Step Out in Chelsea Boots This Spring

Spring’s here, so it’s a great time to switch to deck shoes, but don’t pack your boots away just yet. When you want footwear with class and style, the Chelsea boot is the perfect option – and it will look the part with some of this season’s hottest trends.

Chelsea boots have been around since the nineteenth century and they have featured on catwalks around the world time and time again. So what exactly is the Chelsea boot and why does it have such enduring appeal?

From Buckingham Palace to the King’s Road

Chelsea boots have been worn by everyone from British royalty to the Kings and Queens of the music and fashion industries during the last 150 years.

The credit for their invention is usually given to Queen Victoria’s boot maker, J. Sparkes-Hall, who filed a patent for a pair of elastic-sided boots in 1851. 

His design made use of the recently invented vulcanised rubber to create boots that could be pulled on and off with ease, and he claimed that the Queen wore them every day. These practical ankle boots became popular as walking boots and also as an alternative to tall riding boots, remaining in favour until the First World War.

In the 1950’s and 1960’s, they made a comeback, becoming the footwear of choice for ‘the Chelsea Set’, a group of young socialites, artists and fashionistas, who spent their time in the trendy King’s Road area of Chelsea, London. They were so popular with these trendsetters that they began to be known as Chelsea boots.

The Mod Scene

Chelsea boots were also the height of footwear fashion for the 1960’s Mods. The perfect match for their smart tailored suits, they were practical enough to be worn whilst riding a scooter. Members of the Rolling Stones were also often seen wearing Chelsea boots, while The Beatles wore a slimmer, tighter-fitting version of it with a Cuban heel, which gradually became known as the ‘Beatle boot’.

The Chelsea boot has been the height of fashion regularly since the 1960’s, thanks to its elegant and functional design. Recently, celebrities like Victoria Beckham, Reese Witherspoon, Ellie Goulding and Harry Styles have all been snapped wearing Chelsea boots.

This Seasons Style

Denim is set to be all the rage this season and 1970’s style dominated the catwalks when the world’s designers showed off their women’s collections. Whether you’re planning to stick to skinny jeans or go wild with a pair of the latest kick flares, team them with a pair of Rachel boots for a fabulously fashionable look.

For the men, ‘Modern Mod’ is on trend for men this spring, with parkas, button down shirts and slim jeans in vogue. Just pop on a pair of our Chirk Chelsea boots to add the finishing touches to your contemporary take on this classic British style.

Rachel Chelsea Boots
Rachel Chelsea Boots
Chirk Men's Chelsea Boots