Katie Holmes Always Wears This ’90s Boot Trend and It’s Just $50 at Nordstrom

Tara Gonzalez

Wed, November 4, 2020 at 1:42 AM UTC

3 min read

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Some people thought maybe Prada had finally gone too far. But when the brand put coin purses on combat boots, that’s exactly when I knew: Combat boots are one of the longest lasting trends in footwear.

They’ve always been huge part of the counterculture fashion movement; an essential element to the ‘80s New York CBGB uniform. They were cool in the ‘90s when Dr. Martens’s made its way from London to the streets of the East Village. And in 2019, combat boots were not only deemed still cool by every designer brand (Prada, Dior, The Row, Balenciaga, the list goes on) but essential. You could leave the house with just Prada’s now-infamous combat boot with zip pockets and not need anything else.

Combat boots have a timeless it-factor, no doubt thanks to their history. They were the boots of anti-establishment, punk rock, and Madonna. So naturally in a year like 2020, combat boots would still feel relevant when so many people want to overturn the systems we live in and stick it to the (orange) man.

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Shop now: $180; nordstrom.com

But even though the boot trend is a popular counter-culture aesthetic, you don’t necessarily need to be part of a rock band or a modern day Warhol superstar to look good in a pair. Blake Lively, Jennifer Aniston, Irina Shayk, and Katie Holmes aren’t necessarily contemporarypunks but they’re photographed in the trend constantly.

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Aside from endorsements from every celebrity or cool person to ever live, these lug-soled boots are beloved because they aren’t necessarily expensive at all. Sure, Prada’s fanny pack boots will cost you nearly $2,000 (and sans coin purses, $850) but a classic Dr. Marten costs under $200. If you’re looking for something more unexpected, up-and-coming boot brand Haava Mustafa, which has been worn by Miley Cyrus (who is doing excellent Debbie Harry cosplay these days), makes an option under $500 that feels very London rock’ n roll. And there’s Coach, which makes a surprisingly affordable option with logo turnlocks for $250. Nordstrom and Amazon also have plenty of options for under $50.

And even if this boot trend’s perennial coolness isn’t news, there has never been a year when adding a pair to your wardrobe has made more sense. It’s durable enough to handle the tough year that is 2020— and timeless enough to wear during a year when time feels like it doesn’t to exist.

Shop the best combat boots available now, below.