In our advice column, Ask the Strategist, we take your most burning shopping questions and scour friends, call up experts, and draw from personal experience to answer them. As always, please comment with one of your own — we’re here to help.
Question: What are the combat boots Diane Keaton always wears?
Style icon Diane Keaton, known for her bowler hats and takes on menswear, also has one incredible pair of combat boots. She wears them everywhere: at the airport after landing in New York, talking on the phone, putting something in her pocket. But where are they from?
I reached out to Keaton’s agents, but they didn’t deem this one important enough to get back to me, so I went to our fashion experts over at The Cut. Rebecca Ramsey, Fashion Director and noted Keaton stan, had an answer immediately, “Knowing her they are probably, like, eights years old,” Ramsey said. “They might be old Ann Demuelemeester pair.” Looking through Demuelemeester’s current collections, Ramsey is probably right, and although the exact style of winter boot isn’t currently available I’ve found some very similar Demuelemeesters.
The most similar I could find is almost exactly the same, except that it has two straps instead of one.
Another version has a single strap, but a less-chunky heel.
And while we’re talking about combat boots, let me point you in the direction of some I have really become fixated on.
I first heard about Feit when they opened a store in the West Village about two years ago, and then they popped back into my life a few weeks ago when I saw someone talking about them on Twitter, and then again last week when a female architect called them a status item among architects. That’s fate, right? Anyway, they are so expensive and they are so beautiful.
I’ve also recently decided that chunky Danner hiking boots would be amazing for city streets in the winter. There’s an over-the-ankle version like Diane’s or the classic version in light brown and black. Pick your poison.
An under-$100 pair of Steve Maddens that also have a little platform.
And a patent-leather pair with straps, if that’s more what you’re into.
A mixed material velvet-and-leather number with a single strap from Calvin Klein.
There’s also this waterproof pair from Canadian maker Blondo, also with a single strap.
A classic pair of above-the-ankle Fryes. If you’re not sure if combat boots are for you, you can’t really go wrong here.
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