The Best Boots for the Office

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Professional Black woman walks down city street wearing what just might be the best boots for work

Sure, we all know what wardrobe essentials for work professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.

It's been way too long since we've had a Hunt for boots for the office — so today is going to be a bit of an omnibus roundup for every kind of boot. What kind of boots are you wearing with your work outfits in 2025, readers? Any recent boot purchases that are quickly becoming an MVP?

{related: check out our Guide to Comfortable Heels!}

What Should I Look For in Boots for the Office?

The old rule used to be that, for a conservative office, the boot should be as close to plain leather as possible. Simple! Not a conversation point!

In years past we've talked about how any of the following items were best to avoid for a very conservative office:

  • Decorative buckles and harness-type straps, whether on the toes, vamp, or tops of boots
  • Decorative detailing, embroidery, or patchworked pieces, either in the same color/fabric or different color/fabric
  • Shoes with a dip in the front, like cowboy boots (sometimes called a “curved topline”)
  • Heels that are a different color from the rest of the boot, such as a brown wooden heel with a black suede boot, a red rubber heel on a black boot, cork heels, etc. I think I even remember some readers not liking a strip along the bottom of the heel, like this Blondo boot, that draws attention to the boot.
  • Knee-high boots — YES, REALLY!! I still laugh to remember a conversation I had with a friend from law review, as we were taking BarBri classes — she had a tongue ring, for goodness sake! — wherein she suggested that only sex workers wore knee-high boots. This was actually a thing back then — Condoleeza Rice was accused of looking like a “dominatrix” in 2005 when she wore an all-black outfit with knee-high boots, and as recently as 2011 reporters wondered if Michelle Obama's knee-high boots were appropriate for a Veterans' Day service.
  • Over-the-knee boots — Here's our last discussion on OTK boots for work… I'm really curious where most people fall on these for work and other conservative environments this year! I wore some tan OTK boots to my youngest son's First Communion last year, for what it's worth (worn with a knee-length black dress), but it was a very small class.

BOOTS for the office WE LOVE, IN GENERAL

As of 2025, some of our favorite general boots for work outfits include the ones below…

THE BEST BOOTIES FOR WORK (MID-CALF OR ANKLE-HEIGHT)

Sleek But Walkable Booties for Work

Our favorite sleek but walkable boots for 2025 include the following… also check out comfort brands like Naot, Paul Green, Rothy's, and Dansko.

Best Ankle Boots for Work

Hunting for ankle boots and booties? As of 2025, some of our top picks for work include these… Also check comfort brands like Dansko and Paul Green.

Best Knee-High Boots

Knee-High Boots with Low Heels (Under 3″)

Stay tuned for a roundup of our latest favorite knee-high boots under 2.5″! As of 2025, Staud, Stuart Weitzman, and J.Crew both have nice options — and you can drool over these gorgeous ones from Totême.

Flat Knee-High Boots for Your Commute

Hunting for black knee-high boots? Some of our long-standing favorites (as of 2025) include La Canadienne, Sam Edelman, and Sofft; also check this J.Crew bestseller, this Cole Haan option, and Vivaia for comfort.

Heeled Knee-High Boots

As of 2025, knee-high boots with a heel are back! Some of the best-looking options include these from J.Crew, Schutz, Veronica Beard, Staud, and Stuart Weitzman. If you're looking for an affordable alternative to try the style, check out these boots at Loft, or these boots at Amazon, both under $100.

The Best Weatherproof Boots For Your Commute

Chunky Weatherproof Boots (Great To Raise Your Pants Off the Floor!)

As of 2025, some of our latest favorite chunky boots for a winter commute include these options:

The Best Knee-High Weatherproof Boots for the Office

As of 2025, these are some of our latest favorite weatherproof knee-high boots for work…

The Best Weatherproof Shoes for Work Outfits

Hunting for weatherproof shoes for work? As of 2025, these are some of our favorites — also check out waterproof sneakers like Allbirds. (Also look for Aquatalia boots on sale, as the brand is shutting down.)

Other Boot Styles for work outfits

Kitten-Heeled Boots

Our latest favorite affordable kitten-heeled boots in 2025 include those from Madewell and J.Crew.

Lug-Soled Boots

On the hunt for lug-sole boots for the office? As of 2025, we like Blondo, Sam Edelman, and Vionic; on the pricier side we'd go for the Prada ones Gwyneth Paltrow wore to her trial. Know your office, though!

Shooties

As of 2025, shooties, aka shoe booties, are not terribly in right now… if you're looking for a heeled version you can still find these stacked shooties from Gentle Souls, as well as a lot of affordable options from Lifestride. You may also want to consider a heeled oxford (like this, this, or this) or a heeled loafer, or some of our favorite strappy pumps… our latest favorite shooties, from the very small selection out there, are below…

Like this feature? Check out other recent installments!

Stock photo via Deposit Photos / ENTERPRISE1701.

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3 Comments

  1. Despite a ton of googling. I can’t find my unicorn boot yet (that’s not $500+ – that might be the dealbreaker). I am looking for a brown tall boot, pointed or almond toe, that is at least 16″ in shaft height but really preferably 17-18″ bcs I’m tall and would like to to come close to my knee, with a heel or 1-2″ and no ankle slouchiness. Anybody come across something similar? I have found a couple possibilities but the websites are also not anything I’ve heard of so I hesitate. Keeping my fingers crossed… and still google searching like crazy!

    1. Cole Haan – Go To Block Heel Knee High Boots. I’m not sure of the shaft height but otherwise they’re a great, walkable, slim fit. Note I found the brown to be a lot more supple than the black leather when I tried on IRL, and I took the larger of my two half-sizes.