Kim Kardashian’s trio of electric pink Saturday Night Live looks sealed the deal: Legging boots are going to be a thing this fall. Each of her velvet and spandex Balenciaga ensembles (made exclusively for Kardashian, we learned this morning) cut a single, uninterrupted wash of color from head-to-toe, and likely sparked more than a few Google searches for legging-stiletto hybrids.
Call it kismet, then, that an early pioneer of the concept is relaunching her signature “bants,” or boot pants, today. Back in 2013, Tamara Mellon introduced her first-of-their-kind stretch leather legging boots with high, stacked heels. In her interview with Vogue’s Nicole Phelps (then the executive editor at Style.com), she called them a two-in-one wardrobe solution: “I think [women are] going to really understand that it’s a basic—that you can throw a big sweater over it, you can wear a long T-shirt and a jacket, you can put it under a miniskirt.”
Fast forward to 2021, and Kardashian’s endorsement (though Balenciaga has been making “pantaleggings” since 2016) is just one example of the item’s reemergence. Saint Laurent’s pre-fall 2021 collection included ivory leather pants fused with heeled boots, while Glenn Martens tried a different take at Diesel: a baggy jean-turned-cowboy-boot.
Mellon stopped producing hers a few years ago; they were best-sellers at the start— Karlie Kloss, Taylor Swift, and (coincidentally) Kardashian all wore them in 2013—but demand eventually waned as fashion entered its Phoebe Philo period, trading leather leggings and spiky boots for vintage jeans and Birkenstocks.
Earlier this year, though, Mellon “had a sense” the legging boot was primed for a comeback—with a few tweaks. Today’s iteration, designed in collaboration with Irina Shayk, comes with a flat, chunky lug sole in lieu of the original’s heels. “We’ve casualized it,” Mellon explained this summer as the prototype was being finalized. “It feels more modern, more like a utility boot.”
The heavier silhouette and comfort will surely appeal to a broader group of women, ditto the foolproof sizing: After selecting your shoe size, you need only choose between two waist sizes: extra-small/small or medium/large, with plenty of stretch to accommodate different body types. Mellon hopes they’ll be as problem-solving now as they were in 2013: Wear them with oversized sweaters, hoodies, blazers, or even under a miniskirt. “In the late 2000s, my idea started with a stylist friend who recalled her mother wearing these thigh-high boots in the ’60s under her skirts. They went really high, so you couldn’t see the gap between the boot and the mini,” Mellon said. “I’ve always hated that you have to adjust your thigh-highs every time you stand up or sit down. So with the leggings, you don’t have that issue.”
They come at a time when fashion seems equally inclined towards comfort and super-futuristic design, largely influenced by Balenciaga’s Demna Gvasalia. Chances are you’ll be seeing them (and a fair amount of knock-offs) on the streets this fall. Mellon did caution against wearing them to a few places, though: “It could become a very awkward situation at the airport,” she laughed. And if your friend has a strict no-shoes-inside policy, you might consider saving these for another party.
Shop the new Sweet Revenge boots below.
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