Chic and Trendy Footwear Doesn't Have to Go Moo (Or Break the Bank)


When it comes to scoring this season’s hottest boots, don’t have a cow, babe.

If you missed Fashion Week this year, here’s the roundup: back in are 70’s-inspired flared jeans, chunky gold jewelry, high-waisted skirts and bold prints.

Another trend we saw over and over? Chic and sexy boots that make us yearn for old man winter. 

Fashion Dilemma

When it comes to our favorite fall footwear staple, we want the newest looks without dropping a ton of cash. And most of all, we don’t want anything killed in the name of our struts.

Luckily, the hippest vegan designers are well ahead of you, crafting fashion-forward boots from materials like synthetic (animal-free) leather, bamboo, luxe plastics and specially-designed cloth that feels so much like suede that the bitchy fashion snob at your office won’t even know the difference.

Salivating yet? We rounded up a few options to tickle your footwear fancy:

For the Financially Well-Endowed


Feeling the urge to splurge?

If you've got the extra cash, these black Burberry boots are completely animal-free and totally gorgeous. Not just for rainy days, these sleek kickers can be dressed down with jeans or spruced up with leggings and a cute skirt. And they say high-fashion can't be cruelty-conscious. Psh.

They ring up at $275, but you can't really put a price on being fabulous, now can you?

For the Slightly-Splurge Inclined

If you want a similar look for less, try these black riding boots (pictured left) by GC Shoes. They have the lush feel of a more expensive shoe, complete with lace-up detailing in the back and a fold-over cuff that can give you an entirely different look. For $81, you're not breaking the bank but still getting great quality.

If you like flat boots but want a bit more of a heel, try these Chinese Laundry boots for $99.95.


For the Savvy Spender

Steal of the day? Vegan Chic makes a pair of riding boots (left) for under fifty bucks, and they’re pretty darn cute if we do say so ourselves.

And if saving animals from becoming your footwear wasn’t good enough, check out these wrap boots by TOMS for under $100. They might look a little different from what we saw on the runway this year, but your do-gooder heart will get a major ego-boost with this purchase.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, for every pair of shoes TOMS sells, one gets delivered to a child in need. Totally awesome, no?

The Bottom Line

We're convinced that animal-free footwear doesn't require a fashion compromise. Since even faux sheepskin boots come in tons of colors and styles these days, you can totally keep up with the trends without having to skin anything.

Have you found a kickin' pair of cruelty-free boots? Leave a comment in the comments section below and we may give you a call out on Facebook. 
 

Jennifer St. Germain, Contributing Writer
A long-time health and fitness writer, Jennifer recently moved back to Los Angeles after spending two years writing and teaching English in Japan.  She now writes for several publications on a variety of topics, but veganism and animal rights are her favorite subjects.  When she isn't writing, you can find her drinking a little too much organic coffee, playing with her dogs or photographing her third favorite subject - jellyfish.