Gladiator boots consist of vertical and horizontal straps that wrap around the foot, ankle, and leg, and can be ankle-high or over-the-knee with flat or high heels. The style originated with Alexander McQueen’s gladiator sandals in 1996 and gained popularity in the early 2000s after being worn by celebrities. They come in various styles and colors, usually worn with simple outfits and minimal accessories.
Gladiator boots consist of one or two vertical straps that run up the leg and are crossed by a series of horizontal straps that wrap around the foot, ankle, and leg. Unlike other boots, gladiator boots are generally open, like gladiator sandals, extending up the leg to the length of the boot. Variations of gladiator boots can consist of ankle-high booties to over-the-knee styles. Gladiator boots can have flat heels, high heels, or any height in between. The style got its name because the shoes are reminiscent of the boots worn by fighters in the Roman Empire who fought other gladiators or animals before live audiences.
The gladiator style may have originated with British fashion designer Alexander McQueen’s gladiator sandals that first appeared in 1996. Over the next few years, gladiator-style shoes fell out of fashion, gaining ground around the turn of the century. XXI. Simple sandals had laces that wound many times around the foot and ankle, tying the top. Variations on the gladiator sandal appeared over the next few years, with many styles becoming more extreme.
High-heeled, ankle-length gladiator boots with thicker straps and buckles appeared around 2008 after celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Charlize Theron, and Rihanna began making public appearances wearing them. Sex and the City character Carrie Bradshaw wore extreme Dior gladiator platforms in the 2008 film Sex and the City, sending fans shopping for gladiator heels and designers brainstorming how to capitalize on the trend.
More extreme versions of the gladiator shoe trend emerged, with gladiator boots appearing in all heights, from ankle to thigh-high. The gladiator style appeared in the lines of high-end designers, such as Givenchy and Balenciaga. Discount retailers followed suit, covering all price points and making the style available to the general public.
The gladiator boot is an extreme attention-grabbing style, typically worn with shorts, mini dresses, or miniskirts to elongate the leg and highlight the boot, which is usually the focal point of any outfit worn with them. Colors worn with gladiator boots tend to be simple solids or neutrals. Accessories should be simple and kept to a minimum.
Gladiator boots can appear in many variations, but are usually black, brown, or metallic. They can be aggressive, chunky, gothic platforms with studs and metal buckles or slimmer, feminine, more sophisticated goddess-esque shapes. Heels can be flat or high, stiletto or platform. Some gladiator boots have diagonal straps that intertwine with the horizontal straps, appearing to intersect at random and have a dramatic appearance.
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