Beatle boot

A pair of Beatle boot replicas.

The Beatles, seen here in 1963

A Beatle boot is a style of boot that has been worn since the 1960s. The boots are tight-fitting, Cuban-heeled, ankle-high boots with a sharp pointed toe, made popular by the English rock group The Beatles, for whom they were originally made. The style can feature either zipped or elastic sides.^[1] Beatle boots saw the reintroduction of high-heeled footwear for men.^[2]

Beatle boots are a direct descendant of the Chelsea boot, from which the pointed toe and centre seam stitch (running from ankle to toe) was derived, and the Flamenco boot, from which the Cuban heel was derived.^[3] Beatle boots originated in October 1961, when English musicians John Lennon and Paul McCartney saw Chelsea boots whilst browsing in the London footwear company Anello & Davide, and consequently commissioned four pairs (with the addition of Cuban heels) for the Beatles, to complement their new suit image upon their return from Hamburg.^[4] The boots were very popular with rock bands and artists during the middle 1960s but started to decline during the 70s. The boots saw a surge of popularity during the punk movement in the late 70s and early 80s but again started to decline throughout the 90s. During the late 2000s and early 2010s the boots have seen a steady surge in popularity.

Notable wearers

References

High-heeled footwear Shoes Court shoe Mule Peep-toe shoe Platform shoe Slingback Boots Ballet boot Beatle boot Cowboy boot Fashion boot Kinky boots Knee-high boot Platform boot Thigh-high boots Winklepickers Types of heel Clear heels Kitten heel Spool heel Stiletto heel Wedge heel People Brands ALDO Group Manolo Blahnik Jimmy Choo Kenneth Cole Patrick Cox Salvatore Ferragamo Maud Frizon Cole Haan Hush Puppies Charles Jourdan Beth Levine Christian Louboutin Steve Madden Bruno Magli Nine West Beatrix Ong Prada Sergio Rossi Yves Saint Laurent Yotam Solomon United Nude Roger Vivier Stuart Weitzman Giuseppe Zanotti Pura Lopez Rachel Zoe