Lace-Up Ankle Boots with Zip and Teddy-Look Collar, Faux Leather

Lace-up ankle boots with zip and a teddy-look collar

These lace-up ankle boots with zip by Step in Style are built for grey pavements and wet leaves. They have a thick sole with a deep tread, a 5 cm heel, a shaft of 17 cm and a curly teddy-look trim at the tongue and collar.

The upper is faux leather. There are three colours, dark brown, black and a lighter cognac brown, in sizes 36 to 41.

At a glance

The piece: a hiking look for the city

Step in Style calls these trapper shoes. The maker describes them as women's ankle boots in faux leather with a solid construction and an urban character, meant for autumn and winter outfits. They close with laces and with a zip, which the maker says gives a close fit and makes them easy to put on.

The photos show how that works. The laces run through metal eyelets and hooks, as on a walking boot. The zip sits on the inner side of the shaft. Once you have tied the laces the way you like them, you can use the zip from then on.

The two brown pairs have a matte, brushed-looking surface with darker shading at the toe, a cream trim and black-and-white flecked laces. The black pair is smooth, with a dark trim and black laces.

Who they're for

For you if you like the look of a mountain boot and spend your winter in town. The chunky sole and the hooks give the outdoor feeling. The zip means you are out of the door as fast as in any other boot.

They also suit you if you prefer not to wear animal leather. The maker lists the upper as artificial leather.

Closer look: what the maker's data and the photos show

• Upper in artificial leather (maker's data)
• Laces and a zip (maker's data); the zip is on the inner side (photos)
• Metal eyelets and hooks (photos)
• Teddy-look pile on the tongue and inside the collar (photos)
• Shaft height 17 cm, heel height 5 cm (maker's data)
• Thick black sole with a deep tread and a block heel (photos)
• Fabric footbed (maker's data)

The maker does not say what the teddy-look trim is made of, and does not state whether the whole boot is lined with it or only the collar. We describe it as trim for that reason.

Materials and build: faux leather on a thick sole

The upper is artificial leather and the footbed is fabric. Those are the two materials the maker names. The sole material is not given. In the photos it is a thick black sole with a tread deep enough to see from the side.

The maker's text praises the construction as solid. We cannot test that from here, so we stay with what is measurable: a 5 cm heel that is part of the sole block, and a shaft that reaches 17 cm.

Size and fit: check the insole length

The maker gives the insole length per size: 23.5 cm for 36, 24 cm for 37, 25 cm for 38, 25.5 cm for 39, 26 cm for 40 and 26.5 cm for 41. Between 37 and 38 the table jumps a full centimetre, so if you are usually a 37 and a half, 38 is the one to look at.

Measure your foot from heel to longest toe and choose the insole that is a little longer. Winter socks need room too. The laces let you set the width over the instep. Which sizes are in stock per colour you see on the size buttons.

Size chart (cm)

Source: the maker's size table, the same for all three colours. Note the jump of a full centimetre between 37 and 38.

Styling: let the collar show

The cream trim on the brown pairs is the detail people notice, so do not cover it. Tuck slim jeans or leggings into the shaft, or roll the hem so it ends just above the collar.

The dark brown pair looks good with a camel coat and a chunky scarf. The cognac pair lifts an all-black outfit. The black pair is the quiet one, and it also works under a knitted midi dress with thick tights.

Occasions

The maker made these for everyday wear in autumn and winter. Think of the walk to the station, a Saturday at the market, a day out in the woods on dry paths, a Christmas market. They are casual boots, and that is their place.

Care: brush and a damp cloth

The maker's data has no care instructions. What usually works for faux leather: let mud dry, brush it off, then wipe the upper with a damp cloth. Dry the boots at room temperature and keep them away from the heater.

Keep the teddy-look trim dry where you can, and fluff it up with your fingers if it gets flat.

The wow detail: the flecked laces

On the brown pairs, look at the laces. They are black and white, twisted like climbing rope, and they pick up the cream of the collar and the black of the sole at once. It is a small choice by the maker, and it is what makes the boot look like outdoor gear instead of a plain brown boot.

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 pair is unworn and in its original box. 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 boots, trainers and flats are in our women's shoes collection.