Step in Style Suede Western Ankle Boots with Openwork Pattern, Block Heel

Suede western ankle boots with a pattern you can see through

These suede western ankle boots have the curved top and the pull tabs of a cowboy boot, and a much lighter touch. Rosettes and leaf shapes are punched into the shaft as tiny holes, so the pattern is part of the suede itself.

The maker lists real suede for the upper and leather for the footbed. The block heel is 5 cm, the shaft 18 cm, and a zip on the inside gets you in and out. There are four colours.

At a glance

The piece: a western boot for mild days

Step in Style sells its shoes through a fashion wholesaler in Poland. The maker describes these as ankle boots in real suede for the transitional season and warmer autumn days. The openwork lets air in, which fits that advice.

Our colour buttons need a short translation. "Taupe" is a grey-beige. "White" is an off-white suede with a pale gold sheen; the supplier's own colour field calls it yellow. "brown" is a warm mid-brown. "beige 2" is a sand tone. Look at the photos of each before you choose, because the names only go so far.

Who it's for

For you if you like the western look and want it quiet: no studs, no contrast stitching, just shape and pattern. And for you if you care about materials, since both the upper and the footbed are leather according to the maker.

The heel is a modest 5 cm and wide, so these are boots you can wear all day at a wedding in a field or at a festival.

Closer look: what the maker states and what the photos show

• Upper in suede leather (maker's data)
• Leather footbed (maker's data)
• Block heel, 5 cm (maker's data)
• Almond toe and zip closure (maker's data)
• Shaft 18 cm high (maker's data)
• Openwork pattern of rosettes and leaves, punched into the shaft (maker's data and photos)
• Zip on the inner side; pull tabs front and back (photos)
• Heel with a stacked wood-look finish (photos)

The maker does not name the material of the sole or the heel and does not mention a lining.

Material and feel: real suede, as the maker states it

The maker's attribute list says "suede leather" for the upper and leather for the footbed. We pass both on as the maker gives them; we have no certificate or tannery details beyond that.

Suede is leather with a brushed, velvety side facing out. In the photos you can see the nap change shade where a hand has passed over it, most clearly on the brown pair. The off-white pair has a pearly finish on top of the suede, which gives it the gold sheen.

Size and fit: go by the insole

The maker gives the insole length per size: 23 cm for 36, 24 cm for 37, 24.5 cm for 38, 25.5 cm for 39, 26 cm for 40, 26.5 cm for 41 and 27 cm for 42. The off-white version starts at size 35 with 22.5 cm and stops at 41.

Measure your foot from the heel to the longest toe and pick the size whose insole is a little longer. An almond toe narrows gently, so there is more room in front than in a pointed boot. The shaft is 18 cm high and stands away from the leg, as a western boot should.

Size chart (cm)

Source: the maker's size tables. Size 35 exists only in the off-white version and size 42 only in taupe, brown and sand beige.

Styling: dresses first

A dress with cowboy boots is the pairing people search for, and this pair makes it easy. Try a white broderie dress with the taupe or sand pair, or a floral midi with the brown one. The photos show bare legs and a hint of a white blouse, which is the same idea.

With jeans, choose a straight leg that ends just above the shaft, or tuck a slim leg in so the pattern shows. The off-white pair is the dressiest and looks good with cream tailoring.

Occasions

The maker points to the transitional season and warmer autumn days. We would add late spring and summer evenings, garden parties and festivals. Suede and rain do not get along, and these boots have holes in the shaft, so keep them for dry weather.

Care: a suede brush

The maker's data has no care instructions. General practice for suede: brush it dry with a suede brush, always in one direction, and treat it with a protective spray made for suede before the first wear. Test the spray on the inside of the shaft first, especially on the off-white pair with its sheen.

The wow detail: a pattern made of light

Western boots usually carry their pattern in stitching. Here it is punched out. Against bare skin the holes read as dark dots, and against a pale sock they turn light. You can change the look of the boot with what you wear under it.

Fashion that gives back

5% of each sale goes to a cause you choose. The causes are matched to 11 of the 17 SDGs, the global goals set by the United Nations, and you decide where your share goes.

Our promise

Ships from the maker's wholesale partner in Poland, inside the EU, with tracking. The wholesaler lists up to 3 days to prepare an order; within the EU delivery usually takes 2–7 business days after dispatch. Delivery is free within the EU on orders from €69; below that it costs €4.95 in the Netherlands and €6.95 elsewhere in the EU.

You have 14 days after delivery to ask for a return, as long as the boots are unworn and still have their tags. Our promise is plain: if what arrives does not match what this page says, send it back within 14 days and we refund you.

More ankle boots and tall boots are in our women's boots collection.