The 15 Best Chelsea Boots for Women in 2024

Bring it on, cold weather.

Influencer Lois Opoku wearing a mini bag by Louis Vuitton and white Chelsea boots by Monki, seen during Copenhagen Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2022 on February 2, 2022 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
(Image credit: Getty/Streetstyleshooters)

Did you know that the first Chelsea boot (one of my all-time favorite types of boots) was made for Queen Victoria? The story goes like this: Queen Victoria had requested a pair of boots without laces so that she could wear while riding, explaining that laces tended to get caught in her stirrups (which, I don't ride, but sounds annoying?). As a result, London-based shoemaker J. Sparkes-Hall designed the now-classic boots, which were called "paddock" until the '50s and '60s when their name morphed into "Chelsea boots," thanks to the style's association with King's Road, a street in London's borough of Chelsea. These days, Chelsea boots have gone beyond their British roots and become a universal favorite.

"Chelsea boots are a fall staple," agrees celebrity stylist and costume designer Alexandra Imgruth, who explains that these accessories are, on a basic level,
"flat ankle boots easily spotted by their elastic side panel." Indeed, this style is made from a single piece of leather, split into two parts called the vamp and the quarters. These parts meet near the ankle, where they're joined by a strip of vulcanized rubber or elastic that extends just below the ankle but stops before reaching the sole. 

Ahead, check out some of the very best Chelsea boots for women in 2023, from classic to modern, that are sure to make you fall in love with this classic fall boot all over again.

Sorel Women's Joan of Artic Wedge III Lug Sole Chelsea Booties $200 $150 | Macy's 

Sorel Women's Joan of Artic Wedge III Lug Sole Chelsea Booties <a href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-100577549-15623069?sid=hawk-custom-tracking&url=https://www.macys.com/shop/product/sorel-womens-joan-of-artic-wedge-iii-lug-sole-chelsea-booties?ID=12726584" data-link-merchant="macys.com"">$200 $150 | Macy's 

According to customers, this wedge pair fares well in all weather and provides enough arch support to be worn all day long. 

Cougar&nbsp;Ignite Chelsea Rain Boot $130 $120 | DSW

Cougar Ignite Chelsea Rain Boot <a href="https://dsw.am3t9s.net/c/221109/315836/4837?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dsw.com%2Fen%2Fus%2Fproduct%2Fcougar-ignite-chelsea-rain-boot%2F549019%3FactiveColor%3D001" data-link-merchant="dsw.com"">$130 $120 | DSW

According to reviews, these rain boots are both compliment-inducing and cozy. Multiple customers say that this pair is the ultimate antidote to freezing cold toes and to dampness caused by rain or snow storms.

Best Chelsea Boots

Meet the Expert

Alexandra Imgruth
Alexandra Imgruth

Alexandra Imgruth is a fashion stylist and style consultant who works with celebrities and priavte clients alike. She is currently based in New York City.

Gabrielle Ulubay
Beauty Writer

Gabrielle Ulubay is a Beauty Writer at Marie Claire. She has also written about sexual wellness, fashion, culture, and politics both at Marie Claire and for publications like The New York Times, Bustle, and HuffPost Personal. She has worked extensively in the e-commerce and sales spaces since 2020, including two years at Drizly, where she developed an expertise in finding the best, highest quality goods and experiences money can buy. As a film school graduate, she loves all things media and can be found making art when she's not busy writing.