearance, such as by a prostitute or dominatrix. Extreme characteristics might include very high heels, thigh- or crotch-high length, or unusual colors or materials. They can be related to boot...
- Knee-high bootsKnee-high bootsKnee-high boots are boots that rise to the knee, or slightly thereunder. They are generally tighter around the leg shaft and ankle than at the top. Mostly made of a synthetic rubber , they are used by fishermen, dairy workers, stable hands, duck hunters, clammers, etc. to protect the feet from...
- Platform bootPlatform bootPlatform boots are boots with thick wedge soles or a combination of thick soles and high heels that are similar in some respects to the platform shoe. They were seen as the cutting edge of fashion in the United Kingdom during the 1970s and during the British invasion...
- Russian bootRussian bootRussian boot is the name applied to a style of calf- or knee-length fashion boot for women that was popular in the early part of the 20th Century. Russian boots fell out of favor in the 1930s, but were the inspiration for the high-leg fashion boots that returned to popularity in the 1950s and 60s...
- Thigh-length bootsThigh-length bootsThigh-high boots, known also as thigh-length boots or simply thigh boots, are boots that extend above the knees. Other synonyms include over-the-knee boots , and especially when cuffed, pirate boots...