The royals, like us, downright thrive in the fall and winter. Hello, fancy coats, hats, gloves and tons of gorgeous footwear. And it’s not all riding boots and chunky-heeled booties (although there are plenty of those, too). Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton have their own elevated approach to footwear, and their cold weather kicks are no different. Here, six of our favorite royally inspired boots that we’re aiming to add to our fall wardrobes, courtesy of the Duchesses of Sussex and Cambridge.
Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton Boots: A Guide to Every Royally Inspired Pair You Need This Fall
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Published Sep 10, 2019
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Lace-up Boots
We’re predicting that the Victorian boot trend will be all over your feeds this season, which is why we’re proud of Markle (and Middleton) for donning lace-up booties before they truly hit their stride. Here, the duchess rocks a pair by Stuart Weitzman during her and Prince Harry’s New Zealand leg of their Royal Oceania Tour. She wore them with a pared-back black turtleneck, black skinnies and a gray-green trench by Club Monaco. Our advice: Make like this royal and opt for a lace-up boot in a solid color (we’re partial to off-white or ivory) and chunky heel, to really let the laces shine.
Get the look: Treasure & Bond ($100); Joie ($398); Marc Jacobs ($550)
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Hiking Boots
Turning heads with a more daring boot (we think the queen might’ve gasped when she saw the duchess in such rugged footwear) during a garden visit in January, Middleton proved she has sartorial range when it comes to her on-point outdoor gear. Wax Barbour jackets and khaki-colored denim aside, her See by Chloe combat ankle boots toe the line between sporty and edgy, and we’re expecting to see shearling- and fur-lined versions of these lug soles everywhere, especially come snow-boot season.
Get the look: Marc Fisher ($249); See by Chloé ($435); Gucci ($980)
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Slouchy Boots
Perhaps as a direct response to the super-tight sock booties, or an extension of all the '90s nods we’re seeing on the runway, slouchy boots are taking center stage for the colder season. Markle opted for a pair of green Sarah Flint boots ($695) with a bit of give during a walkabout in Bristol during her sixth month of pregnancy, and we’re itching for a similar pair to wear under our flowy midi skirts, or over our skinny jeans, all season long. Instead of enveloping your legs in an uber slouchy style, we recommend springing for a slimmer silhouette that bunches naturally around your calf in a soft suede or pebbled leather.
Get the look: Splendid ($198); Charles David ($229); Manolo Blahnik ($1,145)
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Riding Boots
Middleton’s go-to style says a lot about her royal approach to fashion. Her absolute favorite pair of footwear, these Penelope Chilvers tassel boots, are just rugged enough to feel approachable (“relate-y Katie” at her best!). But they’re also polished enough to wear for official royal events. Here, the Duchess of Cambridge walks a beach in North Wales, though Kate’s worn these knee-highs for everything from gardening and playing with kids to hiking in India. Our favorite pairs are simple and well-made, with a flat heel and a shaft that hits right at the knee.
Get the look: Cole Haan ($180); Madewell ($298); Penelope Chilvers ($695)
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Velvet Booties
Like the so-called “royal protocol” she bucked in favor of doing things her own way, Markle pushes boundaries in unexpected and subtle ways. Her choice of velvet booties by Tabitha Simmons, worn in Cardiff, Wales, during a visit in early January 2018, is no different. We know, we know: To call this look “daring” makes sequins and sparkles seem downright outlandish. But there’s something so charmingly exciting about a hint of velvet, chunky-heeled booties when it comes to the royals. Like Markle, we’d go for a neutral color with a slightly pointed toe that breaks up the all-black ensemble with a hint of sheen.
Get the look: Raye ($198); Tabitha Simmons ($825); Gianvito Rossi ($1,095)
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Knee-high Heeled Boots
If high heels are the royals’ bread-and-butter, stiletto boots are their winter carb-load. Middleton and Markle have both strutted in skinny-heeled knee-high boots in a variety of iterations: Victoria Beckham on Markle at Christmas services, Stuart Weitzman and Aquatalia on Middleton. Here, the duchess wore our ideal fall outfit formula: a flowy midi skirt, buttoned-up cardigan and knee-high heeled boots in black suede. We love that hers have a little wiggle room in the calf for a more relaxed feel and a pointy toe for elongating her stems.
Get the look: Steve Madden ($130); Via Spiga ($395); Aquatalia ($695)
