It’s difficult to believe that the combat boot as a fashion trend emerged in the early 1990s; I recently came to the cold hard realization that that was 20 years ago! Needless to say I have to accept that fact. You’ve seen them on the runways for the last couple of seasons, and they are in every major retailer and most fashion-lovers’ closets. Also, if you really think about it, they’ve made appearances in some of pop culture’s major cult classics of the 90s – think The Real World Season 1, pre-makeover Tai in Clueless, Melissa Joan Hart in Clarissa Explains it All and the movie Wayne’s World.
Let’s get past all of the drudgery of soldiers wearing them to war pre-1900s, and cut to the 1990s when young people in America were taking refuge in outlier groups like Goth, punk and grunge and adopted the military-inspired boot as a trend. The boots remained on trend and became more mainstream throughout the 90s, with the brand Dr. Martens being a noted go-to where anyone can pick up a great pair. I got mine in ’95!
In the last year or so, they’ve made their way back into our closets and became a casual option to wear for almost three seasons out the year. They literally come in any color you could imagine and anybody from eight years old to 80 can find a pair that’s comfy and works for them. Pair combat boots with your favorite skinnies and a denim shirt for a throw-back grunge look or edge out a feminine and flirty floral dress. The possibilities are endless!
1. Classic Dr. Martens 14 Eye Combat Boots, $139.99
2. Vintage Shoe Company Ian Boots (Chocolate) – $349
3. Steve Madden “Troopa” Boot , $99.95
4. Vintage Versace 90s Combat Boots – $375
5. Frye“Veronica” Combat Boot, $322.85
– Carmen Turner
Image Layout: Laura Burkhardt
