Combat Boots Elevated My 2021 Wardrobe -- Here's How To Rock Them

Combat Boots Elevated My 2021 Wardrobe — Here’s How To Rock Them

By Trish Pham & Kelsey O'Brien

Combat boots and chunky platforms are THE trending shoe silhouette of 2021, and we’re here to give you the lowdown on all the versatile ways to style this shoe. Over the past year, we’ve seen more and more variations of the staple combat boot, so there’s going to be a style out there for every preference. This boot is extremely comfortable and depending on where you live, you can wear it all year round! For all our top highly-rated AND affordable current picks, scroll down to the end of the article!

Style 1: Dress It Up Or Down

I think this is the easiest way to rock combat boots. Although it might not be an obvious go-to look, pairing them with your favorite dress instantly screams “fashionista” because of the bold contrast. During colder months, I would recommend pairing combat boots with a knit maxi dress paired over a layered basic (mock neck, for example) or with a chunky sweater. For the summer, pair them with a floral number in a lightweight fabric. If you’re wearing a more glam, business-chic piece, combat boots can edge up the outfit and make it slightly more casual. My favorite time to rock this combo is when you’re going out to a nice dinner where you don’t exactly know to dress up or dress down.

Style 2: Elevate Loungewear

A cute pair of sneakers would be the obvious choice to complete a loungewear outfit, but combat boots will elevate your look and can offer even more warmth than a sneaker. Plus, who doesn’t like that extra bit of height? It will give your overall outfit a boost and make it look more refined and grunge-chic. Here’s how to style two current comfortable trends this season: track pants and joggers. Both are considered loungewear and can be intimidating to wear out without looking like you rolled out of bed so my tip is to balance the pieces with more structured tops to elevate the casualness of the pants and boots.

Style 3: Business Appropriate

Combat boots are close-toed (obviously) and choosing a pair with minimal bells and whistles can look very professional paired with a business appropriate outfit. I recommend building this outfit around a blazer and a pair of really great-fitted bottoms. Since combat boots tend to be a chunkier shoe (of course this depends on the kind of pair you own) they pair well with both slim fit pants and wide-fit pants. You can’t go wrong with an ankle-length bottom that kisses the opening of the boot. Just make sure to balance the top half of your outfit (wide-fit with slim-fit or vice versa).

Style 4: Tights Are On Trend

Tights are a versatile wardrobe piece that is fashionable and functional, but are tough to style for most who don’t know how to style for everyday wear without looking like a 5-year-old. Maybe it is just me that has this issue? Well to solve that problem, I pair them with combat boots. This simple addition of the boots changes the tights from looking like a dressy addition to fashion-forward with comfort. I love wearing tights with mini dresses or sets as well.

Style 5: Denim Dream

Last but certainly not least, you can’t rock combat boots without a good ol’ pair of denim bottoms! Wide-leg jeans are super on-trend right now, so you’ll be stuntin’ in a denim + combat boot ensemble. Perfect for a casual look paired with sporty pieces, or you can mix it up with a loungewear staple. I love the subtle addition where you can’t fully see the boots unless I am sitting down, making it possible to wear any versatile top with the jeans.