Find your perfect pair of winter boots HERE.

The year was 1997, and I had just found the one.

The one who just ‘got’ me.

Good-looking, practical, reliable.

Staring through the shop window in Sydney’s Pitt St Mall, it was love at first sight.

There stood the most perfect boots that ever existed: steel capped, laced-up, chunky-heeled black knee high boots.

I blew more than two weeks rent on those black beauties. I wore them with a black satin corset, a slip skirt and sheer stockings (look, it was a weird time for me fashion-wise) to see Shirley Manson  – my Gothic spirit animal – perform in Garbage at Sydney’s Hordern Pavillion.

I no longer have the boots, but my love of tall, black boots-with-attitude never waned.  Read on for 21 pairs of boots to shop now, from the still on-trend ankle boots to gumboots for grown-ups.

Buckled

(L-R): 1. Nine West Haylee Boots, $149.95,

2. Spurr Pavic Ankle Boots, $49.95,

3. I Love Billy Workstop Black, $99.95.

Tall

(L-R): 1. Witchery Isabel Over The Knee Boot $369.95

2. Verali Snow Boots $109.95

3. Lipstick Riding Girl $99.95

Ankle

L-R: 1. Wittner Horacio tan ankle boot $169.95,

2. Spurr Chelsea Boot, $49.95,

3. Spurr Matar Navy Boots, $59.95

Leopard

L-R: 1. Senso Paloma III $275,

2. Django & Juliette Ocelot Camel flat foots, $169.95,

3. Witchery Kids (they go up to size 37!) – Mia has these, she wrote about them here.

Patterned

(L-R): 1. Witchery Lauren Boot, $199,

2. Senso Ramsey I, $320

3. The Mode Collective Ankle Boot, $299

 Laced-up

(L-R): 1. Spurr Lace-up boots, $49.95

2. Dr Marten’s boots, $209 (I couldn’t resist)

3. River Island Light Brown Desert Boots, $74.95

Gumboots

1. Hunter Carlyle Gumboots, $169,

2. Hunter Shoreditch Wellies, $185,

3. Target Downpour rubber gumboots, $20.

 For inspiration on how to wear your winter boots, click through the gallery below.

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