The 17 Best Knee-High Boots for Women

As Seen On InStyle.com

by Megan McCarty and Bianca Kratky

Take a stroll through the painted portraits section of any art museum and you’ll see just how integral knee-high boots have been to fashion history for the last several hundred years. They were initially designed as functional footwear for men starting in the 15th century since the riding boot style provided both warmth and protection. Now knee-high boots are a classic for womenswear, the ideal mix of fashion and practicality. If you’re looking to add a pair to your shoe rack, we guarantee you won’t regret it.

While you can rock knee-high boots for three of the four seasons, they’re especially helpful during the transition times, when you want to squeeze out a little more of your summer styles. Stylist Maddy Gutierrez finds that "styling knee-high boots with maxi dresses, especially in the cooler months, allows me to get the most out of my favorite dresses."

Shopping for knee-high boots can be overwhelming though. They come in a variety of materials (leather, suede, synthetics), heel height (from a little lift to stiletto-like spikes), toe shapes (rounded, square, and extremely pointy), and not to mention price points. But we went the extra step for you, scouring the market and turning to fashion experts to reveal their favorites.
 

Best Stiletto Heel: Larroudé The Kate Suede Boot

InStyle writer Bianca Kratky (one of the writers of this story) is a big fan of the Kate leather boots, which the team at Larroudé kindly sent her. Despite the 3.8-inch stiletto heel, she says she can spend an entire day out without sore feet.

That’s because the insole is lined with memory foam, which cushions the landing of each step — she says she worn boots with shorter heels that hurt the ball of her feet much more. The durable leather looks as good as new even after four months of consistently wearing them. The opening is quite large, which makes them ideal for wider legs or layering thick pants underneath as well. We only wish that the different color options all came in the same leather finish. Instead, you’ll notice that some are in suede, and others have a glossy look to them.

Price at time of publish: $485

Size: 5 - 11 | Material: Leather | Heel Height: 3.8”

Read the full article in InStyle.