Victorian Boots Are My Witchy, Unexpected Style Secret Weapon

Spooky season may be well over and done, but for me, the season of the witch is perennial.

I’ve worn almost exclusively black for the past 15 years, and it's one of the strongest pillars supporting my personal style. Another is the influence of Victorian and Edwardian era fashion—the delicate lace, the high collars, the voluminous taffeta, and the varying degrees of gothic romance (and overall witchiness), especially when it comes to mourning wear and hair jewelry. (I'm obsessed with the fact that Queen Victoria wore only black for the final 40 years of her life to mourn her beloved husband, Albert.) Perhaps most appealing to me, though, were the boots women wore during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

I’ve always felt drawn to a somewhat-pointy, lace-up leather boot with a low heel, particularly when worn with a long lace or otherwise ethereal dress. (I personally only like an ankle boot when it peeks out from beneath a dress, a trouser, or jeans. I don’t care to see where the boot ends and my leg begins.) The more wear-and-tear, the better—and the witchier. These shoes bridge fashion and function, their low heel making them practical for walking long distances and traversing cobblestone streets (or, for me, stomping up and down Manhattan). In other words, these are shoes for getting it done, and with a satisfying clonk.

I embarked on a crusade a little over a year ago to locate an antique pair in wearable condition in a size 9, only to find that such a thing likely does not exist (Victorians apparently cherished small feet.) Those that I did encounter were painfully narrow and would probably disintegrate when faced with a single gust of wind. With such a realization, I found myself on another mission: to locate a new pair that's either a historically-accurate reproduction or still captures a dark, feminine energy in the desired silhouette.

A reverse-image search of “Victorian boot” and such terms led me straight to Spirit Halloween, so I really had to comb through the interwebs with the utmost meticulousness. Below, find the fruits of my labor, and a few ways I enjoy styling my witchy boots.

...with a long dress

I adore this dress by Overthesea that I’ve had for years. It feels very feminine and bohemian, plus I love the tassel details. I really enjoy toughening it up a bit with a black leather boot, which I’ve done here with the Aeyde Mavis boots. For a bit more tassel action, I carried this great bag by Ayllón.

...with jeans

For something a bit more casual and daytime-friendly, I styled my witchy boots with my favorite blouse by Róhe—which I’ve gotten so much mileage out of over the past year or so—and a pair of great jeans by Reformation.

...with light layers

I recently found this antique Victorian piano shawl on Etsy, which I christened at the Stevie Nicks concert. I live for a cape, and have been getting more and more into shawls lately. The fringe is so fun and oddly soothing to fidget with. To ground the look a bit, I layered it over a men’s shirt from Brooks Brothers and my favorite Reformation jeans.

...with a statement coat

I scored this amazing embroidered velvet coat on Etsy from a seller in England. I find all of the best vintage in the U.K., either when I visit or from vendors based there. The embroidery kind of reminded me of the neckline of the dress Anne Boleyn wore in her portrait that’s in the National Portrait Gallery in London—that sold me on it. I styled it with my Reformation jeans, a tassel necklace by Christina Caruso, and my beloved Phoebe Philo-era Céline clasp bag.

...with a suit

Normally when I wear a suit, I mean business, so I opt for a loafer or a great slingback. But I love the look of this structured YSL blazer, ruffled Sandro blouse (a nod to the Elizabethan ruff), and tapered trouser with a witchy boot peeking out. It feels very “don’t mess with me.”

...with a nightgown

I attribute my affinity for vintage nightdresses to a number of things, the 1975 film Picnic at Hanging Rock chief among them. If you haven’t seen it, I won’t spoil the ending, but it features a gaggle of Edwardian schoolgirls who mysteriously vanish during a picnic. It’s all very gothic, and the girls wear very ghostlike nightdresses with black Victorian boots. I found this antique Edwardian nightdress on Etsy, and added a vintage tassel necklace and vintage box bag, both also from Etsy.

...with boho flair

Clearly, I'm very inspired by Chemena Kamali’s Chloé. I styled this tiered, ruffled dress by Saint Art with an oversized trench coat to make it feel a bit less precious. I tucked one side of the hem into the top of the boot to give the look a bit more edge—and to show off the fantastic laces of them.