The best black ankle boots you can buy
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Once you find the perfect ankle boots, you won't want to wear any other shoes when it's cold outside. The Downtown Boot from Thursday Boot Company is the best you can buy for its comfortable fit, chic weather-resistant design, and affordable price.
Black ankle boots are a staple of pretty much every woman's wardrobe for a reason. They're stylish, versatile, and keep our feet warm. They're a true workhorse of a shoe, stepping in to complete many outfits in our fall and winter wardrobe. You can dress your black ankle boots up with tights and a dress or down with jeans and sweater. You can wear them to work or to run errands on the weekend. Once you find your perfect pair, you'll probably live in it from the beginning of fall until the end of winter. The tricky part is just that, though: finding the perfect pair.
No one pair out of the thousands there are to choose from is going to be perfect for everyone. So deciding which pair is right for you should ultimately come down to which one is the most versatile and comfortable for day-to-day wear because it doesn't matter how stylish a pair of boots is if you can't actually walk around in them. Trust me, I've bought enough ankle boots I've barely worn to know you're never going to wear an uncomfortable or even downright painful pair of boots with any regularity just because they look cute.
It is possible to find great ankle boots for less than $100 (and there's even a pair of them in this guide!), but you have to be ok with them only lasting one good season or two. Cheaper boots are made with cheaper materials that wear down quicker, especially if you walk to and from work every day like I do.
I highly suggest spending $150 to $300 and getting a more stylish and durable pair of boots if you have the money. If money is no object, you can, of course, find excellent pairs for $500 or more (rag & bone's Harrow Leather Boot has been a popular choice among fashion devotees for years and sells for $495 on Nordstrom), but I have a difficult time justifying the cost of any pair above $300 to myself and, by extension, anyone who clicks into this buying guide looking for accessible — not aspirational — recommendations.
To determine which black ankle boots are truly worth your time and money, I walked around New York City in a number of them, traversing four out of five boroughs and many subway lines — a couple pairs even came with me on a trip to New Jersey. The good news for you (and my feet) is that there are plenty of well-priced boots that don't make you choose between comfort and style. No matter what style ankle boot you prefer or what your budget is, there's a pick in this buying guide that's right for you.
Although the Thursday Boot Co. Downtown Boot is our top pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the Cole Haan Abbot Bootie, the Sam Edelman Petty Chelsea Boot, the Everlane Suede Heel Boot, the ASOS ABSOLUTE Chelsea Ankle Boot, the Madewell Walker Chelsea Boot, the Nisolo Chelsea Boot, and the Marc Fisher LTD Yommi Chelsea Bootie.
The best black ankle boots overall
Why you'll love it: Thursday Boot Co.'s Downtown Boot looks and feels like a premium pair of boots for only $149, plus it offers all-day comfort and a weather-resistant design you can wear in light rain and snow.
Thursday Boot Co. sent me its black suede Downtown Boots to try last winter, and I essentially lived in them all season long because they were so comfortable. When I first reviewed them in February 2017, I said:
There are a number of factors you should take into consideration when buying new boots — comfort, durability, quality, and price being some of the most obvious ones. Color, style, and brand might also influence your decision. If you want boots that check off all of these boxes, I can’t recommend Thursday Boot Company’s Downtown Boots enough.
They’re some of the most comfortable ones I’ve worn right out of the box with no break-in period. I’ve been wearing my black suede pair everywhere the past few weeks, with skirts, jeans, and everything in between. At $149, they’re also an attractive price. I’ve paid double that for pairs I liked half as much.
The reason the Downtown Boot claims the top spot in this buying guide is because Thursday Boot Co. really considered every detail when they designed it, from the full glove leather lining that ensures a comfortable fit to the proprietary WeatherSafe suede upper that's designed to maintain its luster with age.
The boot also has a padded leather footbed that forms to your feet after a few wears for all-day comfort, a grooved outsole that provides better traction and durability, a 1.5" block heel that's reinforced with rubber to give you extra grip, and an unseen zipper and leather pull tab that makes the boot easy to put on and take off.
If you're hesitant to buy from a Kickstarter-funded company you've never heard of, don't be. All of the company's boots are handcrafted by skilled artisans at factories in either León, Mexico or New York City. And buyers who've reviewed the boots say the company's customer service is very responsive and eager to help if you have any issues with or questions about your boots.
Verified buyer Patti A. says "I love my boots [and] wear them for all occasions, and they got a small hole. I contacted the company [and] they replaced [them] with NO questions asked with brand-new boots. Customer for life!"
Even though the company doesn't offer narrow or wide widths yet (though they're exploring wider options for the future), customers with narrower and wider feet love the boots, too, but many of them suggest sizing down or up half a size for a perfect fit.
It's a great feeling to walk around and not actively think about how your feet feel in your boots — because they're simply comfortable and well supported. Thursday Boot Co. really impressed me with the Downtown Boots. Not only do they look great with their low heel, they've held up well to tons of wear. And their weather-resistant design means you can wear them without fear on typical rainy days, so have no regrets about picking up a pair right now.
Pros: Instantly comfortable, durable water-resistant design, available in six stylish colors, Thursday Boot Co. offers free shipping and free returns anywhere in the continental US
Cons: No wide or narrow widths yet, not easily resoleable
Buy the black suede Thursday Boot Co. Downtown Boot at Thursday Boot Co. for $149
The best black ankle boots built for comfort
Why you'll love it: The Abbot Bootie is the epitome of everything we love about Cole Haan — It provides the comfort you need in a stylish and versatile design.
Cole Haan has been in the shoe-making business since 1928. The Abbot Bootie is one of the company's current best-sellers, coming in five colors (black leather, tan suede, spice suede, morel suede, and stormcloud suede) and medium and wide widths. All versions of the ankle boot feature the company's innovative Grand.OS technology (more on that in a minute) and dual side cut-outs that make it easy to slip on and off. The cut-outs add an edgy flair for those who are looking for a black ankle boot style that isn't a classic Chelsea boot.
The Abbot Bootie looks beautiful in smooth black leather and gives its wearers a nice little lift thanks to its 1.75" stacked wood heel, which is reinforced with rubber to for extra grip and durability. Cole Haan describes the boot as having an "urban, cowgirl-chic" feel to it, and true to that description, it is best complemented when worn with causal, everyday pieces like sweaters and jeans.
The Grand.OS technology that's incorporated into the Abbot Bootie's design provides increased cushioning, greater flexibility, and reduced weight to ensure all-day comfort. I've never been one for having to "break in" shoes, so the boot's emphasis on comfort is something I greatly appreciate.
Customers who've bought the Abbot Bootie agree that it is an excellent boot that effortlessly offers all the comfort you need in one of the most stylish and versatile designs you can buy, saying that they can wear the boot all day without discomfort and that the boot is "the epitome of the Cole Haan brand" and its "go-to shoe of the season." Some customers have the boot in a few different colors since they love it so much.
The only potential downside here is that a handful of customers say the boot runs narrow across the instep. So even if you have medium-width feet you may want to consider ordering a wide-width pair for optimal comfort, though in my testing, my medium-width feet didn't have any issues with the standard width, and I was able to walk for city blocks on end without worrying I'd blister my feet.
** At its current sale price, the Abbot Bootie is neck and neck with our top pick. **
Pros: Instantly comfortable, beautiful design with premium materials, available in a wide width, available in five stylish colors
Cons: Some customers say the boot runs narrow
Buy the black leather Cole Haan Abbot Bootie at Cole Haan for $140 (was $200) [You save $60 with the code: FALLEVENT] [Available in a wide width]
Buy the black leather Cole Haan Abbot Bootie at Nordstrom for $139.90 (was $200) [You save $60]
Buy the black leather Cole Haan Abbot Bootie at Amazon for around $120-$150 [Available in a wide width] (Prices vary by size)
The best black ankle boots for $60
Why you'll love it: ASOS's ABSOLUTE Chelsea Ankle Boots may cost half as much as many other options, but they're fine boots at a fantastic price.
If you don't have $200 or $300 to spend on a pair of ankle boots, don't worry — ASOS's ABSOLUTE Chelsea Ankle Boot is a great deal at $60. The boot may not be water resistant or made of high-end materials, but it's just as comfortable and good-looking as our top pick for almost $100 less.
This is a classic Chelsea boot with elastic side panels and back taps that make it easy to slip on and off your foot. It comes in leather (black and oxblood) and suede (black and sand) as well as medium and wide widths. Its 1" inch heel is low to the ground, making it the perfect height for longer walks. Its heel is also reinforced with rubber for extra traction.
Refinery29 reviewed last year's version of the boot before and loved it for its accessible price as well as for its everyday good looks and comfort. The leather the boot is made with doesn't look or feel as rich and premium as the leather used in some of the other boots in this list, but it is very soft and malleable right out of the box, which is, as far as I'm concerned, pretty awesome for only $60.
The ASOS ABSOLUTE Chelsea Ankle Boot may be ready to hit the pavement from the get-go, but it's not suitable to wear in wet weather. ASOS recommends treating the boot with a leather protector so it lasts longer. For the price, however, I'm perfectly happy knowing the boot will probably only last for the fall and winter. The great thing about this pair is that it's not costly to replace.
If owning a high-end pair of leather boots isn't at the top of your wish list this season, and you care about comfort first and foremost, this boot is an outstanding deal.
Pros: Very affordable option, available in a wide width, available in sizes US 4-12, the low 1" heel ensures all-day comfort
Cons: Leather isn't high-quality, you'll want to treat the boot with a leather protector and avoid wearing it in wet weather
Buy the black leather ASOS ABSOLUTE Chelsea Ankle Boot at ASOS for $60
Buy the black leather ASOS ABSOLUTE Wide Fit Chelsea Ankle Boot at ASOS for $60
Buy the black suede ASOS ABSOLUTE Chelsea Ankle Boot at ASOS for $60
Buy the sand suede ASOS ABSOLUTE Wide Fit Chelsea Ankle Boot at ASOS for $60
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