The Best Men’s Black Boots to Buy Right Now

What’s sharper than a pair of black boots? Not a whole lot when it comes to your menswear wardrobe, be they sleek black dress boots, rough-and-tumble work boots or punk-inspired black lace-up boots with tons of heritage and history. If the goal of building out your wardrobe is to fill it with versatile pieces you can mix and match across any season, then the best men’s black boots are a worthy addition to your rotation, day and night, 365 days a year.

If you’ve already got the bases covered as far as versatile style on your top half is concerned — you know, picks like the best Oxford shirt or a tech-savvy, wear-with-anything solar watch for work and play — then look towards your footwear next. And especially in the colder climes of fall and winter, a dependable pair of the best men’s black boots is exactly what the (menswear) doctor ordered.

Black boots have just as much history as the rest of some of the more commonly seen menswear essentials, be it a durable field jacket or workwear-ready five-pocket denim. Boots, especially simply designed black lace-up boots that rise above the ankle, evolved over the years into a functional necessity for explorers, pioneers and naturally, the military. Black lace-up boots made their way into civilian life gradually but without any real hesitation — any cobbler worth his salt could outfit you with some form of black boots, going back decades and even centuries.

Nowadays, black boots are less associated with the battlefield or an old-time cobbler than with sleek style for the modern man, as well as a sense of style that’s at once tough, rugged and refined. James Bond wears black dress boots these days. Tommy Shelby, of Peaky Blinders fame, assuredly loves himself some black dress boots. And in your own day-to-day life, whether you prefer dress boots or hard-wearing work boots (or both), well, black leather is the right way to go if you want to hit it out of the park stylistically.

Black goes with just about everything in your wardrobe (including, of course, black jeans or trousers). That goes for a navy cotton or wool suit, not to mention your favorite pair of slim jeans and a thermal henley. Mix and match your top layers, including other made-for-action staples like a denim shirt or a bomber jacket, with black boots, and those boots will serve as one heck of a reliable anchor for plenty of pursuits in every season.

Style choices abound with the best men’s black boots, from casual situations to dressy dinners, winter road trips and more. Whatever you can dream up on your schedule, the best men’s black boots can rise to meet the occasion. Black doesn’t have to be boring — plenty of designers and brands are adding pops of color, brogue detailing or hand-finished details to make this menswear must-have distinctive and hands-down as cool as it gets.

So, we’ve tried to make our case so far for the best men’s black boots. But it’s never quite as simple as that, is it? No sir, and that’s why we’re offering up some more tips to make your next boots purchase your best pick-up yet. Here’s what to look for as you shop.

The Best Tips to Keep in Mind When Shopping For Black Boots

  • Know your wearing occasions: Wearing occasion is really just another way of reminding you to consider how often you dress for certain types of activities. Are you a fellow who, like Tommy Shelby, gets dressed to the nines and needs boots that can stand up to your best suits? Consider some lace-up dress boots with a sleek finish. If you prefer more rugged pursuits, from rock concerts to distillery visits, a pair of more overbuilt black boots could be the way to go (think work boots, but with a touch more class and edge in equal measure). Knowing how you intend to wear these boots will yield dividends — if you hit the mark and find the right pair, you’ll get even more wear out of your new boots than you thought possible.
  • Don’t be afraid to invest: It’s like we’ve said time and time again, especially when it comes to items that need to stand up to frequent wear (like the best leather dress shoes, for instance). The more you spend, the more you’re apt to come across a pair of the best men’s black boots that can really deliver on all fronts. Keep in mind, that doesn’t mean you need to head right out and drop a grand on men’s dress boots. That can mean looking for boots that hit the mark at about $200, or else finding a quality pair of boots on sale for a bit beneath that mark. Budgeting, as with personal style, works differently for everyone, so invest in a way you feel most comfortable, and you’ll quite literally land on your feet with boots designed to best meet your daily style needs.
  • Trust the pros: There are revered and respected names across the board in the world of men’s footwear, particularly when you consider the intricate art of crafting the best men’s black boots. The top companies in the business (some of which we’ll cover today) use time-honored methods and exceptional craftsmanship in every pair, without cutting corners. This falls in much the same arena as investing in the best: Trusting heritage companies with a long history (or upstarts committed to quality boots) benefits everyone involved. You get great boots, companies get to keep doing what they do best, and you get to go further into the world of style, outfitted to the nines every step of the way (whatever that means for you, that is).

With a few handy tips in your mental to-do list, what pair or pairs are right for you when you dive into the best men’s black boots? Allow us to lead you carefully down the path to A-plus style with our favorite black boots for men of the moment.

The Best Men’s Black Boots to Shop Right Now

Beckett Simonon Lorenzo Boots

Beckett Simonon Lorenzo Boots

Black boots are, by their very nature, dressier than brown leather boots in some instances, especially when those boots are finished off with a sleek captoe in a crisp profile as made by the master footwear purveyors at Beckett Simonon. These remind us most closely of the boots favored by — take a wild guess — the legendary and always-dapper Tommy Shelby. Beckett Simonon makes this pair with beautiful and gets-better-with-age Italian leather, and the company succinctly notes that “they will have you walking in true style with your best jeans, chinos or a cool suit no matter what the weather is doing.” How can you get better than that? Well, how about the more-than-agreeable price tag of $239? Now we’re talking.

Allen Edmonds Chapman Weatherproof Combat Boots

Allen Edmonds Chapman Weatherproof Combat Boots

We noted above that shopping with brands you can trust is as fine a way to go as any when it comes to your new favorite black leather boots. Allen Edmonds, with decades of experience and a true emphasis on craftsmanship — from its expertly designed dress shoes to casual boots like this pair — certainly is a brand you can trust. This pair of weatherproof black leather boots harkens back to military combat boots, with a design that’s versatile enough to wear with black jeans or blue selvedge denim, not to mention a trusty wool fall or winter suit. In the summer, wear them with grey jeans and a white short-sleeve henley tee, as Ryan Gosling might do.

Blundstone Classic 550 Boots

Blundstone Classic 550 Boots

Here’s the thing we love the most about the best men’s black boots. Not every pair needs to be a casual pair of lace-up combat boots, nor a pair of super-sharp black leather dress boots. In fact, sometimes you just need a pair of pull-on work boots in a minimal color and with a timeless design. That’s the Blundstone way, with a design that’s evolved through the company’s century-plus focus on designing boots built for harsh Aussie conditions and now worn around the world. Blundstone boots, especially this no-nonsense pair in the brand’s iconic 550 design, are found in stylish neighborhoods and just about anywhere there’s work to be done (or beer to be brewed, or concerts to be seen and heard). Get a versatile pair of the best men’s black boots today.

Huckberry All-Weather Chore Boots

Huckberry All-Weather Chore Boots

Huckberry is, if you haven’t figured it out by now, always a safe bet as you shop for the best gear for men across the board. They’ve built a brand from the ground up, from the gear they stock and sell to the pieces they design on their own, and that includes the All-Weather line of ridiculously dependable, hard-wearing, undeniably cool boots. These boots really are ready for fall and winter excursions off the grid, blending the easy wearability and design of a Chelsea boot with touches more commonly found on snow boots, including a rubberized rand design, a springy and yet traction-ready outsole and a very agreeable price. Team them with a thermal henley, a waxed trucker jacket and chore pants when you’ve got a never-ending to-do list of jobs that need tackling. It’s an easy choice, is it not?

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Beau Hayhoe
Beau is Brooklyn-based style and lifestyle writer. He covers menswear, gear, spirits, craft beer and music. When not writing, Beau can be found shopping for vinyl or sipping on a Brooklyn beer.