Knee-high, lace-up, "WWI style" boots -- where?

November 17, 2015 2:13 PM

I'm looking for a higher-quality replacement for my favorite leather boots. Google, AskMe archives, Frye and other sites yield nothing so far. I guess front lace-up boots are not the trend right now; surely the style is classic, and someone's making them? FWIW, I'm female with average width calves.

Please help me find boots just like my Lucky Brand "Blossom" boots (GIS example result here). After four years, they're showing their age; "genuine leather" starting to split, heels worn down, etc.

Truth be told, they're not the greatest quality but they are wonderfully comfortable, go with almost everything, and are pretty cool-looking IME. They've served me well, and I'm determined to find higher-quality, leather replacements that look the same or nearly so. I have a pair of low-calf high black Doc Martens, and I'm not looking for those in a knee-high version.

Ideally, the replacements would be brown leather with eyelets to the top, and designed to lace all the way up; a side zipper is ok, although I prefer that it not be full-length. I'd pay up to $350 (more, if I have to!) for something that meets my requirements.

Thanks in advance for helping me look!

posted by infodiva to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (18 answers total)

Maybe these? (Dr Martens 20-Eyelet 1B60 Womens Boot.) They seem to be only in black, though.
posted by trevor_case at 2:16 PM on November 17, 2015

Response by poster: Doc Martens are great, but really not what I'm looking for. I have (and like very much) their 9-eyelet boots.
posted by infodiva at 2:20 PM on November 17, 2015

You said side zipper is "ok", so maybe these will work? Breckelle's Boots. They come in a variety of colours, and I've had the same two pairs (brown & black) for 3+ years and love them. Super comfy.
posted by dotgirl at 2:21 PM on November 17, 2015

They're kind of based on jump boots, it looks like, so that wording may help you in your search. Unfortunately in brown I couldn't quickly do any better than these men's boots.
posted by hollyholly at 2:25 PM on November 17, 2015

Perhaps riding boots?

Dover Saddlery's, tall boots.
posted by trevor_case at 2:27 PM on November 17, 2015

Best answer: You're pretty much looking for the Frye Melissa lace up boot. I've had mine for a year and they're one of the most comfortable things I've ever had on my feet. More than your stated price range, but very much worth it.
posted by palomar at 2:40 PM on November 17, 2015 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I thought of Frye's lace up boot immediately as well. If you don't like those for some reason, take a look at Ted & Muffy's Marvel boot. Both are in the $450+ price range, unfortunately.
posted by serelliya at 3:27 PM on November 17, 2015

Best answer: PSKaufman? $$$, but extremely well-made.
posted by kmennie at 3:53 PM on November 17, 2015 [1 favorite]

Best answer: For an explicitly 'WWI officer' style, these Strathcona boots?
posted by Morfil Ffyrnig at 4:54 PM on November 17, 2015 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks everyone! - I'll check out the Fryes, which are available on sale from Amazon for less than $300 if I take the lighter brown option. And wow on the Marvel, PSKaufman, and the Strathconas - good finds! Revising my spending limit upward accordingly where required! As often as I wear my boots in the fall and winter, and since a good pair will last a very long time, the higher price would more than likely be very good value over time.
posted by infodiva at 7:10 PM on November 17, 2015

Strathconas are awesome...I have 2 pairs of my Fathers from his RCMP uniform...sadly too big for me though.
posted by antiquated at 8:07 PM on November 17, 2015

Response by poster: That Strathcona suggestion is leading me to all sorts of new possibilities. For anyone else who might be interested - a Google search for Strathcona turned up *this* seriously droolworthy site for a French bootmaker. Check out the Aviateur, and Strathcona. Somewhat above my stated price point, but yowza! So tempting.
posted by infodiva at 8:30 PM on November 17, 2015 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I went with the lighter brown Frye lace ups and threw on some of the waterproofing treatment Frye sells, which darkened them up just slightly. Not a huge color change, but it did make them look somewhat nicer to me.
posted by palomar at 9:01 AM on November 18, 2015

Maybe check out Russell Moccasin company? The price point of some of the suggestions here isn't far off what you would pay for them and you'd have a really nice product with a, pretty much, lifetime warranty.
posted by RolandOfEld at 9:28 AM on November 18, 2015

I am a bit wary of the quality of Frye's, which has gone down in recent years. I love my Vintage Shoe Company boots (shown in black, but they come in brown), which I bought maybe 5 years ago and they still look as good as the day I bought them. I've had them resoled two or three times, just because I wear them so often. I also have a pair of White's lady packers, which are a bit out of your price range, but they have stood up to years of regular wear, and I haven't even had to re-sole them.
posted by stinker at 2:18 AM on November 19, 2015

Response by poster: Those Vintage Shoe Company boots are great, but unfortunately they don't come in knee-high versions. Bummer :(
posted by infodiva at 9:24 AM on November 19, 2015

Response by poster: Apologies for updating this so late. Thanks everyone, for your suggestions! Just before Thanksgiving I found a great deal on a pair of Frye Melissa Tall Lace boots in dark brown. The quality is good, but a couple of the details could be better - for example, the back of the speed-lace rivets aren't covered, so they scratch up the tongue. I put small bandaids over those until I find a permanent solution. Overall, though, I'm very happy with them!

But someday, these will be mine - oh yes, they will be mine.
posted by infodiva at 9:32 AM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Oops - I meant, light brown (which is still fairly dark).
posted by infodiva at 9:55 AM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]