If the clocks going back wasn’t signifier enough, the moody grey skies and the pitter-patter of rain should tell you: winter is around the corner, and with it comes boot season. If, for some reason, you still haven’t shelved the sandals and soft ballet flats you spent the warmer months wearing, now is the time (that is, unless you like getting caught out in the rain). If the feet of the fashion set are anything to go by, Captain Hook-coded buckle boots have become the ultimate shoe trend to wear in 2026, and it’s a look that is a practical as it is punchy.
Slimmer than your run-of-the-mill biker boot, but just as heavily adorned, the new buckle boot is proof that the best trends (especially shoe ones) come reinvented from relics. In fact, when the style came storming down Miu Miu’s 1940s-inspired autumn/winter 2025 runway alongside joyous plaid midi skirts, XXL wool coats and sumptuous faux-fur shawls, there was something about the silhouette that felt eerily familiar. And for us Brits, perhaps a little indie sleaze-y.
For those who may be slightly too young to remember, the contemporary style’s origin started gaining traction in the 1980s. After debuting during Vivienne Westwood’s first (and now iconic) autumn/winter 1981–1982 collection named “Pirate”, the show gave us what is arguably one of the most infamous boots to ever exist. Not only did Pirate shatter every rigid tailoring rule in the book and kick-start the New Romantic era—it gave fashion one of its most enduring footwear staples: the buckle boot.
Think back to Kate Moss‘s iconic parka-and-boot pairing at the turn of the millennium or Sienna Miller walking her dog in a peacoat and skinny jeans. Noughties It girls practically lived in the silhouette, anchoring buckle boots as part of Y2K fashion canon. Now, fast forward two decades and the aesthetic loop has officially closed. HAIM paid homage to Moss’s sunbathing shot for the cover of their 2025 single “Everybody’s Trying To Figure Me Out” —clad in Westwood buckle boots, naturally. Meanwhile, on the autumn/winter 2026 runways, sleek, hardware-heavy boots dominated. From Dior to Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester or Auralee, the new buckle boot shapes felt Victorian, and almost Ye Olde “ladylike” rather than grounded in biker grit.
Playful, fun and a less than subtle nod to nostalgia, buckle boots are certainly making a compelling case for breaking up the minimalist heels in your rotation this winter. Whether peeking out from straight-leg jeans or on full display with mini skirts, this eye-catching style feels fresher and far cooler than ever before. So what are you waiting for? Scroll to shop the best below.
Shop the Buckle Boot Trend:
